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British shipping companies (W)

Last modified: 2021-05-29 by rob raeside
Keywords: shipping lines |
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See also:

Whimster & Co.

[Whimster & Co. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Whimster & Co. (#1736, p. 119), a Glasgow-based shipping company, as vertically divided red-blue, charged in canton with a white star and in the center with a yellow square diamond inscribing a red "W".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#84
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021


John H. Whitaker (Tankers), Ltd.

[John H. Whitaker (Tankers), Ltd. houseflag] image by Jarig Bakker, 20 September 2005

John H. Whitaker (Tankers), Ltd., Hull - vertical red-green burgee; on red black disk, white "W".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 20 September 2005


S.T. White & Co.

[S.T. White & Co. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
S.T. White & Co. (#552, p. 63), a Hull-based company, as square, red with a blue square diamond inscribing a white cross patty.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/28/
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021


White & Willows

[White & Willowshouseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

White & Willows, owned by George W. White and John W. Willows, was a Grimsby-based fishing company.

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of White & Willows (#1889, p. 126) as blue with, in the center, a blue triangle bordered white inscribing a red disk.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#91
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021


Whiteway & Ball

[Whiteway & Ball houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Whiteway & Ball (#875, p. 78), a Torquay-based company, as quartered red and white.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/43/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021


Wight Link

[Wight Link houseflag] by Jorge Candeias and Roy Stilling, 02 Apr 1999

White with a white blue border all around and a red lozenge centered. Very maritime-looking.
Jorge Candeias, 01 Apr 1999

The red lozenge represents the Isle of Wight, which is diamond shaped. In fact the lozenge has a small “nick” out of it to represent the estuary of the River Medina. The whole flag is an adaptation of the "W" flag from the International Code of Signals, and the former livery of Wightlink ferries had the name "WIGHTLINK" spelled out in painted signal flags but with the house flag substituted for the "W" flag.
Roy Stilling, 01 Apr 1999


Williams & Mordey

[Williams & Mordey houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Williams & Mordey (#1244, p. 96), a Cardiff-based company, as blue with a white saltire charged in the center with a white lozenge inscribing a seven-pointed blue star.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#61
Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021


R. Williamson & Son

[R. Williamson & Son houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of R. Williamson & Son (#1041, p. 86), a Workington-based company, as horizontally divided blue-red-blue, charged in the center with a white diamond inscribing a red "W".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/51/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021


Williamson Buchanan

Turbine Steamers Ltd.
John Williamson

[Williamson Buchanan houseflag] image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 17 May 2010

From a postcard collection: 12.4.2: Williamson Buchanan
Postcard #12, 4th row, 2nd flag of the collection reads "Williamson Buchanan" and shows blue triangular pennant with a very large yellow crescent and star emblem on it.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 17 May 2010

Trading in 1901 as the Turbine Steamer Syndicate before incorporation the following year, Turbine Steamers Ltd was set up to operate TS King Edward, the world's first commercial turbine steamer. The operating partner was Captain John Williamson, the independent steamboat owner, with risk shared with Charles Parsons & Co, the Newcastle engineering firm which pioneered the marine turbine. Turbine steamers operated alongside the Williamson fleet and obtained titular ownership of a number of older paddlers as well as three other new turbines. King Edward was transferred to Williamson-Buchanan Steamers for the 1927 season onwards. Turbine Steamers Ltd and Williamson-Buchanan Steamers Ltd thus were very closely associated.
In 1935 a partnership of the LMS and David MacBrayne Ltd decided to take over Williamson-Buchanan Steamers Ltd and Turbine Steamers Ltd. As a result after the 1935 season, the Williamson-Buchanan Steamers operation passed to the LMS and was absorbed by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company (CSP) as a subsidiary. After the Second World War, Williamson-Buchanan Steamers was fully merged with CSP and so ceased to exist as an independent identity. As a result the King Edward and the Queen Mary transferred to LMS control. But the Turbine Steamers Ltd operation passed to David MacBrayne Ltd and the two remaining vessels registered with Turbine Steamers (King George V and Queen Alexandra) thus passed to David MacBrayne Ltd.

Clyde Steamers
http://www.clydesteamers.co.uk/Turbine%20Steamers%20Ltd.html

Captain William Buchanan, followed by his sons William, John and James, developed the largest private fleet of vessels on the Clyde. As a limited company from 1905, and after amalgamation with the fleet of captain John Williamson in 1919, the Buchanan name remained on the Clyde until the Second World War. Captains Buchanan and Williamson (Alex, senior) were the two main owners of PS Eagle from 1853 until 1862 when Captain Williamson established his own fleet. The Buchanan fleet expanded rapidly through the purchase of second hand vessels from other, often faltering, private owners. In later years vessels were purchased from the railway-owned steamer companies. New build was comparatively infrequent. The independent operators were not backed to the often excessive levels afforded to the railway steamers and their vessels were generally older and more spartan than their competitors. Nevertheless, these vessels could provide a cheap day out for the Glasgow day-tripper sailing directly from the Broomielaw in the city centre "all the way" to the Clyde resorts.
John Williamson entered into private steamboat ownership in competition with his elder brothers James and Alex who managed the CSP and GSWR railway fleets respectively. Williamson was a partner in the Turbine Steamers Syndicate formed in 1901 to manage the revolutionary TS King Edward and remained as manager when the syndicate was incorporated as a limited company in 1902. In 1919 the fleet was merged with the Buchanan fleet to form Williamson-Buchanan Steamers Ltd, which ran in close coordination with Turbine Steamers Ltd.

