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image by Jarig Bakker, based on the website of the National Maritime Museum.
From the website of the National Maritime Museum, "the house flag of Niarchos Ltd., London. A white flag with a narrow horizontal band striped red, white a blue across the centre. In the middle is placed a large, black-bordered 'N'. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached."
Loughran (1979) shows nearly an identical flag
for Niarchos Group, Athens; Hellenic Shipyards Co. Ltd., of Piraeus, is part of
the empire of Stavros Niarchos, and uses his flag and funnel.
Jarig Bakker, 21 August 2004
image by Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021
Sir Edward Nicholl was born at Pool, in Cornwall, on the 17th June, 1862. He
came from a fairly modest background, and was apprenticed as an engineer. On
completing his apprenticeship, he became a ship’s engineer, and worked his way
up to become marine superintendent. Eventually he managed to raise some money
and became a ship owner himself. He was very successful and founded the Hall
Line of Cardiff, and later the Nicholl Shipping Co. He was a major benefactor in
the Cardiff area and founded a children’s home as well as other charitable
works.
A member of the Royal Naval Reserve since 1889, during World War
One he became the Chief Examiner for shipping in the Bristol Channel area. In
1916 he was knighted for his services, but by 1917 he decided to sell up his
shipping interests due to the pressure of his war work.
https://www.villagematters.co.uk/sunbury-matters/sunbury-matters-articles/2016/04/sir-edward-nicholl
Village Matters, 1 April 2016
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels
(1912) shows the house flag of Edwd. Nicholl & Co.(Cardiff Hall Line) (#1294, p.
98) as swallow-tailed, red with a white "N".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#63
Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021
image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of D. & J.
Nicol (Passenger Steamers) (#1170, p. 92), a Dundee-based company, as blue with
a blue saltire superimposed in the center with a blue-bordered white oval
inscribing a red "N".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/65/
For
whatever reason, Lloyd's separately shows the very same house flag for D.A.J.
Nicol (Cargo Steamers) (#1345, p. 100).
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021
James Nicoll & Co., Dundee.
The flag is white with a border red (top and left) and blue (bottom and right)
and N.D. (blue) in the middle.
Based on
The Mystic Seaport Foundation
Ivan Sache, 1 February 2004
image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021
Jens Christian Nielsen established his business in 1852 as a coal exporter
and timber merchant so it was a natural progression to purchase shares in
sailing vessels from about 1862. Some of the shares were owned by William Gray
and John Denton. In 1872 he formed his company C. Nielsen & Co., with the
purchase of his first steamer, "Saint Hilda", built by Withy, Alexander & Co. By
1882 the company had become C. Nielson & Son then in 1888 C. Nielsen & Sons.
After his death the company became Hans C. Nielson & Co. The "Luis" was lost in
1918 and no further ships were registered at West Hartlepool. As most of their
ships traded to the Scandinavian countries they were registered in those ports.
Jens Christian Nielson (1824-1896) was born in 1824 at Nordby, Fano in
Denmark. He moved to England and by the 1851 census was living at Picton, Place,
Newcastle-on-Tyne with his wife, Fanny/Fannie, and his son, Hans Christian. The
family moved to Hartlepool soon after and Jens, usually known as Christian,
established his business. Fanny passed away at Hartlepool in early 1866 and
Christian was remarried in 1867 at Hartlepool to Eliza Frances Taylor. The
couple had two sons and two daughters. By the 1881 census Christian had become a
naturalised British Subject.
During his lifetime Christian was Danish
vice-consul and was created a Knight of Dannebrog by the King of Denmark. He was
also a consular agent for the U.S.A., a Justice of the Peace and a mayor of
Hartlepool in 1870-71. He was a vice-chairman of the Hartlepools Shipowners
Society, chairman of the Hartlepool Pilotage Board and a representative on the
Port and Harbour Commission.
Hans Christian Nielsen (1851-1939) became
Danish vice-consul after his father's death. He was also a member of the Port
and Harbour Commission the Hartlepool Pilotage Commission, and was a Justice of
the Peace for Hartlepool.
Charles Nielsen (1858-1939) became a timber
merchant. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/5046/nielsen-and-sons
Hartlepool History
Then and Now
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the
house flag of C. Nielsen & Sons (#421, p. 57) as red with a white castle.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#22
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021
image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021
The Niger Company, Ltd. succeeded in 1900 the Royal Niger Company, which had
been chartered in 1886 by the British government and originally formed in 1879
as the United African Company and renamed to National African Company in 1881.
