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Newry and Mourne Museum is delighted to announce the donation of the John D.F. Fisher Collection, generously gifted by Jane Fisher. The collection tells the remarkable story of Joseph Fisher and Son Ltd, the prominent shipping and importing company based at Newry's Albert Basin and provides a valuable insight into the area's rich maritime, industrial and social history.
Comprising documents, photographs, newspaper clippings and personal records, the collection sheds light on the history of shipping and trade in Newry, the development of the Albert Basin, and the lives of several generations of the Fisher family. It also offers a fascinating glimpse into the industrial and social history of the region during the interwar and post-war periods.
season. Leaving Newry on the 24th May, they made
it to France within two days. Newry & Mourne
Museum Collection
Founded in 1852 by Joseph Fisher as a shipbroking firm, Joseph Fisher and Son Ltd. quickly expanded its operations, investing in its own vessels and importing coal. In 1892, the company was among the first local shipowners to embrace steam-powered shipping with the purchase of the steamship Kilkeel. From these beginnings, the business expanded into general trade and became one of the leading shipping companies operating on the Irish Sea.
In 1951, Joseph Fisher's grandson, James Fisher, inherited the company and its subsidiaries. A First World War veteran who served as a dispatch rider, James later became President of the Newry branch of the British Legion. He also represented the Ulster district on the executive councils of both the Shipping Federation Ltd and the National Maritime Board, while playing an active role in the Newry Port and Harbour Trust.
His son, John D.F. Fisher, continued the family's strong involvement in local business and public life. In 1986, he was appointed the first Chairman of Southern Group Enterprises Ltd, served on Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, and contributed to the Down/Chicago Link Project. He was awarded an OBE in 2007, the same year he served as High Sheriff of County Down.
The collection provides a valuable record of the company's growth and development while offering a unique case study of Newry's maritime and industrial heritage. Documents detailing vessels owned by Joseph Fisher and Son Ltd, the Newry and Kilkeel Steamboat Company, and the Carlingford Lough Steamship Company trace the expansion of these fleets and highlight the importance of the Albert Basin as a busy commercial port well into the second half of the twentieth century.
Among the most notable records is a list of steamships bringing cargo to Newry from ports across the world. Ships from companies throughout Britain imported goods from destinations including New York and Philadelphia, Alexandria, Kronstadt, and Odesa, underscoring Newry's role in international trade networks far beyond Ireland's shores.
A particular highlight of the collection is John Fisher's diary, covering May and June 1951. The diary documents the company's involvement in produce trading between Brest, France, and Plymouth, England, recording details of the vessels involved, cargoes carried and daily life at sea. It offers an engaging account of post-war shipping and trade, while also capturing the atmosphere of Europe as it rebuilt in the aftermath of the Second World War. The diary notes the continuing wartime damage visible in French towns and ports, as well as observations on working practices among dockworkers and shipping companies on both sides of the Channel.
The collection also contains an extensive photographic archive chronicling the history of the Fisher company and the Albert Basin. Images include vessels such as the SS Rowan, Mango, Olive, and the launch of the Scottish-built SS Oak in 1955. The photographs also record daily life around the basin, including activity in the company's coal and timber yards and the men and women whose work supported Newry's maritime economy.
The John D.F. Fisher Collection will become an important part of the Museum's permanent holdings, adding yet another dimension to the documented history of the Newry and Mourne area.
Visitors interested in learning more about Newry's maritime heritage and international trading connections can explore the Museum's temporary exhibition, Making Waves: Newry's Rise as a Global Trade Centre, which highlights the town's historic role in global commerce.
The Museum is currently offering free tours of the main exhibition galleries on Wednesdays at 2.00 pm. These must be booked in advance by calling our Education Officer at 0330 137 4422.
Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museums@nmandd.org for further information.
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