Robert Slade

     Robert Slade was born in 1768 in Wareham Parish, Dorset, England.² He was christened on March 2, 1768 in Wareham Parish, Dorset.³ Robert apprenticed as a clerk under his uncle, John Slade, in his successful Newfoundland Merchant Trade business. He worked in both the Poole, Dorset, England counting house and in the counting house in Twillingate, Newfoundland.⁴ A ledger of Slade & Co shows that Robert made an arrangement with Noble & Pinson Sons regarding the division of sealing posts.⁵ Robert became the manager of John Slade & Company's trading house in Battle Harbour, Labrador.⁴ Robert took goods from Fogo, Newfoundland to Labrador.⁴
     Robert married Mary Poole on February 16, 1795 in Poole, Dorset, England.⁶ He left John Slade & Co. to establish his own trading business in Trinity, Newfoundland, named Robert Slade. His business was located on the foreshore of the front arms towards Hogs Nose. He had several large stores and a general goods shop. According to the Slade Papers as transcribed by Keith Mathews "He bought a house there and leased a mercantile premises belonging to John Jeffrey on the west side of the harbour near Hog's Nose, and purchased it three years later for £600. Some time later, he later acquired additional premises at Maggoty Cove and Southwest Arm. In addition, the firm expanded to Catalina (1813), Heart's Content (1817), and Hant's Harbour (1835). Since Robert ran the firm from Poole, typical of the West Country merchants, he relied on local managers to handle affairs. James Gover managed the Trinity branch, 1804-1809, succeeded by William Kelson, 1809-1851, and Alexander Warren Bremner, 1851-1861. At Catalina, James Lannigan managed 1813-1821, followed by Alexander Bremner, 1821-1861, who later bought the Catalina premises when RobertSlade& Company went bankrupt. James Wiseman, the firm's agent at Heart's Content, 1817-1822, was succeeded by Butler Aldridge who committed suicide in 1838, possibly resulting in the closure of the branch. The firm placed Andrew Tocher in charge of the Hant's Harbour branch, which was located at a room leased from Richard Pelley in 1835."

"Changes in the structure and ownership of the firm were reflected, to a degree, in its name changes: "RobertSlade" (1804-1822); "Sladeand Kelson" (1822-1837); "Executors of the late RobertSladeSr." (1837-1850); and "RobertSlade& Company" (1850-1861). Robert's sons-in-law, RobertSladeand Thomas Arnold, managed the firm during the "Sladeand Kelson" period. But in 1838, five years after Robert Senior's death, his sons, Robert, Thomas and James, gained control of the firm and changed the name to the "Executors of the late RobertSlade". Kelson retired in 1851 and, henceforth, the firm was known as RobertSlade& Company.
By 1851, at least three of Robert's sons had also died. James (-1849) appears to have been the family member chiefly involved in running the firm after his father's death, but he died two years before William Kelson's retirement.^5,7,8 " He bought a house in Trinity, Newfoundland from his agent Joseph Gover.⁹ Robert attended a vestry meeting in Poole, and became part of the committee to assert Poole rights regarding the Great Canford Enclosure.

Canford Heath was common land and the largest lowland heath in the United Kingdon. The 1805 Enclosure Act woulld allow over 9000 acres to be enclosed as private lands. In 1810, it was subdivided among Poole's Proprietors.⁹ Robert attended a meeting to confer on the Great Canford Enclosure. Another meeting he attended on the same topic was held 25 Sep 1805.⁹ Robert owned and leased three Thames St. houses in Poole for L4-L5. He also bought and occupied a house on Hill st. in Poole, which he purchased for L8.⁹ The ledger of fish collection for Robert Slade was 5227 qtls. There were 390 seals collected. The cash flow was L5870.⁹ Robert was selected as a church warden.⁹ Again named a church warden. He worked through 1809 on revising relief for the poor.⁹ Leger supplement lists the number of seals collected to be 694, cod oil collected was 7619 gallons, other fish collected was 8263 qtls. The amount paid out for fish collection was L5137.⁹ He registered a vessel, #S826021, with a crew of 3 for all ports in Newfoundland. Name of the vessel is not recorded.¹⁰ The Trinity Journal reported that Robert's vessel "John/Thomas" with Captain Stone at the helm had arrived in Fogo from Poole, England.

On 25 May 1810, the Duckworth Papers of the British Admiratly Administration, Vol. 1, shows the "Falcon" owned by Robert as a 67 to vessel captained by J.W. Richardson made regular trips back and forth between Trinity, Newfoundland and Poole, England. Also making regular round trips to Poole where his 125 ton Brig "Active", his 115 ton Brig "Gannet" and his 68 ton "Alpha" captained by Phil Hamon. Each of these vessels delivering 1,000- 2,500 quintals of fish each trip.⁹ The Trinity Journal reported that Robert's schooner "Lively" had arrived with 300 seals. His schooner "Cosmopolite" was equipped for the ice while the Schooner "Delight" was up in the bay.⁹ The church vestry appointed Robert the trustee for the burial ground.⁹ His vessels "Alpha", "Gannet", "Active" and "Alpha" continued regular round trips between Newfoundland ports and Poole bringing good from Poole and returning with 2,000-3,000 qtls of fish each trip. An occasional trip to Lisbon was also recorded.⁹ The Trinity customs report lists regular round trips to Poole and Lisbon continued for the vessels "Alpha", "Gannet", and "Active". Two new vessels joined the fleet; the Brig "John/Elizabeth, 167 ton with a crew of 10 and the Brig "George", 148 ton with a crew of 8.⁹ His best sailmaker dies.⁹ Robert owned a mansion and store on West St, where he and his family lived worth L39. He also had an Export/Import house (L700) and the house next door, occupied by Thomas Slade (L6), and a house further down occupied by William Pitt. He owned and occupied cellars and lofts on Thames St. at L24. Robert also owned a tenament on Hill St, occupied by Thomas Linthorne; 2 houses on Thames St, (both leased out); a Thames St. garden that he occupies; and a house on High St. occupied by the widow Clark.⁹ Trinity customs records indicate that "Active". "Alpha" "Gannet",and "George" continued regular round trip routes from Poole to Trinity. The fleet increased again with the addition of the Brig "Roaland", 125 ton and a crew of 10; the Brig "Alonzo", 68 ton, crew of 8; the Brig "John/Elizabeth", 167 ton, crew of 12; the Brig "Louisa Hanna", 162 ton, crew of 13 and the Brig "Tantivy", 279 ton, crew of 12. The "Tantivy" would include New York and London in its route. At this time, he also owned several schooners that traveled between Newfoundland ports.⁹ Robert was made a freemason.⁹ The name of his business in Newfoundland was changed to Robert Slade and Sons. In 1824, the name changed again to Slade and Kelson when he partnered with Kelson.⁴ Robert registered the vessel "Thomas and Sarah", #S848084, in all ports of Newfoundland for the business of merchant trading, The vessell had a crew of 2. He was both the owner and builder of the ship.¹⁰ Robert Slade resided in Poole, Dorset, on March 23, 1833.^7,11 Upon his death, his three sons, Robert, Thomas and James, became executors of his estate. In 1850, the company name changed again to Robert Slade & Company. There were branches of the company in Catalina in Bonavista Harbour; Hearts Content in Trinity Bay; and Hants Harbour which opens to Trinity Bay all on the eastern side of Newfoundland.⁵ He died in 1842 in St. James Parish, Poole, Dorset, England.¹²