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British shipping companies (S)

St. Andrew's Steam Fishing Co., Ltd.
St. Helena Shipping Co., Ltd.
Saint Line Ltd.
Sally Line Ltd.
J.T. Salvesen & Co.
F. Samuel & Co., Ltd.
R. Sargeant & Sons
Scaramanga Bros.
Henry Scholefield & Son
John O. Scott & Co.
Scott Brothers
Walter Scott & Co.
Scottish Ship Management
Scottish Shire Line Co.
Scottish Tanker Co. Ltd.
Scrutton, Sons & Co.
Seacon Ltd.
Seacrest SG Co., Ltd.
W.H. Seager & Co.
Sealink Stena Line
Seaton Shipping Co., Ltd.
John S. Sellers

See also:

St. Andrew's Steam Fishing Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

St. Andrew's Steam Fishing Co., founded in 1897, was acquired in 1939 by Boston Deep Sea Fisheries, a company that had began trawling operations from Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1885 and moved to Hull and Fleetwood after 1918.

Hullwebs. History of Hull
http://www.hullwebs.co.uk/content/l-20c/industry/fishing/trawling/trawlers/prince-charles.htm

See Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co.

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of St. Andrew's Steam Fishing Co., Ltd. (#1792, p. 122) as blue with a white saltire (St. Andrew's Cross), charged in the respective quarters with the white letters "S.F.", "SAINT", "Co LTD", and "ANDREWS".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#87
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

St. Helena Shipping Co., Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 10 January 2006

St. Helena Shipping Co., Ltd. (Curnow Shipping Co.), Porthleven - green flag, yellow/blue sealion, holding a yellow crown furnished red.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 10 January 2006

Saint Line Ltd.

Saint Line Ltd. Had its origins with Pollok, Gilmour & Co. of 1804 with their shipping interests in 1861 being placed under Rankin, Gilmour & Co. using a "Saint" nomenclature and operating as the British & Foreign S.S. Co. Ltd. which was replaced in 1919 by the Saint Line Ltd. which continued to operate after Rankin, Gilmour ceased c.1929-1930 shifting from Liverpool to London in 1934 and shortly afterwards coming under Mitchell Cotts & Co. Ltd. [or Mitchell, Cotts & Co. Ltd. as sources differ as to whether "Mitchell" was a 1st or surname] though it is not clear whether this was as owners as well as operators. The two flags shown by Scott are in theory for the manager and the owner.

image by António Martins-Tuválkin

The blue flag with map of Africa is that of Mitchell, Cotts & Co. Ltd. with the letters being "M" over "C". Although they had a long involvement with shipping this with Saint Line Ltd. is the only recorded use of their flag that I have come across and according to an article in the December 1969 Marine News its use did not occur until well after WW2 keeping in mind that Saint Line ceased as a shipowner in 1962. Mitchell Cotts was itself an international conglomerate based in London with later the UK parent being bought out and the group becoming localized [still operating especially in South Africa and Kenya] with the fate of the flag unknown.

image by António Martins-Tuválkin

The 2nd flag shown by Scott is that of Rankin, Gilmour & Co. and whilst it is correct in design [give or take a dot after the "G"] it is incorrect in that the company no longer existed but it is possible that Saint Line Ltd. continued to fly it as I have seen this done in a similar case. The Rankin flag itself developed from its forerunner Pollok, Gilmore & Co. white used white with the blue letters "P.G" [see image here] being in the first instance the red-white-red as shown but with the red letters "P.G." although the LJC chart of 1885 shows a 2nd version where all is blue instead of red without explanation, whilst the final version with "R.G." [sources vary as to whether there were dots] is shown by the 1912 books i.e. prior to the formation of Saint Line.
Neale Rosanoski, 15 March 2005

