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New Zealand - House flags of shipping companies

Anchor Line
Circular Saw Line/Henderson Macfarlane Ltd
Holm Shipping Co.
Kamo Colliery Co.
Liquigas Ltd
Lyttleton Port Co., Ltd
New Zealand Container Services Ltd
New Zealand Railways
South Pacific Trading Co.
Tasman-Asia Shipping Co.
Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand/Union Shipping New Zealand

See also:

Anchor Line

image by Eugene Ipavec, 22 June 2009

The New Zealand Ship and Marine Society presents the Anchor Line, serving local shipping for more than a century. The houseflag has a blue field bearing a diagonally placed yellow anchor (flukes facing lower fly), all within a broad red border.

We learn – heavily indebted to A.A. Kirk and John Brown - that ‘Nathaniel Edwards and Company’ was founded in 1862 at Nelson (in the north of South Island, opposite Wellington) as a coastal shipping company, starting out with one paddle steamer.

When partner John Symons became sole owner the company name was changed to ‘Anchor Line of Steam Packets’ (1870). Ten years later the ‘Anchor Steam Shipping Co.’ was formed consisting of the Anchor Line proper, a foundry, and a shipyard. The firm grew despite adverse circumstances and was renewed, again, as ‘Anchor Shipping & Foundry Co.’ in 1901.

From 1921 on there was friendly cooperation with the famous Union Co. which had quietly taken over half of the shares (1908). In 1930 the fleet counted sixteen ships. A number of routes were developed, among which was the Nelson-Wellington run.

After WWII the trade declined partly caused by competition from ferries and the lessening use of coal. Union Co. took over the shipping business in 1972, effectively closing it down when the last ship was sold in 1974.

Additional source: New Zealand Coastal Shipping
Direct link to old b/w photo of the main office at Nelson, flying the house flag (centre – you can just make out a diagonally placed anchor) at NZ Ship and Marine Society. The flag on the left is that of the New Zealand Shipping Co. I believe, the other surely that of New Zealand (the "civil ensign?).
Jan Mertens, 21 June 2009

Circular Saw Line/Henderson Macfarlane Ltd

Circular Saw Line Houseflag according to 1966 Encyclopedia of New Zealand
image by Eugene Ipavec, 1 May 2009

Circular Saw Line Houseflag according to Anthony Flude's history, possibly the version used by Henderson Macfarlane Ltd
image by Eugene Ipavec, 1 May 2009

From the chapter on shipping company flags in the 1966 Encyclopedia of New Zealand (situated here):

A version of [the flag of the "Circular Saw" Line], with the saw teeth pointing in the reverse direction, is now used by Henderson and Macfarlane Ltd., of Auckland.

Jan Mertens, 17 November 2005

Founded in 1845 by Thomas Henderson and his brothers-in-law Henry, John, and Thomas, mill owners near Auckland who operated a few ships for trade. The remarkable house flag, white bearing a blue circular saw, originated from a whitty remark reported by A.G. Flude:

“The brigatine SPENCER was bought by the company in 1852. It was the mate of this vessel who gave the company the idea for their 'house flag.' A bright man with many years at sea, the mate asked Mr. Henderson why the company had no flag. As there was a large consignment of kauri timber aboard from Henderson's Mill which was headed for San Francisco, Thomas jokingly replied, "Oh! Anything you like, I suppose. How about a Circular Saw, for instance". Within a few days a blue circular saw on a white background, appeared painted on the bow of the brigatine's gig. Thomas was impressed with the mates handiwork and decided that this would become the company house flag, to be flown from the masthead of all his sailing ships and in later years to be painted on the funnels of his steamers.”

More ships would be bought – up to thirty-five - as they were necessary to support the New Zealand government during the Maori Land Wars. From then on the company expanded to the Pacific trade, occasionally occupying islands which in due course would become British. The advent of steam shipping led to the firm’s selling many vessels and although at least one steamer was operated all shipping activity had ended by 1914. The shipping agency business would continue for many years however.

