Last modified: 2021-05-29 by rob raeside
Keywords: shipping lines |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
![[G.B. Wadsworth houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwad.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 4 May 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of G.B.
Wadsworth (#1729, p. 119), a Goole-based shipping company, as red, charged in
the center with a white "W".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#84
Ivan
Sache, 4 May 2021
![[Wait & Dodds houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwdn.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 4 May 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Wait &
Dodds (Admiral Nelson Steam Shipping Co., Ltd.) (#1827, p. 123), a
Newcastle-based shipping company, as white with what appears to be Admiral
Nelson's hat.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#88
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021
![[Warbler Shipping Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~walf.jpg)
image located by Jan Mertens, 11 February 2006
A British house flag on a Kennedy, Hunter & Co. (BE) list of agencies - although
I don’t know the exact year. The company is listed as Walford Lines Ltd.
(London), also called Leopold Walford Shipping Ltd (or even Entente Steamship
Ltd). This firm seems to have been active between about 1914 (then called
Walford & Co.) and some time after WWII – I’ve found traces of them in 1918-20,
1930-31, and 1945, not counting a Danzig episode you’ll find further (where
it is said that the firm was established in 1919). In any case Walford ran a
coastal and river shipping business, operating – for instance – a route between
London and Dordrecht in the Netherlands. There was also an Agence Maritime
Walford in Antwerp (founded in 1902, according to one source, and dissolved in
1919) which was involved in the foundation of the Compagnie Maritime Belge. A
short Danzig episode however is well documented. In October 1921 the Norwegian
company Bergenske cooperated with Walford Baltic Transports Ltd (1920-1922,
founded by Leopold Walford) in establishing the Bergenske & Walford Baltic
Transports Ltd, active in shipping wood. The firm’s warehouse was called
Bergford, a name derived from the two parent companies and retained when Walford
withdrew after only one year of involvement.
Sources (text concerning Danzig, in German, put first):
http://miless.uni-duisburg-essen.de
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:2xBDuPKJY5wJ:users.skynet.be
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:YyJzNrmsqqsJ:users.skynet.be
The above account is not very consistent due to lack of facts; the house flag is
rather bewildering as well. It is blue and bears what seems to be a red ground
sloping away to the right. On this slope is placed a large red saltire, near the
hoist and touching the flag’s upper edge; in the fly above the slope appear red
initials W and L.
Jan Mertens, 11 February 2006
![[Warbler Shipping Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~walf1.gif)
![[Warbler Shipping Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~walf2.gif)
images by Eugene Ipavec, 19 March 2008
The flag shown shown above has "WL" in the fly, but a
button provided by Tim Burt,
and identified as that of Leopold Walton Shipping Ltd. has an "LW".
It is uncertain which is correct (or both). The red ground sloping away to the
right (shown on the button as a
semicircle) is probably the curvature of the Earth.
Eugene Ipavec, 7
February 2008
In the 1928 German Flaggenbuch we can see in part II, II. Gruppe: Britisches
Reich (i.e. Group II: British Empire), nos. 407 and 408, both
versions of
this flag together. LW stands for Leopold Walford Ltd, London whereas LW
represents Walford Lines, London.
Jan Mertens, 18 March 2008
![[George Hallett houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfchw.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 30 April 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of C.H.
Walker & Co., Ltd. (#1314, p. 99), as blue with a white oval inscribing the red
letters "CHW".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#64
Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021
![[John A. Walker & Co. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfjaw.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 3 May 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of John
A. Walker & Co. (#1625, p. 114), a Glasgow-based shipping company, as white with
two blue horizontal stripes at the top and bottom of the flag, respectively, in
the center, a red orb ensigned with a red cross.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#79
Ivan
Sache, 3 May 2021
![[George Hallett houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwsf.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 1 May 2021
The Walker Steam Trawl Fishing Co. has a fleet of trawlers; they sell their own
fish and act as fish-salesmen for other owners both in Aberdeen and at Hull and
Grimsby; they have their own net factory and engineering works, and they do
their own storing of vessels. In 1943, the managing director was a director of
Ellis and McHardy (coal), Isaac Spencer and Co. (Aberdeen) (oil and paint
manufacturers and leather merchants and belt and leather hose manufacturers),
and the North-Eastern Ice Co.
[Further Studies in industrial Organization.
M.P. Fogarty, Ed. 1948]
Several trawlers operated by the company were
named for stars: "Star of Orkney", "Star of the Isles", Star of Peace", "Star of
Victory", "Star of Devon".