Clyde Steamers
http://www.clydesteamers.co.uk/Williamson%20Buchanan%20Steamers.html

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Turbine Steamers Ltd. (John Williamson) (#1811, p. 123) as triangular, blue with a yellow crescent and star.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#88
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021


C.M. Willie & Co. (Shipping) Ltd.

[C.M. Willie & Co. (Shipping) Ltd. houseflag] image by Jarig Bakker, 28 November 2005

C.M. Willie & Co. (Shipping) Ltd., Cardiff - horizontal white over green; on white red dragon.
SSource: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 28 November 2005


D.H. Willey

[D. H. Willey houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 12 March 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "D.H. Willey" (#117, p. 42), a company based in Southampton, as blue with a white "W" in the middle.
Ivan Sache,, 12 March 2008 


G.H. Wills & Co.

[G.H. Wills & Co. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

As a ship owner, August Tellefsen came to Cardiff where he was keen to start a business. He formed Tellefsen, Wills & Co with George Wills, a noted ship owner, acting as a shipping agency which exported coal. They dissolved their partnership in 1890 and formed two separate companies: Tellefsen & Co and G.H. Wills & Co..

http://www.shivaun.co.uk/Tellefsen/JohanAugustTellefsen.html
Tellefsen Family

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of G.H. Wills & Co. (#881, p. 78) as blue with two red and white chevrons and the white letters "G.H.W.&Co." in base.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/43/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021


Wilson & Finlayson

[Wilson & Finlayson houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Wilson & Finlayson (#1737, p. 119), a Glasgow-based shipping company, as divided per bend red over blue by a white diagonal stripe charged with three blue stars.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#84
Ivan Sache, 4 May 2021


Wilsons & Furness-Leyland Line, Ltd.

[Wilsons & Furness-Leyland Line, Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Frederick Leyland was a partner in the firm of Bibby Bros and started up his own company in 1873 when 21 of Bibby Bros ships were transferred to the new company. Services to Boston started in 1876. With the death of Frederick Leyland in 1892, a new company Frederick Leyland & Co Ltd was formed and began a close association between Leyland and Furness Lines. Passenger services began in 1895, and in 1896 the founding of Wilson's & Furness-Leyland Line took place to run North Atlantic services.
The Wilsons & Furness-Leyland Line with their London - New York service was sold in 1901 to the International Mercantile Marine Co.

The ShipsList
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/leyland.html

1896 The company was registered on 4 September, to take over the London and New York business of Thomas Wilson, Sons and Co of Hull, and the London and Boston businesses of Frederick Leyland and Co of Liverpool, and Furness, Withy and Co of London, with steamers and leasehold properties.

Stock Exchange Yearbook 1908
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Wilsons_and_Furness-Leyland_Line

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Wilsons & Furness-Leyland Line, Ltd. (#1616, p. 113), a London-based shipping company, as red with a blue border, in the center the white letters "W&FL".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#78
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021


Wilsons and North Eastern Railway Shipping

[Wilsons and North Eastern Railway Shipping houseflag] image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 11 May 2010

From a postcard collection: 11.4.3: Wilsons and North Eastern Railway Shipping
Postcard #11, 4th row, 3rd flag of the collection reads "Wilsons and North Eastern Railway Shipping" and shows a ~2:3 white flag with three white bells(?) set 1+2 on a large red disk centered on the flag.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 11 May 2010

Founded in 1822 in Hull as Beckinton, Wilson & Co to import iron ore from Sweden with a fleet of sailing ships. In 1835 irregular sailing ship passenger services were introduced between Hull, Hamburg and Rotterdam, and a steamship service between Hull and Dunkirk was started the same year.
After the death of Beckinton, the company became Wilson, Hudson & Co in 1831 and in May 1840 a regular steamship service was instituted between Hull, Christiania (Oslo) and Gothenburg. John and Thomas Hudson withdrew from the partnership in 1841 and the company then became Thos.Wilson, Sons & Co. They rapidly expanded services to Scandinavian, Baltic and European ports and to other UK ports and in 1870 commenced trading to the Adriatic, Black Sea and Mediterranean. A short lived service to India was attempted in 1871 but was soon abandoned and didn't resume until the 1880s. Sailings to New York started in 1875.
In 1878 the firm of Brownlow, Marsdin & Co, Hull was purchased together with their fleet of seven ships and in 1903 the fleet of 23 vessels and the business of Bailey & Leetham of Hull was taken over. In the same year, agreement was reached with DFDS, Copenhagen to run a joint London - Baltic service. By the early 1900s, the Wilson Line was the largest private shipowning company in the world.
The Wilsons and North Eastern Railway Shipping Co was formed in 1906 to operate services from Humber ports to Hamburg, Antwerp, Ghent and Dunkirk. In 1916 Wilson Line was bought by Ellerman and became Ellerman's Wilson Line Ltd in 1917. In 1973 all Wilson Line services except North Sea services were submerged into Ellerman City Liners and by 1978 competition and decreased trade caused Wilson Line to sell their remaining ships.

