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Lucien Calamel (Shipping company, France)

Presentation of Lucien Calamel
House flag of Lucien Calamel

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Presentation of Lucien Calamel

House flag of Calamel - Images by Dominique Cureau & Ivan Sache, 24 September 2010

Lucien Calamel was a shipowner established in Le Tréport. In the municipal review "Le Tréport", No. 52, October 2005, Jérôme Maes recalls that Calamel was an importer of "Glace de Nowège" (Norway ice; the modern French spelling is "Norvège"). The facsimile of a bill, dated 17 April 1931, attached to the article, has the main heading "Pêcheries et Glaceries du Tréport" (Le Tréport Fisheries and Ice factories) / "Lucien Calamel - Armateur" (Shipowner). Also mentioned are "Consignation" (Consignment), "Marée fraîche / Gros & détail" (Fresh fish / Wholesale and retail), "Chalutiers à vapeur" (Steam trawlers).

From 1850 onwards, Norway was the main supplier of ice, often produced in man-made water reservoirs, for the fishing ports of the Channel, including Le Tréport. In 1920, the "Glacières de l'Alimentation Dieppoise" company set up an ice factory in the neighbouring port of Dieppe, producing much cheaper ice (63 FRF/ ton vs 240 FRF/ton for the Norwegian ice); however, Lucien Calamel appears
to have maintained his Norwegian supply. Oddly enough, the maritime charterer employed by Calamel was a Mr. Gelée, in French, "frost". [source: ville-le-treport.fr].

The "Espérance", a trawler operated by Calamel and requisitioned during the First World War, went over a mine on 17 August 1917, a few miles off Le Tréport. Calamel must have been a local notable. "Le Petit Parisien", 13 March 1932, lists him among the awardees of the Legion of Honour (Knight). The municipal youth leisure center of Le Tréport is named for him ("Centre aéré Calamel").

Dominique Cureau & Ivan Sache, 24 September 2010

House flag of Lucien Calamel

The house flag of Calamel, as shown in the "Annuaire du Comité Central des Armateurs de France" (Yearbook of the Central Committee of France Shipowners") (1922), is blue with the white letters "LC" and a white dot between the letters. The aforementioned bill is illustrated with the same flag, but without the dot.

Dominique Cureau & Ivan Sache, 24 September 2010