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British shipping companies (L)

Last modified: 2021-05-29 by rob raeside
Keywords: shipping lines |
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See also:

Lindsay, Gracie & Co., Ltd.

[Lindsay, Gracie & Co., Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Lindsay, Gracie & Co., Ltd. (#1130, p. 90), a Newcastle-based company, as white with a red border and the red letters "L.G & C°".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#55
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021


Lindsey Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.

[Lindsey Steam Fishing Co. Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Lindsey Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. (#595, p. 65), a Grimsby-based company, as red with the white letters "LY" in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/30/
Ivan Sache, 31 May 2006


Line Steam Fishing Co., Ltd.

[D. Pettitt houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 23 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of the Line Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. (#367, p. 54), a Grimsby-based company, as red with a disc quartered white and black in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#19 
Ivan Sache, 23 April 2021


Link Line

[Link Line houseflag] 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 the Link Line Ltd., Liverpool. A rectangular flag, divided into black and yellow with a black letter 'L' in each yellow quarter. The flag is made of nylon fabric. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached. The design is based on the International Code signal flag 'L'."
Jarig Bakker, 19 August 2004


James Little & Co.

[James Little & Co. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of James Little & Co. (#1161, p. 92), a Glasgow-based company, as red with a white lozenge inscribing a blue "L".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#57
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021


Little & Johnston

[Little & Johnston houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Little & Johnston (#1160, p. 92), a London-based company, as red with a white lozenge inscribing a blue "L".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#57 
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021


The Liverpool and Hamburg Stem Ship Co., Ltd.

(Donald Currie & Co. Managers)

[The Liverpool and Hamburg Stem Ship Co., Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of the Liverpool and Hamburg Stem Ship Co., Ltd. (#15781, p. 112), a London, Liverpool and Manchester-based shipping company, as blue with a thin whit saltire, in the center a white lozenge inscribing a red letter "C".

https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#77

The very same house flag was used by Castle Mail Paclet Co. another company managed by D. Currie.
https://flags.kircho.net/gb~hfca.html#castle
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021


Liverpool & Maranham (Silvain Steams. Co.)

[Link Line houseflag] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 29 May 2012

The flag is quarterly divided into blue and white.
Source: [el1897 - Elbe Flag Chart 1897 – part 9; “Gratis Beilage zu Deicken und Behrmann’s Neuen Monatsheften Neue Ausgabe Sommer 1897"]
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 29 May 2012

Liverpool & N.Wales Steamship Co.

[Liverpool & N.Wales Steamship Co. houseflag] image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 18 February 2007

At http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/LNWSS.html are some pages about the Liverpool & North Wales Steamship Co. As explained there, the firm was founded in 1891 being the result of a merger between the New North Wales Steamship Co. and its competitor, the Liverpool, Llandudno and Welsh Coast Steam Boat Co. That was rather remarkable as the first company was barely one year old but then it had a formidable paddle-steamer against which the other firms' ships could not compete. The new company's name indicated its area of activity which came to include the Isle of Man in 1892. Liverpool & North Wales took over the Snowdon Passenger Steamboat Co. (founded 1892) in 1899, neutralizing another competitor. From then on, the company maintained its position, replacing and modernizing its ships – witness the many post cards – but along with other firms it suffered from the excursion market’s decline starting in the fifties. Operations came to a halt in 1963.

Now and then the house flag is shown – very small of course – on a Simplon site post card. It was a white swallowtail bearing a blue cross throughout, a typical Welsh symbol in the middle: the three ostrich feathers, all in yellow.
Jan Mertens, 27 December 2005

Post card collection confirms the design; the larger image shows that the feathers are placed on a regular crest torse.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 18 February 2007


Liverpool, Bristol & Hayle Steamship Co.

(Hosken, Trevithick, Polkinhorn & Co., Ltd.)

[Liverpool, Bristol & Hayle Steamship Co. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021

The letters H, T and P mean little in Cornwall today, but a century ago Hosken, Trevithick, Polkinhorn & Co Ltd played a significant part in its commercial, agricultural and community life. Three prominent Cornish business figures who, with the assistance of a fourth, created the largest conglomerate of companies in Cornwall.

https://www.museumsincornwall.org.uk/Hosken,-Trevithick-and-Polkinhorn:-lecture-by-Philip-Hosken/Events/
Cornwall Museums

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of the Liverpool, Bristol & Hayle Steamship Co. (Hosken, Trevithick, Polkinhorn & Co., Ltd.) (#820, p. 76), a Hayle-based company, as horizontally divided red-white, charged in the red stripe with the white letters "H.T.P." and in the white stripe with the red letters "&C°.LD.".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/41/
Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021


Liverpool Screw Towing

[Liverpool Screw Towing houseflag] image by Eugene Ipavec, 17 December 2009

The Liverpool Screw Towing & Lighterage Co. of Liverpool, Great Britain, is presented at http://www.merseysideviews.com/Mersey%20Tugs/Liverpool-Screw-Towing.htm, giving a list of ships (the famous “Cock tugs”) and showing the house flag – in fact two of them opposing each other, very appropriate in fact as they bear roosters! But a glance at the on-line Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows us how things really are.

White field, black rooster looking to the hoist. on p. 95 of book, ill. no. 1228.

Founded in 1877 by W. Becket hill, “Liverpool Screw Towing was greatly involved in deep-sea work and after the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, operated a fleet of flats, barges and steam barges” (quoting National Archives). In 1966 Alexandra Towing took over Liverpool Screw and a subsidiary, North West Tugs.

Sources:
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/archive/displayGuide.aspx?sid=26&mode=html&sorStr=&serStr=&pgeInt=&catStr
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=136-bat&cid=0#0
Jan Mertens, 7 December 2009


Liverpool Shipping Co., Ltd.