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of Walker Steam Trawl Fishing Co. (#1471, p. 107), as
yellow with a blue six-pointed star enclosed in a blue ring and charged with a
red "W".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#72
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021
![[Warbler Shipping Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~warbl.gif)
image by Jarig
Bakker, 15 January 2006
Warbler Shipping Ltd., Lowestoft - horizontal orange - blue - orange flag, in
center black "W".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 15 January 2006
![[John Warrack & Co. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfjwa.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 24 April 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of John
Warrack & Co. (Warrack Line) (#469, p. 59), a Leith-based company, as white with
a blue saltire charged in the center with a red lozenge.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#24
Ivan
Sache, 24 April 2021
![[George Warren & Co. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfgwa.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 4 April 2008
Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of "George Warren & Co. (Liverpool), Ltd." (#174, p. 44), a
company based in Liverpool, as red with a white diamond."
The house flag
of the company says it all, according to its history reported on the "TheShipsList"
website:
"Successor to the White Diamond Line of sailing packets which failed
in 1857, they bought up many of their ships and continued the Liverpool - Boston
trade as George Warren's Line of Liverpool and Boston Packets. The company
started passenger steamship sailings in 1865 as George Warren & Company. They
became the White Diamond SS Company in 1898. In 1912, Furness Withy & Company
acquired a controlling interest in the company and a new company - George Warren
& Company (Liverpool) Limited was formed. In 1922 the name became Warren Line
(Liverpool) Limited and in 1934 they took over the Johnston Line and Neptune
Steam Navigation Company to form the Johnston-Warren Line. They became known as
the Furness-Warren Line in 1947. They sailed mostly Liverpool to Boston, but
also made calls at Halifax and Philadelphia."
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/warren.html
Ivan Sache,
4 April 2008
![[Warrior Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwar.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 26 April 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Warrior Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. (#656, p. 68), a North-Shields-based company, as
white with a white "W" outlined in red and inscribed in a white ellipse outlined
in red.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/33/
Ivan
Sache, 26 April 2021
![[Michael Murphy, Limited houseflag]](../images/g/gb~wafo.gif)
image located by Jan Mertens, 17 July 2010
A Waterford Steamship Co. is listed in 'Flags National and Mercantile...' by
James Griffin, Portsmouth 1891, second edition.
White field bearing a red St
George's cross, black initials (no serifs) in the corners: "W" and "S" (top
hoist and top fly), "S" and "Co." (bottom hoist and bottom fly - raised
"o" above dot).
Jan Mertens, 17 July 2010
![[William Watkins houseflag]](../images/g/gb~wiwa.gif)
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 6 February 2009
William Watkins Ltd is a famous British tugboat company which is given excellent coverage on this ‘Thames Tugs’ page. Company history highlights taken from this chapter: founded in 1833 by J.R. Watkins followed by son William. Gradual increase of strength, and consequently range, of tugs finally leading to long distance towing. Additional business included government service (Crimean War, WWI), ferry service, salvage, etc. Screw propulsion replaces paddles from 1868 on but steam remains. Seventeen tugs prior to WWII, some of them helping in the Dunkirk evacuation. 1950, end date of W. Watkins history proper, sees the formation of Ship Towage (London) Ltd made up of W.W. (bringing in most vessels), Elliott Steam Tug Co., and Gamecock Tugs Ltd. New name London Tugs Ltd after taking over Gaselee and Son Ltd and W.H.J. Alexander Tugs Ltd (aka Sun Tugs) bringing number of tugs up to 36. Active till 1975 when taken over by Alexandra Towing Ltd, Liverpool.
William Watkins flew a red swallowtail bearing a large white initial ‘W’. The pages following the Thames Tugs history section show it on ‘Anglia’, ‘Liberia’, ‘Monarch’ and ‘Persia’ for instance. Although serifs can sometimes be made out, Thames Tugs – as does the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels – show a sans-serif initial.
On two memorable occasions the company appeared on the world’s cultural
scene:
- In 1838 ‘Monarch’ towed the old warship 'Fighting Téméraire' to the
breakers, the subject of a well-known painting by Turner:
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/turner/i/temeraire.jpg
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects.dll/CollectionPublisher.woa/wa/work?workNumber=NG524
http://www.svcc.cc.il.us/academics/classes/murray/hum210/terrimt.htm
-
Then there is the famous episode of transporting – even if temporary losing –
Cleopatra’s Needle, now safe on the Thames Embankment: this happened in 1878.
See:
http://www.modelshipworld.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2902&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=4270&sid=5d21cbca146a6ebe4279fe6cb63e221f
http://www.svcc.cc.il.us/academics/classes/murray/hum210/terrimt.htm
Jan Mertens, 5 February 2009
William Watkins Ltd was founded in 1833 in London by John Rogers Watkins and
his son William. Their first tug, "Monarch", was said to be the finest on the
river. As the tugs got more sophisticated they began towing ever larger ships
across the Channel and with increasing range they sought tows in the outer
estuary and further afield. By 1875, "Anglia" carried out tows from St. Helena
and Suez, huge distances considering her coal consumption. Watkins proved
themselves to be the premier company for ocean towage in this period. They
continued to develop and innovate, building their first screw tug, "Era", in
1869 and, by the 1880s, the screw tugs were fast replacing the paddle tugs on
the Thames.
