John Hurley

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John Hurley (May 16, 1845 in Bristol, England - May 23, 1913) was a 20th century merchant and ship-breaker. As a local businessman, ship-breaker, metal merchant and general dealer of considerable fame and repute, his name was well-known in Bristol channel shipping circles between the 1880's and 1913.

He lived at Prince Street, central Bristol circa 1870-1897, and Bristol Trade Directories spanning this period list him at No's 46 and 14 respectively, but he was probably more famous as the well-known "man-about-town" in the Hotwells area of the city, between 1905 and 1913.

Although he is remembered for breaking up old ships almost directly underneath the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge during the early 1900s, what has also been recorded is that the little pebble beach at Clevedon Pill in Somerset was alternatively known as "John Hurley's beach" in his honour.^{[citation needed]}

John's death certificate states that he was "aged 66" at the time of his death in 1913, although the reality is that he was actually 68.

He is buried at the Holy Souls Catholic Cemetery, Bath Road, Bristol.

[edit] References

• "West Country Passenger Steamers" by Grahame Farr (2nd Edition, 1967) ISBN 0-901314-08-0.
• "Images of Maritime Bristol" by Paul Elkin (1995) ISBN 1-85983-004-8
• UK Census returns, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901.