[Liverpool Shipping Co., Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021

British shipping line in the mid to late 1800s, into the early 1900s that was based in Liverpool. Successor to H Fernie and Sons, Liverpool. Most vessels were iron-hulled square-rigged sailing ships, also known as windjammers.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:The_Liverpool_Shipping_Co_Ltd
WikiTree

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Liverpool Shipping Co., Ltd. (Henry Fernie & Sons) (#795, p. 74) as swallow-tailed, vertically divided white-red.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/39/
Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021


Liver Shipping Company, Ltd.

Johnston, Sproule & Co.

[Liver Shipping Company, Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Johnston, Sproule & Co. was already mentioned in 1868.

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Liver Shipping Company, Ltd. (Johnston, Sproule & Co.) (#1732, p. 119), a Liverpool-based shipping company, as horizontally divided white-red-white, charged in the respective corners with the black letters "J", "S", "&", and "Co." .
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#84
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021


Robert Livingston & Co.

[Robert Livingston & Co. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

Robert Livingston (1858-1939) and George Steel traded as managers and shipbrokers under the title of G. Steel & Co. The partnership was dissolved in April 1889 with George continuing to trade under G. Steel & Co. In the same year Robert went into partnership with Leonard Richard Conner under the title of Livingston, Conner & Co. Both partners set up their own companies in 1899 and the partnership of Livingston, Conner & Co. was officially dissolved in July 1900.
R. Livingston & Co. ceased trading in 1916 when Robert retired.

https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/4933/livingston-and-co
Hartlepool History Then and Now

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Robert Livingston & Co. (#998, p. 84) as white with a blue border and a blue "L" in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/49/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021


Corporation of Lloyds

[Lloyds houseflag] image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 28 March 2000

[Lloyds houseflag] image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 28 March 2000

A company flag of Lloyds. From: I. O. Evans 'The Observer Book of Flags', 1959: 'The St. George's Cross, red on white, distinguishes a number of civic flags associated with London. That of the city of London bears in the canton, in red, the sword which beheaded St. Paul <...> On the shield which forms the badge of the Corporation of Lloyd's the Cross and Sword of London City are placed above a foul anchor in gold. Lloyd's signal stations fly a blue ensign with this badge in the fly; Lloyd's burgee for boats places it in the canton of a long pennant whose field shows a St. George's Cross with its arms traversed by a narrow blue cross.'
Jarig Bakker, 21 December 1999

Lloyd's boats were entitled to fly a Blue Ensign with their badge: Admiralty Warrant 9th September 1882. This is now used only ashore at Lloyd's offices and occasionally at Gibraltar Signal Station.
David Prothero, 27 December 1999

I chanced upon some more information about Lloyd's flags in ADM 1/8950.

1882. Admiralty Warrant for Blue Ensign with Lloyd's badge in the fly. 9 Sep 1882.

1894. Lloyd's asked for permission to fly a white ensign with a blue overall St George's cross and their badge in the fly (presumably in the fourth quarter). Admiralty refused to allow it for use on boats because it would have been too much like the RN White Ensign, but did not have the authority to ban its use on signal stations. However Lloyd's dropped the idea.

1896. Admiralty approved white ensign with Lloyd's badge in the fly and no overall cross for Signal Stations. Flags of this design had probably been in use since 1894.

1900. Admiralty suggested that this flag should not be flown.

1904. Admiralty agreed that there was no harm in this flag being flown at Signal Stations abroad.

1914. Use of Lloyd's white ensign abandoned.

There is some inconsistency here in that Admiralty are said to have no authority over flags ashore, but are then approving a flag for a Signal Station. I think the explanation is that although the Admiralty's authority legally extended only to flags flown at sea, and on rivers, lakes and inland waters, they claimed the right to regulate the use of any flag that looked similar to a maritime flag. Thus yacht clubs that had warrants for Blue or Red Ensigns defaced with their club badge in the fly, were not allowed to fly them ashore at their club-house. RN barracks could fly the White Ensign because they were considered to be extensions of ships-of-war, but Dockyards and Naval Hospitals had to fly the Union Jack. An exception was made for Customs and Excise who were allowed to fly the Customs ensign on Customs Houses.
David Prothero, 29 January 2000

An incorrect image of a supposed Lloyds flag as a red ensign was found in a series of Danish stickers issued by Danmark Coffee Co. (circa 1935).
Ole Andersen, 21 December 1999 The Lloyd's badge on a blue disc on a Red Ensign is an error. It is perhaps a misinterpretation of the Admiralty Flag Book. Badges that appeared direct on Blue or Red Ensigns, but did not appear on UJs, were shown on a blue circle or red circle respectively. David Prothero, 30 December 1999

Lloyd's Yacht Club was founded 1938 and granted the defaced Red Ensign 1950.  Here is a picture of it in use from http://www.bellandclements.com/whatsnew/.
David Prothero, Ole Anderson
, 28 March 2003

A photo of the Lloyds of London white ensign can be seen at the Port Cities website and of the blue ensign also at the Port Cities website.
Jan Mertens, 20 February 2005

Signal Station Ensign

[Lloyds houseflag] image located by Peter Edwards, 9 March 2018

Rectangle 1:2 White field with Union Flag in canton and defaced with the Lloyd's of London's post-1926 shield in fly.
Object ID: AAA0713.
Peter Edwards, 9 March 2018

Boat Ensign

[Lloyds houseflag] image located by Peter Edwards, 9 March 2018

Rectangle 1:2 Blue field with Union Flag in Canton and defaced with the Lloyd's of London's post-1926 shield in fly.
Object ID: AAA0753.
Source: Image, National Maritime Museum http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections.html
Peter Edwards, 9 March 2018


British Shipping lines: continued