At the outbreak of the First World War the British Government
made Watkins an advisor on tugs during the conflict, their vessels ranging far
and wide from the White Sea to the Gallipoli landings. They were again on the
front line during the Second World War, from the Dunkirk evacuation to the ‘D’
Day landings.
https://lightmoor.co.uk/books/william-watkins-limited-londons-first-major-towage-company/B9266
Lightmoor Press
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows
the same house flag (#693, p. 69).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/34/
Ivan Sache, 26 April 2021
![[J.M. Watson, Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~watson.gif)
image by Rob
Raeside, 16 January 2008
A poster entitled "Signals Made at Fort George, Halifax", which displays about
60 flags seen in the Port of Halifax, but without a date. Since it contains the
modern Nova Scotia flag, which dates from 1929, it must
be later than that. On the bottom row is the red-white-blue diagonal tricolour,
with an upside-down red star in the white band - attributed to J.M. Watson and
Co.
Rob Raeside, 16 January 2008
![[Thomas Watson, Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~s0579.gif)
by Phil Nelson, 9 April 2000
from Stewart and Styring's Flags, Funnels and Hull Colors 1963
![[W.A. Watson houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwaw.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 24 April 2021
A Lloyd’s telegram from Great Yarmouth on Wednesday stated that the steamer
"Rochester City" of Sunderland has been sunk and one fireman lost. The rest of
the crew have been landed. The "Rochester Cit"y, built at Middlesbrough in 1910,
was owned by the Rochester City Steamship Company West Sunniside Sunderland. Her
gross tonnage was 1,239. The managing owner is Mr W.A. Watson 39 West Sunniside.
The "Rochester City" was built for the coal carrying trade between Seaham
Harbour and Rochester. The member of the crew who was lost was a fireman named
J. Kelly of 9 Fenwick Row of his town.
Seaham Weekly News, 14 August 1914
https://www.facebook.com/GreatWarSeaham/photos/a.277671885771021/871706276367576/?type=3
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
W.A. Watson (Rochester City Steamship Company, Ltd.) (#502, p. 60) as white,
charged in the center with a white square diamond bordered in red.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#25
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021
![[Watson Bros. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwab.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 2 April 2008
Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of "Watson Brothers" (#145, p. 43), a company based in
Glasgow
(Scotland), as divided red-white by an ascending diagonal.
Phil Marris gives some details on the Watson Brothers, active in 1860-1928,
seemingly named Thomas and Henry J. They originally operated the "Ben Line" but
abandoned its title to the "Ben Line Steamer Co Ltd", through amicable
settlement, in the early 1900s. A number of their ships sailed regularly to
Australia and New Zealand.
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GENANZ/1996-12/0851628515
Ivan Sache,
2 April 2008
![[Herbert Watson & Co. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfhwa.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 28 April 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Herbert Watson & Co. (#903, p. 79), a Manchester-based company, as white with a
blue border and a red "W".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/44/
Ivan
Sache, 28 April 2021
![[Watson, Munro & Co. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~hfwmu.gif)
image by Ivan
Sache, 26 April 2021
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of J.G.
Bright (#654, p. 68), a London-based company, as white with a black horseshoe in
the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/33/
Ivan
Sache, 26 April 2021
![[Watts, Wats and Co. Ltd. houseflag]](../images/g/gb~wwc.gif)
image
by Ivan Sache, 21 April 2021, based on
Wedge 1926from Stewart and Styring's Flags, Funnels and Hull Colors 1963
Watts, Watts & Co. Ltd. Originated as Watts, Ward & Co. with flag shown under
this name by LJC 1885 and Griffin 1895. It changed its name in 1896 but in
1894/5 they had formed Britain Steamship Co. Ltd. and it is through them that
the fleet was registered. Bibby Line are noted as taking over Britain Steamship
in 1967 but it is not clear whether this also involved Watts, Watts & Co. Ltd.
as these latter two are still being shown in association by Lloyds Shipowners in
1970.
Neale Rosanoski, 16 February 2004
Britain S.S. Co. (Watts Watts Co. Ltd.), London: Larousse Commercial Illustré (1930)
shows a white flag, a blue letter `W' (without serifs) in the centre. Sandy Hook
(illustrator for Larousse) draws a somewhat wider `W', taking up about one third
of the flag's length.
Jan Mertens, 4 June 2004
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the same house flag (#118,
p. 42).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#7
Ivan
Sache, 21 April 2021
