^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

British shipping companies (L)

John Latsis (London) Ltd.
La Tunisienne
Law, Leslie & Co.
Thos. Law & Co.
Lawson-Batey Tugs Ltd.
Lawson Steam Tugboat Co., Ltd.
Leach & Co., Ltd.
F. Le Boulanger
C.M. Legg
Richard W. Lewis
Leith Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. Ltd.
John M. Lennard & Sons, Ltd.
Lewis, Heron & Co. (William Lewis & Co.)
Lewis Lougher & Co., Ltd
Leyland Line
James Leyman & Co., Ltd.

See also:

John Latsis (London) Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 25 December 2005

John Latsis (London) Ltd., London - blue burgee, white cross bordered yellow; red "JL".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 25 December 2005

From http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/indexframe.html:

“In association with Jules Mesnier, Frank Strick formed another new company La Tunisienne Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. in 1909. The trade was coal out and iron ore back and the ships were named after places in Africa ending in 'A'. The Mokta Company of Paris was involved in the financing of some of the Fleet hence the funnel carried an 'M' over Stricks red, white and blue.” The website mentions that as La Tunisienne was only involved in the (Persian) Gulf trade by 1912, the name no longer fit “and so it merged with La Commerciale Steam Navigation Co Ltd on the 1st of January 1913 becoming Strick Line Ltd”.

The funnel and house flag are shown by the MNO site but a better picture seems to be the one offered by the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels. See No. 1032 ‘La Tunisienne S.S. Co. Ltd. (F.G. Strick & Co., Ltd.), London’ on this page. The flag has a white diamond touching the flag’s edges and defined by four triangles: the upper ones red (hoist) and blue (fly), the lower ones counterchanged. A large red initial ‘M’ (without serifs) appears in the diamond. The use of French (and British) colours and also the ‘M’ are no surprise given the firm’s origin.
Jan Mertens, 23 January 2007

Law, Leslie & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

Norman Alexander Leslie was born in 1870, the son of John Leslie. [...] He was a partner in the firm of Law, Leslie and Co, a director of George Thompson and Co Ltd, and a well-known member of the Baltic Exchange. During the First World War, he volunteered for service in the Transport Department of the Admiralty, 1915-16. He transferred to the newly formed Ministry of Shipping, where he was involved in inaugurating the convoy system, 1917-18. He died on 23 October 1945.

The Papers of Sir Norman Leslie
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0014%2FLESL

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Law, Leslie & Co. (#1640, p. 115), a London-based shipping company, as red, charged in the center with four mirrored white "Ls" forming a cross voided.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#80
Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

Thos. Law & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Thos. Law & Co. (#1753, p. 120), a Glasgow-based shipping company, as quartered red and blue by a white saltire.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#85
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Lawson-Batey Tugs Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 10 January 2006

Lawson-Batey Tugs Ltd., South Shields - yellow flag, blue cross formy.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 10 January 2006

Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. Ltd.

by Jarig Bakker, based on the website of the National Maritime Museum.

From the website of the National Maritime Museum, "the house flag of Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. Ltd. A blue swallow-tailed burgee with red borders at the upper and lower edge. At the hoist end there is a white saltire above a white cross. 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."

Brown (1951) lists this as "Currie Line, Ltd., London". The Observer Book of Ships (1973) has: "Currie Line Ltd. (Walter Runciman & Co. Ltd), Leith - ships ending with -land. Associated with a German company, also Currie Line painted on hull. Black/Red".
Jarig Bakker, 19 August 2004

The company was managed by James Currie & Co. The company was located in Leith. It is a blue swallow tail pennant with red stripes at the top- and bottom edge. At the hoist there are a white saltire above a white Greek cross (or an “x” above a plus).See also Hugo und van Emmerik.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 May 2012

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the same house flag (#482, p. 59) but with slanted upper and lower edges.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#24
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