Various on-line sources; the most extensive is the long article by Anthony G. Flude, Henderson and Macfarlane’s Circular Saw Line’.
Jan Mertens, 27 March 2009

Holm Shipping Company

image by Jonathan Dixon, 20 April 2005

At St Paul's Cathedral, Wellington, there is the unusual appearance of a house flag in a stained-glass window:
(From http://www.faithcentral.net.nz/inclass/music/stpauls/windows.htm [no longer active - ed])

In 1970, the Holm Window, over the three doors leading to the cathedral's refectory, was installed. Designed by Beverley Shore Bennett, a leading New Zealand stained-glass artist, and made by Roy Miller of Dunedin. St Paul, the patron saint of the cathedral, is shown in the centre at the top of the window; the stars of the Southern Cross and the Holm Shipping Company flag are at the top, left. The three ships represent stages in the development of the Company.

You get to see the window if you click on on the page mentioned above, a pop-up will appear.

This is an interesting page concerning this firm, mainly active in coastal shipping:
http://www.nzcoastalshipping.com/holm%20shipping%20co.html
Jan Mertens, 11 December 2004

[The flag has red in the first and fourth quarters, green in the second and third, separated by a white cross and with a white letter H in the canton.]

This Flickr photo (made by TELportfolio, uploaded on 17 December 2006) provides another picture of the flag
Jan Mertens, 22 June 2009

Kamo Colliery Company

image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 March 2009

Another flag featured in the on-line Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966 is Kamo Colliery:

“Among the many other maritime flags which have been flown in New Zealand waters are those of the Kamo Colliery Co. (North Auckland) (E2)...”

[The drawing from the Encyclopedia no longer appears to be online - ed.] Red field, in the centre a black lozenge between black initials ‘K’ and ‘C’.

Kamo is located in Northland, New Zealand, where coal was once indeed dug up, according to Wikipedia:

“Coal mining was an early industry in the area. Tunnelling first started in 1875, but it was not practical to carry the coal over the unmetalled roads to Whangarei wharf. In 1882 a short railway line was completed between Kamo and Whangarei to carry the coal. (...) The mine closed in 1955...”

Obviously ships were operated as well although I have found little traces (and no pictures) of them, with activity found between 1883 and 1887 when ‘Waitaki’ was wrecked.
Jan Mertens, 31 March 2009

Liquigas Ltd

image by Jarig Bakker, 19 Feb 2006

Liquigas Ltd, New Plymouth - white flag, blue outlined diamond, interrupted at fly by alternating white and blue horizontal stripes; blue "LPG".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 19 February 2006

Lyttleton Port Co., Ltd

image by Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2006

Lyttleton Port Co., Ltd., Lyttleton - white flag, black device surrounding three blue waves.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 27 January 2006

I can make an educated guess at that "black device". To get by road or rail to Lyttelton, one has to travel through one of the country's best known tunnels. The device looks like a road travelling through a chain formed into a stylised tunnel.
James Dignan, 28 January 2006

New Zealand Container Services Ltd

image by Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2006

New Zealand Container Services Ltd., Lyttleton - bright blue - yellow - brightblue horizontal triband; in center brightblue outlined arrow pointing towards the fly.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 27 January 2006

For Shaw, Savill and Albion (a British company), see here.

South Pacific Trading Co.

From the chapter on shipping company flags in the 1966 Encyclopedia of New Zealand (situated here):

The flag of the South Pacific Trading Co., formed in the 1870s under the aegis of Sir Julius Vogel, placed the initial letters of the company's name upon the red panels of Queen Makea's (of Rarotonga) personal standard.