The Ships List
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/wilson.html

See also: Ellerman & Wilson Line

[Wilsons & Furness-Leyland Line, Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows a quite similar flag (#1711, p. 118) for Wilson's & North Eastern Railway Shipping Co., Ltd., a Hull-based shipping company. Here the bells are arranged differently, forming a "Y" placed upside down.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#83
Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021


Wilson Shipping Co., Ltd.

(Joseph F. Wilson & Co.)

[Morris & Fisher houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

J.F. Wilson (1853-1914) formed his own company when his partnership with Robert Hardy was dissolved on June 30th, 1894, and the company of Hardy, Wilson & Co., ceased trading.
From 1894 J.F. Wilson & Co., owned 15 ships until the company ceased trading in 1919.
In 1904 the company became Wilson Shipping Co. Ltd.

https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/4732/wilson-shipping-company-ltd
Hartlepool History Then and Now

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of
Wilson Shipping Co., Ltd. (Joseph F. Wilson & Co.) (#622, p. 66), as swallow-tailed, white with a blue triangle at each corner and the blue letter "W" in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/31/
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021


Wilton Steam Shipping Co., Ltd.

[Wilton Steam Shipping Co., Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Wilton Steam Shipping Co., Ltd. (#620, p. 66), a Dartmouth-based company, as white with a red border and the red letter "W" in the center.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/31/
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2021


Windermere Lake Cruises

[Windermere Lake Cruises] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 October 2010

The company is located in Bowness upon Windermere and exists since 1848 running a service of tourist ships.
The flag is white with a golden brownish inscription “WINDERMERE” and a blue inscription “LAKE CRUISES” below and a light blue wavy line below both inscriptions. It’s remarkable that the flag only is used ashore. Afloat the ships are using the red ensign (stern) and the pilot jack (prow).
Source: I spotted this flag in Bowness upon Windermere on 3 October 2010
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 October 2010


Wing Steamship Co., Ltd.

(Norman Hallett & Co.)

[Wing Steamship Co., Ltd. houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

"Norman Hallett (1875-1973) left home at an early age as the result of his father's brutality - and made his own way in the world, becoming a successful shipowner himself - owning the Wings Line ("Bronze Wings", "Silver Wings" etc), tramp ships trading mostly with South America. From home in Pyrford he went daily to his office in St. Mary Axe or to the Baltic Exchange. He was a very successful yachtsman in his youth and won many caps for racing. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the First World War, and was appointed to the Naval Control of Shipping in 1916. He was one of the oldest members of the Royal Thames Yacht Club."

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hallett-1310
Wiki Tree

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Wing Steamship Co., Ltd. (Norman Hallett & Co.) (#961, p. 82), a London-based company, as blue with a pair of white wings.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/47/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021


Witherington & Everett

also John George Hill S.S. Co., Ltd.

[Witherington & Everett houseflag] image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2021

Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels [Wedge 1926]

Witherington & Everett, Newcastle-on-Tyne - red flag, white "W&E".
Jarig Bakker
, 5 February 2005

The firm of Witherington & Everett was established in 1898 by Harry Poore Everett (1862-1955) and John William Witherington (1862-1933). In 1903 they took on management of the JG Hill Steam Shipping Co., and adopted a number of ideas from this firm, including ship names and colours.
The firm survived the First World War, although all but two of their ships were either interned in Germany or requisitioned by the Admiralty, and the Depression when 17 of their 18 ships were laid up. By the 1930s, with the founders' sons mostly running the business, Witherington and Everett had also taken on the Granta Steamship Company.

In the early years coal formed the majority of the company's cargoes. During the 1950s an attempt was made to diversify into general cargo and the Mediterranean trade: the Gracechurch Shipping Line Ltd. was formed to specialise in this aspect of the business.
The company's vessels were known as "Tombstone" ships as they had thick white vertical bands on a black funnel.

https://www.benjidog.co.uk/allen/Granta%20Steamship%20Company.html
Benjidog Historical Research Resources: The Allen Collection

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the same house flag for Witherington & Everett, also John George Hill S.S. Co., Ltd. (#430, p. 57).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#22

 by Jorge Candeias, 22 Mar 1999 Other sites:
British Shipping lines: continued