The Leith Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. Ltd, (J. Currie & Co Leith) used a similar flag with a red border all the way round - see Lloyd's code of distinguishing flags of the steamship owners of the United Kingdom' 1882. In 1862 James Currie came to work for the Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. and was responsible for opening up a series of new trade routes. In 1866 James and his brother Donald formed Donald Currie & Co. - the first incarnation of the 'Currie line' Donald was responsible in 1900, for the amalgamation of the Union Line and his company the Castle Line into the Union-Castle line, two companies had formerly been in competition with each other on the route to South Africa. In spite of an increase world trade, Donald Currie & Co ceased to operate in 1919, and transferred its fleet to the Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Company. In 1933 the Isaac line was acquired and this opened up new trade routes in Europe and the Western Mediterranean. In 1940 the name Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. was deemed inappropriate, and the 'Currie Line' came into being. In 1969 the Currie Line was acquired by Walter Runciman & Co (a division of Anchor Line Ship Management). In 1976 the Anchor line Ltd split into five divisions, and one of them was named the 'Currie Line Ltd.' who became the division for European services and trade in Europe. The Currie line Ltd ceased trading in 2004 (Other divisions were still active in 2005).

https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/292.html
National Maritime Museum
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

Imperial Steam Fishing Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

The Imperial Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. wound up voluntarily on 4 November 1919, as did the same day the Hellyers' Steam Fishing Co., the two companies being managed by Owen S. Hellyer (The London Gazette, 7 November 1919).

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Imperial Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. (#1472, p. 107), a Hull-based fishing company, as yellow, in the middle a thick blue cross patty, over the cross a white oval bordered in red and charged with a red crown.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#72
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Lawson Steam Tugboat Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

Lawson Steam Tugboat Co., Ltd., a South Shields-based shipping company, was self-styled the "Black Diamond Line of Tugs". The company operated the "Admiral", "Africa", "Champion", "Champion-2", "Comet", "Criterion", "Cruyier", "Crusader", "Expert", "Expert-2", "Flying Foam", "Ganges", "Guide", "Hercules", "Homer", "Joffre", "Lion" ,"Lizard" "Mentor", "Monarch", "Nestor", "Patriot", "Plover", "Powerful", "Privateer", "Royal Briton", "Scotia", "Scotia-2", "Scotland", "Sir Walter Raleigh", "Taliesin", "Ulysses", "Vivid", "Wild Rose" and "William" tugs, all of them launched between 1857 and 1916.

http://www.tynetugs.co.uk/Owner-Lawson.html
Tyne Tugs and Tug Builders

In the 1910s, only "Comet", "Cruiser", "Hercules", "Mentor", "Nestor", "Plover", "Royal Briton", "Taliesin" and "Ulysses" were still sailing.

https://southtynesidehistory.co.uk/archive/printed-materials/business-cards/595462-business-card-for-lawson-steam-tug-boat-co-ltd?
Lawson business card

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Lawson Steam Tugboat Co., Ltd. (#1480, p. 107), a South Shields-based shipping company, as white, in the center a black diamond placed vertically between the red letters "J" and "L".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#72
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

Leach & Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Leach & Co., Ltd. (#554, p. 63), a London-based company, as blue with a white diamond inscribing a red "L".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/28/
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

F. Le Boulanger

image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

From 1919, Mr F. [Francis] Le Boulanger, who many Mumbles older residents still remember, lived there. A notable Mumbles figure, he was a ship-owner, ship-broker and coal exporter. A friend of mine, Miss Hill in Mumbles, remembers her brother-in-law Will Eynon, who lived in one of the cottages at Dickslade all his life. He told how, as a boy, he used to meet Mr Le Boulanger coming down the hill from his house each morning and would carry his ‘Gladstone’ down the steps at Dickslade and over to the Mumbles Train, on which he travelled each morning to travel to his office in Swansea. When he returned at night, Will would carry his ‘Gladstone’ back up the steps and receive a penny for his help.
Mr Le Boulanger was also secretary of the Mumbles Lifeboat and was still living in Somerset House in 1925. We’re not sure when he left or why, or if another family moved in after him before the outbreak of war. Certainly in 1950 ‘the estate’ of the, by this time deceased Mr Le Boulanger, still owned some of the land that had originally belonged to Somerset House.

