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(Source: P.M. Heaton, Sea Breezes, 1977)
We would like to thank Sea Breezes for permission to reproduce these articles |
The second part of the Lamport and Holt story covers the period 1878 to the end of the First World War, and relates some of the activities of the company's ships during hostilities The Lamport and Holt Fleet:
an history by P. M. HEATON
PART II:
1878 - 1918
The Pliny, Bessel and Sirius joined the fleet in 1878, the former coming from the yard of the Barrow Construction Company, while the Bessel was yet another product from A. Leslie and Company. Both were to be lost while in the partners' service; the Pliny was wrecked off Long Branch, New Jersey, on passage Rio de Janeiro to New York with a cargo of coffee on May 13, 1882, w4ile the Bessel was lost in collision with the Wilson liner Hero in the English Channel on June 22, 1895, on passage London to Brazil.
The Sirius came from Rathbones for whom she was built in 1869, and remained in the fleet until broken up in 1899.
Two further iron steamers built at Hebburn arrived in 1879; the second Herschel (schooner-rigged) and the Lassell (brig-rigged) both of about 1,950 gross tons. The Herschel was badly damaged on November 17, 1901, in the Crosby Channel, River Mersey, in a collision with the steamer, Ardeola. Damage was so severe that she was not thought worthy of repair and was sold to Dutch shipbreakers yard early the next year. The Lassell continued in the fleet until sold to New York owners in 1900, and some 20 years later appeared under the Moroccan flag, eventually being broken up in 1924.
Lassel
©Mariners Museum, Newport News, Va
A steam tug, the Stella (106 gross tons) was acquired in 1880 from the Liverpool Forge Company, destined for service in the River Plate. She was sold on July 6, 1894, for further trading. Also in 1880 the Nasmyth appeared from the Leslie yard, followed a year later by the Mozart, Handel and Dqlton from the same yard, the Strabo from the Barrow Construction Company, and the Cavour from Scott and Company, Greenock.
Of these the Nasmyth and Mozart were broken up in 1902, followed by the Strabo three years later but the Handel went to an Italian company in 1902 for nine years further trading. The Dalton was wrecked on September 28, 1895, on the Isle of Islay, on passage New York to the Clyde.
The Cavour was an interesting vessel of some 618 gross tons, as she was one of three shallow draft vessels which operated a coastal passenger service on behalf of the Brazilian Government, the other two ships coming from the same yard two years later as the Chatham and Canning. When in 1891 it was decided by the Brazilians to run their own service all three were sold to them, becoming the Itapeva, Itauna and Itatiaya respectively. All three were subsequently broken up at Rio de Janeiro during 1930-31, having been afloat almost 50 years.
In 1882 came the Hotbein, Hogarth and Flaxman all of just over 2,000 gross tons. The Holbein was sold in 1901 to Manchester owners and thence to Spanish operators, for whom she traded until broken up in 1930. The Hogarth and Flaxman were disposed of in 1902 and 1903 respectively, the former being broken up in 1922. However, the Flaxman traded until she sank on passage Rio de Janeiro to Manaus on August 24, 1932.
Hogarth
©Mariners Museum, Newport News, Va
Apart from the Chatham and Canning previously mentioned, two other steamers arrived in 1883 from Hepburn, the Cuvier, of 2,299 gross tons and Buffon of 2,304 gross tons. The former was lost in collision with the Norwegian steamer Dovre on a voyage Antwerp to Brazil, under the command of Capt. William Spratly. There were only three survivors, the lookout, the man at the wheel and the second officer. The Button went to Brazil in 1908, and became a First World War casualty on May 20, 1917. when torpedoed and sunk by a submarine off Ushant.
An interesting development took place in 1884 when the company formed a new subsidiary, under the title Argentine Steam Lighter Co. Ltd., with the purpose of operating passenger and cargo services on the River Plate. The new company operated until about 1900, and during this period had the following vessels: Amadeo (411 gross tons), Brenda (411 gross tons), Ida (561 gross tons), Delta (289 gross tons), Elena (289 gross tons), Freda (489 gross tons), Gerda (498 gross tons), Hilda (537 gross tons), Ida (561 gross tons), Juantia (719 gross tons), and in addition a further vessel registered under the ownership of the Liverpool, Brazil and River Plate Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., the Luna of 139 gross tons. All these small vessels were registered at Liverpool and either used Montevideo or Buenos Aires as their survey port.