The Niger Company was taken over in 1929 by the United Africa Company,
subsequently controlled by Unilever, which eventually absorbed it in 1987.
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of the
Niger Company, Ltd. (#1171, p. 92) as blue with a red cross fimbriated in white
and the white letters "N" and "C" in the first and fourth quarters,
respectively.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#57
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021
image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021
The Nisbet, Calder partnership formed Clydesdale Navigation Co Ltd in 1906
and bought a second-hand tramp steamer. A second ship was bought in 1909 and a
third in 1913, when the managing company became George Nisbet & Co. Two of the
ships were sold during WW1 and the third was torpedoed on a voyage between
Middlesbrough and the Tyne in ballast.
George Nisbet & Co resumed as
shipowners in 1924, when Nisbet Shipping Co Ltd was formed and adopted the
prefix 'Blair' for their vessels. The business expanded and a third company,
Northern Navigation Co Ltd was formed. By 1929 the fleet consisted of 10 ships;
4 owned by Clydesdale, 3 by Nisbet Shipping and 3 by Northern Navigation. Their
main trading activity was from UK to Canada and the USA, but some voyages were
undertaken to Russia, the Mediterranean and Australia.
Like all tramp
owners Nisbet suffered during the Great Depression, but survived and at the
start of WW2 owned 9 vessels and another 8 were allocated to the company by the
MOWT. Their losses were heavy; 8 by enemy action, 2 by collision and 1 ship
foundered. Nisbet continued after the war, although by 1955 the fleet was down
to 3 ships. These were sold in 1961 and the companies liquidated.
https://www.benjidog.co.uk/allen/Nisbet%20Line.html
Benjidog Historical
Research Resources: The Allen Collection
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and
Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Nisbet, Calder & Co. (#459, p. 58) as
swallow-tailed, white with a red stripe at the top and bottom, charged in the
center with the blue letters "NC".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#23
Ivan
Sache, 24 April 2021
image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021
John Latta (1867-1946) was born on 9 May 1867 in Old Cumnock, Ayrshire. He
had his early schooling in Cumnock before proceeding to Ayr Academy and then to
the Greenock firm of Craig and Scott.
John, who was the chairman of Lawther,
Latta & Co. Ltd, ship owners and merchants, at his death, first went into the
shipping industry in 1883 and soon afterwards introduced steamships into the
nitrate trade. As chairman of the Nitrate Producers' Steamship Company, he
managed his own fleet. He was an individualist and a strong believer in free
trade.
In 1896, John Latta married Ada May, daughter of the late J Y
Short, of Ashbrooke Hall, Sunderland. Thus he formed an alliance with the family
of shipbuilders, Short Brothers Ltd, Sunderland, who built most of the large
cargo carriers with which the steamship company engaged in general trading. In
November 1904, he was one of the British ship owners presented to King Edward
VII in recognition of services to their country.
The company's fleet was also
of the utmost importance in the wars of 1914-18 and 1939-45, and at the end of
the First World War, his services were recognised by his being created a
baronet.
Sir John Latta, 1st Bart, of Portman Square, was knighted on 9
February 1920.
https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/TourismAndVisitorAttractions/LocalHistoryAndHeritage/Famouspeople/SirJohnLatta.aspx
East Ayrshire Council
The Nitrate Producers Steamship Company Ltd
sometimes called the Anglo Line were the most favourite of liner tramps to visit
the West Coast between the years of 1900 and the 1930s. These Anglo vessels,
specially built for this run, were looked upon as the aristocrats on the Coast.
It was a pleasure to one and all when they came in and this they did without any
fuss at all.The masters knew their business from A-Z were persons grata
everywhere and much respected by everyone with whom they came into contact.
https://coastalshipping.co.uk/other-publications/1626-the-nitrate-boats.html
The Nitrate Boats, by David Burrell.
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and
Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Nitrate Producers' Steamship Co., Ltd.
(Lawther, Latta & Co.) (#1049, p. 86) as composed of a rectangular flag, charged
in the center with a light blue lozenge inscribing an orange star and with the
black letters "N", "P", "S" and "C" in the respective corners, placed over a
long light blue pennant bordered in red and charged with the black letters "LL".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/51/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021