image provided by David Downard, 23 July 2009

I was an apprenticed Deck Cadet with the Saint Line and joined my first ship the Saint Bernard at Rotterdam on 12 June 1950 under the command of Captain Bradley. The Saint Line head office at that time was at Winchester House, Old Broad Street, London and their Shipping Director was L.G. Dann. In 1950, the Saint Line was a subsidiary of Mitchell Cotts and Company Limited who also operated a coastal shipping company under the South African flag known as Theisens. The Saint line was operated from London and the fleet of ships consisted of ..... the s.s.Saint Bernard, s.s. Saint Edmund, s.s. Saint Gregory. Funnel colours were red with two white bands and a black top. The house flags flown were the Mitchell Cotts flag in the superior position and the Rankin and Gilmore flag beneath on the same mainmast halyard. Also operating from the same London Office was the Sun Shipping Company with one vessel..... the s.s. Cape St. David. All Deck and Engineering Officers were interchangeable between these 4 vessels and all were operated from London. The Crew were employed from China (Stewards from Hainan, Seamen from Shanghai and Firemen/Greasers from Fuchow. I have attached for interest, a copy of the Saint Line headed paper which shows the Rankin and Gilmore flag.
David Downard, 23 July 2009

Sally Line Ltd.

image image by Jarig Bakker, 28 October 2005

Sally Line Ltd., Ramsgate - white flag, red underlined "SALLY", over black "FERRIES".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakkerr, 28 October 2005

J.T. Salvesen & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

From the beginning of the 19th century the Salvesen family owned several commercial enterprises in their native Norway, including shares in a number of ships. In 1843 Johan Theodor Salvesen set up in business as a shipbroker at Grangemouth, a few miles west of Edinburgh and three years later opened another office at Leith. In 1851 his brother, Christian, left Norway to join him in Scotland and was given responsibility for the Leith office.
At the time Christian joined the company, the Leith office was being operated jointly with George Turnbull as Turnbull, Salvesen and Company. Their main trade involved the export of coal and the import of timber. In 1872, the partnership with Turnbull ended and Christian Salvesen and Co. was formed.
Meanwhile, Johan concentrated on the Grangemouth office and, in 1853, withdrew completely from the Leith business. Eventually, the company started at Grangemouth passed to the control of F.T. Everard.

https://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/csalvesen.shtml
The ShipsList

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of J.T. Salvesen & Co. (#1179, p. 93) as red with a blue diamond bordered in white and inscribing a white "S".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#58
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

F. Samuel & Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of F. Samuel & Co., Ltd. (#750, p. 72), a Cardiff-based company, as red with a black "S".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/37/
Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021

R. Sargeant & Sons

image by Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

Robert Sargeant was born at Thornton-le-Beam, near Northallerton, in North Yorkshire, in 1850. After coming to Hartlepool in his younger years, he took over the running of a business of wholesale fruit merchants and importers of foreign produce in 1874. Robert had two sons, Harry and Robert (Jnr.); he took Harry into partnership in the firm in 1901.
Shortly after this time his interest in shipping developed with his ordering a vessel from the local shipbuilders, Irvine's. A spar deck ship with deep framing, she was launched in May 1906 by Mrs. Robert Sargeant and named "Ribston", a very appropriate name as the Ribston Pippin is a type of apple.

The "Ribston" was delivered in June 1906, and her first Master was Captain G. Haxfield. Robert Sargeant ran his ship from the same office at which he ran his fruit business, in Charles Street.
The vessel had a rather adventurous career in her early days and it was subsequently discovered that the Standard Compass was placed too close to the engine room ventilators, and each time they were rotated to take air into the engine room, the compass was deflected. After the compass was re-positioned away from the ventilators the problem was resolved, and the time spent in shipyards having new bottom plates fitted after groundings etc., was considerably reduced and her insurance premiums lowered accordingly!
Trouble for the "Ribston "re-appeared in a somewhat spectacular way in 1915 when she was carried inland at Galveston, Texas, by a huge tidal wave. She was refloated and continued her trading career. Sadly, on April 23rd, 1916, when under the command of Captain R.T. Marshall, she was captured and sunk by the German submarine U-19, some 66 miles west of Ushant, when outward bound from Cardiff with coal, probably under sealed orders.
Robert (Snr.) and Harry continued to run the fruit business, with Robert (Jnr.), 'Bob', working for Furness Withy by this time. Like so many other shipowners at the time, they did not attempt to replace the "Ribston", and so the Ribston Steamship Co. Ltd. ceased to be.