The following year saw the arrival of the two-year-old Caxton, and three new ships, the Garrick, Spenser and Dryden of 2,500 gross tons. The Garrick was sold in 1906 to a Norwegian company for whom she became a whaling ship, but was wrecked on November 10, the same year, on per first voyage for them, on South Georgia Island.
The Spenser and Dryden passed to T. Hogan and Sons in 1895 becoming their Manitou and Menemsha; the former passed to Italian owners in 1899, and was finally broken up in 1909, while the latter went to the United States Navy as a transport in 1898, being sold to commercial owners in 1921, and finally broken up in 1928 at San Francisco.
The Chaucer appeared in the fleet from the Hebburn yard of R. and W Hawthorn, Leslie and Co. Ltd., it 1886, the new style of A. Leslie and Company. She was of 2,769 gross tons and was disposed of in 1913 for demolition. Also acquired during this year was the Siddons, delivered by Oswald, Mordaunt, Southampton and of 2,846 gross tons. She was sold in 1894 to Ballingall and Garroway, of Glasgow, and lost on April 18 1896 in collision with the steamer Graigear off Norderney, on passage Odessa to Hamburg.
In the same year the Glbers and Galileo were transferred to the Belgian flag, to supplement the seven of the original eight ships transferred to that flag.
Two years passed before the next vessels were acquired by the partners, in 1888. The third Copernicus, having been built the previous year by Oswald, Mordaunt and Company, Southampton, as the Lilian for E. Bates and Sons, Liverpool, was at that time, at 3,230 gross tons, the largest ship in the Lamport and Holt fleet.
The other two acquisitions were the Newton (second of the name to enter the fleet) of 2,540 gross tons from Hawthorn, Leslie and Co. Ltd., and the Milton of 2,679 gross tons from the Glasgow yard of D. and W. Henderson and Co. Ltd.
The Copernicus was lost on October 16, 1895, when she was posted missing on passage from Sandy Point to Valparaiso. The, Newton was broken up at Antwerp in 1910; and the following year on June, 15, the Milton was wrecked off Portugal, near Cabo Espichel, on passage London to Santos.
The year 1889 saw two ships joining the fleet from the Star Navigation Company (Rathbone Bros.). They were the Wordsworth (3,260 gross tons) of 1882, previously the Capella, and the Coleridge of 1875 (2,561 gross tons) previously the Mira. Both were products of A. Leslie and Company, Hebburn. The Wordsworth remained in the fleet until wrecked near Bahia on passage from New York on August 1, 1902. The Coleridge was broken up at Marseilles in June 1904.
Coleridge, orginally named Mira
©National Maritime Museum
This year saw three ships transferred to the Belgian flag, the Leibnitz, Maskelyne and Hevelius, followed a year later by the Wordsworth and Coleridge.
Two Hawthorn Leslie-built ships arrived in 1890, the Chantrey and Phidias. The latter lasted until 1911, when she was sold to Brazil and, renamed Tupy, was wrecked near Agadir on September 21, 1918. The Chantrey was wrecked on October 17, 1896 near Valparaiso on passage from Guayaquil.
Only one ship joined the fleet in the five years 1890-95, the Flamsteed from Hebburn. Like the two previously mentioned ships, she was wrecked, being lost on March 26, 1893,on the coast of Chile near Imperial River, on a voyage from Antwerp to Valparaiso, the wreck being sold locally for scrap.
While the company had over three decades followed the principal of naming their ships after poets, or artists, hitherto, they had not had a series of names for ships of a particular size, type or trade, except for isolated occasions. From 1895 it became the rule rather than the exception to name similar ships in classes beginning with the same letter, and so, in 1895, two "H" class and three "C" class ships joined the fleet.
The Homer and Cavour came from the yard of Sir Raylton Dixon and Company, Middlesbrough, while D. and W. Henderson and Company, Glasgow, delivered the Horace, Canova and Cervantes. The "H" class were of 2,585 and 3,335 gross tons, respectively, while the "C" class ships were of between 4,600 and 4,900 gross tons; in fact the Cavour of 4,978 gross tons was the largest ship to join the fleet up to that date.
Cavour dressed overall for a Royal Visit, Mersey 1913
©J. McRoberts Collection
Of these Homer was sold In 1912, becoming the Odila under the Uruguayan flag, and later the Solkoakken of Norway in 1915; she was torpedoed and sunk off Cape Finisterre on February, 4, 1917. The Horace served Lamport and Holt until February 9, 1916, when she was captured and sunk by the German raider Moewe, 600 miles North East of Pernambuco.