Jan Mertens, 17 November 2005

Tasman - Asia Shipping Co.

image by Jarig Bakker, 5 Oct 2005

Tasman - Asia Shipping Co., Ltd., Hobart - white flag, red disk, charged with yellow seahorse, a crescent pointed flywards, containing 4 5-pointed stars, placed 1,2,1, all white.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95].
Jarig Bakker, 5 October 2005

Tasman-Asia Shipping. Co. This was not an Australian company based Hobart. Not sure where that originated but the flag shown by Brown 1995 was reported by me to Louis Loughran following a sighting of the T A Mariner in Lyttelton November 1989. The company itself, which was in the New Zealand – Asia trade had its basis in a joint venture formed in 1986 between the Norwegian company of Kristian Jebsens Skipsrederi A/S, who had been operating in this service from the early 1980s, and Tasman Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. of Tauranga, New Zealand. The joint venture known as Tasman Jebsen New Zealand Line lasted until towards the end 1988 when Jebsen withdrew. This lead to the formation of Tasman Asia Shipping Co. Ltd. which was registered at Auckland, NZ, 10 October 1988 and which traded until March 1999 when it merged into Tasman Orient Line Ltd. The company used chartered tonnage which can lead more easily to variances in funnel markings which can often be helpful in determining flag sightings. At this stage I was not photographing so I can only go by notes of the time which did not suggest that there was any question over the colours. Provided I was correct then there was a subsequent change in the colours by the time of the next sighting in October 1990 with T A Navigator when the colours of the seahorse and crescent were noted as yellow and the stars as blue edged either white or yellow, the sighting being at a distance leading to uncertainty on this point. As vessels of this service were very infrequent callers at Lyttelton it was not until I had moved back to the North Island and visited Wellington that I was able between 1996-1998 to determine for sure that the stars were definitely edged yellow. During this time it was possible to closely study the houseflag which was flown at the entrance to the Port in 1996 and then to a replacement version in 1997 which showed a smaller logo and "TASMAN ASIA SHIPPING" in blue lettering underneath which although being full sized, was, I assume, a shore marketing flag as I never saw any of the ships flying it as proved by photos of the T A Navigator in June 1997.

Neale Rosanoski, 19 May 2008

Union Steamship Company of New Zealand

image by Alvin Fisher and António Martins, 21 March 2000

This flag was originally adopted in the year 1875. As for the Union Steam Ship Company itself, it was a highly successful shipping institution dealing with both passenger and freight transportation in New Zealand and between New Zealand and other Pacific countries. At its height, in 1914, it operated the largest fleet of its type in the southern hemisphere. In 1917, it was acquired by the Peninsula and Orient (P&O) company, under whose control it performed only moderately. In 1972, it came under the control of a Australasian company before being bought by Brierley Investments, a well-known New Zealand group, in the 1980s. By this time, the company was only a fraction of its former size. When the shipping industry in New Zealand was opened up to foreign craft, which operated much more cheaply than the Union Steam Ship Company could afford to do, the operation became unprofitable. Brierley Investments wound up its shipping concerns near the beginning of the 1990s.The company, and its flag, are now defunct.
Thomas Robinson, 3 January 2001

Union Steam Ship Co. of New Zealand Ltd. was formed in 1875 and at one stage was the largest shipping company in the Southern Hemisphere. The flag (I hold an actual) depicted is slightly incorrect in that the panel of the Union Flag was not edged i.e. the red of the Union merges with the field and the "o" of "Co" is slightly smaller and is enhanced with several sources incorrectly show a dot under it.
Neale Rosanoski, 3 October 2002

Union Shipping New Zealand

image by Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2006, based on [lgr95]

In 1987 the company changed its name to Union Shipping New Zealand Ltd. with a change of the flag in that the letters became "U" (hoist), "S" (fly) and "N.Z." (base). These details are taken from an actual flag. The company finally ceased operating in 2001.
Neale Rosanoski, 3 October 2002

Is the Union Jack actually squeezed, or more like the Union Steamship Company image above? I imagine that the first examples of this flag were made by adding extra bunting around a regular Union Jack - is this plausible?
António Martins, 28 January 2006