https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/3805/ribston-steamship-co-ltd
Hartlepool History Then and Now

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of R. Sargeant & Sons (#1241, p. 96), as white with a blue "S" in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#61
Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

Scaramanga Bros.

image by Ivan Sache, 10 March 2008

"Scaramanga Brothers" was established in London by the Scaramanga family, from Chios, Greece. The house flag of "Scaramanga Brothers" is shown on Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912), #866, p.78, as horizontally divided white-red-white-red-white. The flag is therefore identical to the house flags of "Poret, Lobez & Cie." and "Georg T. Monsen", also shown by Lloyd's.
Ivan Sache, 10 March 2008

Henry Scholefield & Son

image by Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Henry Scholefield & Son (#792, p. 74), a Newcastle-based company, as red with a white shield charged with a H (red) and "S" (blue) monogram.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/39/
Ivan Sache, 27 April 2021

John O. Scott & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of John O. Scott & Co. (#1535, p. 110), a Newcastle-based shipping company, as blue, in the middle a white disk charged with a blue "S".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#75
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Scott Brothers

image by Ivan Sache, 3 April 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Scott Brothers, Ltd." (#313, p. 51), a company based in Newcastle-on-Tyne, as white with a blue rectangle charged with the red letters "S.B."
Ivan Sache, 3 April 2008

Walter Scott & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Walter Scott, a West Hartlepool-base shipowner, was mentioned in 1917 as one of the two liquidators of the Retalwston Steam Ship Co., Ltd. (The London Gazette, 6 March 1917).

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Walter Scott & Co. (#1844, p. 124), as white with the red letters "W.S & Co".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#89
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Scottish Ship Management

image provided by Ian Warner, 27 March 2013
Source: http://www.scottishshipmanagement.org/

Scottish Shire Line Co.

(Turnbull, Martin & Co.)

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 Turnbull Martin and Co. Ltd, London. A blue swallow-tailed burgee bearing a white saltire and a red diamond in the centre. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn."
Brown (1951) lists this too as Scottish Shire Line Co. Ltd., London (Turnbull, Martin & Co., London)

Scottish Shire Line. Turnbull Martin & Co. began shipping between UK and New Zealand in 1884 and operated as the Scottish Shire Line (also known as Shire Line), with their ships being so named, from 1893, becoming part of Clan Line in 1918 but continuing to operate independently adopting the Clan Line funnel in the 1930s but retaining its own flag. This lasted probably until the sale of its last ship "Argyllshire" about the mid 1970s with the company name used for a few years more as the registered owner of the "Encounter Bay". According to Talbot-Booth (1942) this flag was flown from the mainmast whilst from 1935 the Clan line flag was flown from the foremast though in his 1944 book he both states this and then elsewhere reverses the order.
Neale Rosanoski, 15 March 2005

image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows a slightly different rendition of the same house flag (#1217, p. 94).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#59
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Scottish Tanker Co. Ltd.

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 Scottish Tanker Co. Ltd., London. A pale blue rectangular flag with a white saltire. In the centre is a white diamond with a red rampant lion. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. The lion on the flag is printed."
Jarig Bakker, 27 August 2004

Scrutton, Sons & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

Scruttons of London commenced business as shipbrokers and ship owners in the West Indian trade, their first vessel being the ship "Dominica" of 402 tons, purchased in 1808 and sold in 1822. The fleet gradually expanded to about a dozen in the mid nineteenth century, a total of about 30 vessels having passed through the firm's ownership by 1890.
The Scrutton fleet was acquired in 1920 by Thomas & James Harrison.