The Canova was torpedoed and sunk on December 24, 1917, 15 miles off Mine Head, Ireland, and the Cervantes was intercepted by the Karlsruhe, 100 miles South West of St. Paul's Rocks, and sunk. The Cavour survived the war to be sold in 1929 for scrap.
Henderson's of Glasgow were to deliver another "C" class ship in 1896, this being the much larger Canning of 5,366 gross tons, which was to have quite an interesting career, and a photograph clearly shows that she had yards on her foremast in the early days. She served the company well, and during the Boer War, was, together with the five later "R" class ships to serve the British government ,as transports, particularly of horses and mules to the war zone.
In 1914 the Canning was requisitioned by the Admiralty and became a balloon ship, not being returned to Lamport and Holt until 1919, for whom she traded for a further two years, passing in 1921 to Greek operators, becoming the Okeanis. In 1924 she was renamed Arenzano, and was broken up bin 1925. The second ship delivered in 1896 also from Henderson yard was the smaller Virgil (3,338 gross tons) which stayed in the fleet until broken up in Germany in 1924.
Virgil
This year also marked the death of George Holt, but before his death his nephew George H. Melly and Sidney Jones, a son of Charles W. Jones, and Arthur Cook joined the partnership.
Two ships appeared in 1898, the Sallust of 3,628 gross tons from the yard of Sir Raylton Dixon and Co. Ltd., and the Raphael, of 5,855 gross tons from Henderson’s. this “R” class vessel was the first of five such ships to join the fleet in the next two years, all of varying sizes, but all being built specifically to carry cattle on the hoof from Argentina to the United kingdom. They provided much improved conditions for the transportation of such animals, and thereby greatly reduced the mortality rate amongst them during the voyage. Of these the Sallust was broken up in 1924, the Raphael in 1930.
Raphael, 32 years in service for the company.
©J. McRoberts Collection
The Romney and Rembrandt arrived in 1899, followed a year later by the Raeburn and Rossetti, the latter two being of some 6,500 gross tons, truly huge for those days. All came from Henderson's with the exception of the Romney which was delivered by Sir Raylton Dixon's yard. All survived into the late twenties or early thirties, when sold for breaking up.
Two "C" class ships of 4,000 gross tons were delivered to the company in 1900 from the Belfast yard of Workman, Clark and Co. Ltd., and named Camoens and Calderon. The former served the Company until broken up in 1924 while the latter was lost on January 23, 1912, when she broke in two in the Crosby Channel, River Mersey, after a collision with the steamer Musketeer.
In 1901 came the delivery of a "T" class ship of 4,343 gross tons, the Thespis, built by Dixon's. She was followed a year later by three sister ships, the Terence from Henderson's, and the Titian and Tintoretto from Workman, Clark and Co. Ltd., Belfast, all capable of about 13 knots, not a bad speed in those days for a cargo liner. Of these the Thespis and Tintoretto survived until broken up in 1930, but the other two were casualties of the First World War in 1917.
Also in 1901 three "C" class ships were transferred to the Belgian flag, the Canova, Camoens and Calderon, followed by the Cervantes in 1902, thus making up for disposals and transfers within the two fleets.
Cervantes 2
©World Ship Photo Library
Lamport and Holt had for some time carried a number of saloon passengers in their cargo ships, and had been engaged to some extent in the emigrant trade from Spain and Portugal to the South American republics, carrying large numbers of steerage passengers.
In 1902 the Furness, Withy company found that two of their modern steamers, the Evangeline and Loyalist, both of 3,900 gross tons., and built by A. Stephen and Son Ltd., Glasgow, in 1900 and 1901 respectively were surplus to requirements; they were quickly taken over by Lamport and Holt, to be renamed Tennyson and Byron. Having more than the usual Lamport and Holt accommodation for passengers, they were quickly pressed into service trading between New York and the River Plate, via Brazilian ports, carrying passengers, and cargo, which when northbound usually consisted of coffee.
This small venture into the passenger trade, helped by an ever increasing interest being paid by the U.S.A. to South America, was proving such a success that orders were placed for three passenger liners with refrigerated cargo space, and with increased speed.
They were the Velasquez of 7,542 gross tons, delivered by Sir Raylton Dixon in 1906, and the Veronese (7,877 gross tons) and Verdi (7,120 gross tons) both delivered by Workman, Clark and Co. Ltd., Belfast, in 1906 and 1907 respectively. Prior to the arrival of all three in the fleet an order was Placed with D. and W. Henderson for another such liner, somewhat larger, but delivered later in 1907 as the Voltaire.