Mumbles Hill House
http://sites.google.com/site/ahistoryofmumbles/mumbles-hill-house

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of F. Le Boulanger as blue with two red horizontal stripes near the top and bottom, charged in the center with the white letters "LE B", the "E" smaller.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#90
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

C.M. Legg

image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

There are references to Legg, C.M. Ship Owner and Coal Merchant in the 1910 and 1912 Street Directories, and it was this Charles Legg who originally commissioned the construction of the building around this time. Prior to its creation it was a single storey dwelling.

Charles Legg was a prominent Carrickfergus businessman and philanthropist. Following the death of his only son, Second Lieutenant Charles Legg, in the First World War, he gifted the town citizens Legg Park. This was located on the site of his former shipyard. He also set up the Legg Trust for Poor Women.

His coal merchant business was bought by John Kelly Ltd c.1920. The Kelly’s coal line had been incorporated into a limited company in 1911, following a successful 61 year growth from a small grocers and commission coal merchants at Queen’s Quay, Belfast. The first quarter of the 20th century marked a period of expansion for the company, the absorption of Charles M. Legg, simply one of many. The symbol of the company ‘K’ marked the building as Kelly’s, and this has remained the case right through to modern day.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/312113549663811/posts/450406809167817/
Heritage Carrickfergus, 28 October 2019

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of C.M. Legg (#455, p. 58) as blue with a white disc inscribing a red "L".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#23
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

Richard W. Lewis

image by Ivan Sache, 21 April 2021

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Richard W. Lewis" (#67, p. 40), a company based in Aberdeen (Scotland), as red with a white letter "L".
Ivan Sache, 12 March 2008

John M. Lennard & Sons, Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 26 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of John M. Lennard & Sons, Ltd. (#663, p. 68), a Middlesbrough-based company, as blue with a red lozenge inscribing a white, cursive "L".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/33/
Ivan Sache, 26 April 2021

Lewis, Heron & Co. (William Lewis & Co.)

by Ivan Sache

Lewis, Heron and Co., also William Lewis and Co., London. The flag is red with a blue square diamond charged with a L (white).
Based on The Mystic Seaport Foundation
Ivan Sache, 1 February 2004

Frederick Leyland & Co., Ltd.

Leyland Line

image by Jarig Bakker

The Leyland Line (Frederick Leyland & Co., Limited), founded 1900, belonged to the Morgan-trust, trafficking from London, Liverpool to Boston, New York, New Orleans, West Indies, Mexico and Central America. The lines Liverpool-Lisbon, Oporto, Liverpool-Mediterranean and Antwerpen-Portland (Maine) belonged formerly to the Leyland Line, but was transferred to the Ellerman Line in Liverpool.
Source: Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon, 14th ed (c. 1907)
Jarig Bakker, 11 October 2003

by Ivan Sache, 7 January 2005

Larousse Commercial Illustré (1930) shows Leyland Line, Liverpool: red, a green cross throughout and a little white disk neatly enclosed in the centre of the cross. The cross's arms are about one fifth of flag height. Both pictures at http://www.greatships.net/leylandline.html have a plain red flag only. The on-line 1912 Lloyd's Flags & Funnels has a completely red flag for 'Frederick Leyland & Co., Ltd. (Leyland Line), Liverpool' under No. 1886: http://www.mysticseaport.org/library/initiative/ImPage.cfm?PageNum=91&BibId=11061&ChapterId=8 and a completely different one for 'J.H. Welford & Co., Ltd (Gulf Transport Line and Leyland Shipping Co., Ltd.), Liverpool', No. 211. Here, some correspondence pointing to the connection with the Bibby Line, another red house flag company (see particularly Note 2 of this letter): http://www.whistler.arts.gla.ac.uk/letters/02565.asp. So where does the green cross come from, I wonder?
Jan Mertens, 19 May 2004

Post card collection confirms the second design.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 18 February 2007

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the same house flag (#1886, p. 126).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#91
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

James Leyman & Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of James Leyman & Co., Ltd. (#1412, p. 104), a Hull-based company, as yellow with a red ring in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#69
Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

British Shipping lines: continued