Onesimus Dorey
Onesimus Dorey (1857-1931), Merchant, Shipowner
Birth and Education
Onesimus Dorey was born in Cassot Road, St Sampson’s on 1 July 1857, to Judith Nant (née Renouf), wife of Josiah Dorey, St Sampson’s Weighbridge Master and shipowner. He was their fifth son.
He was educated at the Guernsey Commercial and Grammar School.
Marriage and family
He married Ann Elizabeth Poat in around 1882 and started a family at Linden Villa (or The Lindens), Belgrave Road (Rue des Bas Courtils) on the Banques. He had four sons and one daughter.
He was a member of St Sampson’s Lodge No 2598, and in June 1897 was inducted as its Director of Ceremonies. He was also a preacher of the Methodist Church and contributed his talents as a vocalist to the choir at St Sampson’s Methodist Church.
Career
Although Onesimus’s father Josiah had been a shipowner (under his own name and as Dorey and Co) and his oldest son Richard Josiah Dorey (R J Dorey Ltd) had taken over Josiah’s ships Star of the West and Ocean Monarch on his death in 1887, it was Onesimus who was to make a lasting name for the Guernsey Doreys in the shipping business.
In 1876 he had already started his career in shipping, as agent for the Commerce, of which he was the managing owner.
After his father’s death in 1887, he founded the “Plymouth, Channel Islands and Brittany Steamship Company”, whose first steamer was the Commerce, which was followed by the Channel Queen. Other ships included Aquila and Plymouth. These ships ran between Plymouth and two Brittany ports, via Guernsey and Jersey.
This company suffered several tragic losses. In 1897 the barque Rose of Devon was lost off Cornwall, with the loss of six lives, after only a few weeks in the company. Worse was to come in 1898, when the Channel Queen was wrecked in fog on the Roque Noir off the north-west coast of Guernsey with the loss of 21 lives.
Following this disaster, the Anglo-French Steamship Company was set up in 1898, with Onesimus Dorey as managing director. Dorey began to use chartered ships until the Guernsey Commercial Bank helped the company purchase the Devonia.
Disaster struck again in December 1900 when the Rossgull was wrecked off Jersey with the loss of nine lives.
In 1907, Dorey set up Onesimus Dorey and Sons, registered at North Quay, St Peter Port. By this time he had three sons, though it was only his oldest, Cecil, who was to succeed him in the business. The Anglo-French Steamship Company was then wound up in 1908.
Onesimus Dorey and Sons’ ships were put at the service of the Allies for the war effort during World War I, but in 1921 the company, having suffered during the post-war depression, had to end all services. Dorey managed to stay in business, however, and again found success in shipping granite to England and anthracite coal to the Channel Islands from Swansea and the north-east English coast.
In 1920, he set up two more companies: Dorey Shipping Company and Sea Transportation Company, the latter being liquidated in 1935.
Death
Onesimus Dorey died on 10 March 1931
After his death, the company was run by his first son, Cecil Dorey, and from 1963 by Cecil’s son Peter Lord Dorey, who purchased a two-thirds share for Onesimus Dorey and Sons in Condor Limited, which is still in business today.
The old company was in 1972 restyled as Onesimus Dorey (Holdings) to control Condor, and again restyled in 1977 as Onesimus Dorey (Shipowners)