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Scrutton, Sons & Co. (#1638, p. 114), as swallow-tailed, blue, charged in the center with a red disk.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#79
Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

Seacon Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 20 December 2005

Seacon Ltd., London - white flag, several bright blue and bright green parallelograms.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 20 December 2005

W.H. Seager & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

William Seager set up his shipping company in Cardiff as the Tempus Shipping Co in 1904. In 1909 he took over the control of the Starcross SS Co from J. Hoggarth, Cardiff together with their single ship and by 1914 the company owned four ships. Two ships were lost to enemy action, but new purchases meant that the fleet remained at four in 1918. Three ships were sold in 1919 leaving the company with only one. However, new ships were delivered between the wars and by 1939 five tramps were owned. Four of these were lost during WWII and the remaining ship was sold in 1946. This was replaced by the purchase of two wartime built vessels which were sold in 1955 and 1962 respectively. The company was wound up in 1964.

http://www.mariners-list.com/site_pages.php?section=Shipping+Companies&category=Welsh&page_name=Tempus+Shipping+Co
Mariners L

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of W.H. Seager & Co. (#1066, p. 87), as swallow-tailed, white with a red cross cantonned by the black letters "W", "H", "S" and "C°.".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/52/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

Seacrest SG Co., Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 15 February 2006

Seacrest SG Co., Ltd. (S.A, Polemis), London - blue flag, three red stones outlined white, the top one lying, the bottom ones standing.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 15 February 2006

Sealink Stena Line

image by Jarig Bakker, 10 November 2005

Sealink Stena Line, London - blue flag, two thin yellow lines, the top one bent into a triangular loop.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 10 November 2005

Seaton Shipping Co., Ltd.

Merryweather Shipping Co., Ltd.
(Sydney Hogg & Co.)

image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Jacob Allison (c. 1863-1910) purchased his first ship, "Atalanta", in 1888 and founded J.S. Allison & Company in 1889. In 1906 the company became the Seaton Shipping Company Co. Ltd.
In 1911 the management of the Seaton Shipping Co. Ltd. was transferred to Sydney Hogg & Co.

https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/4709/seaton-shipping-co-ltd
Hartlepool History Then and Now

In 1911, after the death of J.S. Allison, Sydney Hogg & Co. took over the management of Seaton Shipping Co. Ltd. They also managed ships for Merryweather Shipping Co. Ltd.
In 1911, on purchase of the steamship "Brierton", the company used the name Brierton Shipping Co. Ltd., and in 1913, on purchase of the steamship "Welbury", the company used the name Bury Shipping Co. Ltd.
By 1917 the last ship had been sold and in January and February 1918 all the companies were dissolved.

Sydney Hoog (1874-1936) was a town councillor and became a J.P. He was also president of the Hartlepools Chamber of Commerce and the Shipbrokers’ Association. He was admitted into the Freedom of the City of London in the Painters Company on 5th January 1921.

http://www.hhtandn.org/venues/4710/sydney-hogg-and-co
Hartlepool History Then and Now

Merryweather Shipping Co. Ltd. was formed through a long connection of family shipowners which included William, Richard, Joseph Benjamin Lister and William Scott Merryweather. William Merryweather (1791-1866) was an auctioneer and purchased shares in his first sailing vessel soon after the Victoria Dock opened in Hartlepool in 1840. His son, Joseph Benjamin Lister Merryweather (1836-1902) formed a partnership with Robert Coverdale & Charles Scotson Todd in 1873. On 31 August 1878 the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent and Joseph and his son, William Scott (1860-1930), became partners. Their first ship was the "Sarah Ann" named after Joseph’s wife.
William added ships to the company after his father’s death. The last ship was sold in 1915 and he carried on a business as a shipbroker.

https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/4397/merryweather-shipping-co-ltd
Hartlepool History Then and Now

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Seaton Shipping Co., Ltd. and Merryweather Shipping Co., Ltd. (Sydney Hogg & Co.) (#1073, p. 88) as yellow with a blue border and a blue cross.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#53
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

John S. Sellers

image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
John S. Sellers (#462, p. 58), a Liverpool-based company, as swallow-tailed, blue with a white "S" in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#23
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

British Shipping lines: continued

British shipping companies (S)

(Turnbull, Martin & Co.)

Merryweather Shipping Co., Ltd.(Sydney Hogg & Co.)

Merryweather Shipping Co., Ltd.
(Sydney Hogg & Co.)