The wreck of Veronese, January 1913
These ships quickly proved to be a great success, with the travelling public, calls being made on their service between New York and the River Plate, at Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, and the West Indies. They were tall, elegant ships and were the best in service on that route at the time.
Meanwhile the Tennyson and Byron continued to be employed from New York, but rarely went further South than Santos. It was a truly fine venture by this now famous company which had gathered an enviable reputation for itself.
However the service was not to be without incident, and on October 16, 1908, the Velasquez on a voyage northbound from Buenos Aires to new York, via Brazil, ran aground on rocks between Ponta Das Selas and Ponta Das Maxilhoes, near Santos, during fog and high seas. Passengers took to the life-boats where they remained until dawn, when all were put ashore on the beach called Praia dos Vellosos.
Meanwhile the Milton, which arrived the same day at Santos from Antwerp, was despatched to search for her, and when located on October 17, the Velasquez was heeled over to starboard with her stern awash. The Milton not having received any response to repeated blasts on her siren, commenced a search, and it was some time later that the passengers and crew were located on the beach.
All were taken on board the Milton, together with the mails, and she returned to the Velasquez where an attempt was made to salvage the passengers' baggage. High seas did not allow completion, so the Milton returned to Santos on the night of October 19-20. The Velasquez was quickly given up as a total loss, and all attempts at salvage abandoned and attendant tugs recalled. Luckily there were no casualties amongst the passengers or crew.
A replacement quickly appeared a year later, in the form of the Vasari, of 10,117 gross tons, from Workman, Clark and Co. Ltd. and the service was back to normal.
Of these passenger ships, Tennyson and Byron served the company until 1922 when they were disposed of to Chile. The Veronese was also wrecked, near Leixoes, Portugal, on January 16, 1913, on passage Liverpool to Buenos Aires, via Vigo and Leixoes, in very heavy seas. Of a total of 234 passengers and crew, 27 persons were lost, due in part to the terrible weather which prevented the local life-boat from assisting in the rescue. It was only possible to rescue the passengers by means of a breeches buoy after the weather had subsided somewhat. Capt. C. Turner was the last to leave.
The Voltaire and Verdi were First World War casualties, while the Vasarialone survived and was sold in 1928, becoming a fishery factory ship named Arctic Queen. She passed to Russia in 1935 becoming the Pishchevaya lndustriya and was listed in Lloyd's Register until 1960.
During September 1907, the Raphael struck a submerged rock off the coast of Chile, and to prevent her from sinking the master beached her, but the whole of her after deck was submerged. Eventually, after a large part of her cargo was jettisoned she was refloated a month later. Her starboard bilge had been damaged and her engines were flooded. She was towed to Punta Arenas, and after repairs, continued her voyage to Le Havre, Swansea and Liverpool, a month later.
During this period no new cargo ships were added to the fleet, but a considerable amount of competition was encountered from various other shipping concerns, not least being that from the German companies.
There was much rate cutting in an effort to fill one or other company's ships. This came to a head, and was handled in a novel fashion by the partners in Lamport and Holt, when in a successful attempt to end this freight war, a full cargo of coffee beans was transported to Hamburg from Santos free of charge aboard the Veronese in 1908, thereby bringing all the parties together to sort out each others' interests. This says much for the courage of those responsible for the direction of the company's affairs. Capt. B. S. Haikney was serving aboard the ship during this voyage as an ordinary seaman, and I am grateful to him for the details relating to it.
In 1908 the last four ships remaining under the Belgian flag were transferred back to the parent fleet, but Lamport and Holt continued to trade between Antwerp and South America, although the service took the form of a call on the East Coast of the United Kingdom service to Brazil and the River Plate.
There was an interesting development in 1908 when Lamport and Holt took a 49/100ths share in a 5,394-ton steamer, built at Havre by Forges and Chantiers de la Mediteranee to the order of E. Groses, Lamport and Holt's Le Havre agents, for their monthly service to the West Coast of South America, who held 51 per cent of the shares. She was duly completed as the Colbert, for service on this route, and the company held this interest in her until her loss on April 30, 1917, when she was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean.
With the exception of the share in the French Colbert, it had now been nine years since a cargo ship had been added to the fleet. The intervening period had seen the start of Lamport and Holt's passenger services on a large scale, but in 1912 they acquired two ships which had been delivered the previous year to E. C. Thin and Company, from the Newcastle yard of Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. Ltd. These were the Tremont and Tripoli, both of 4,180 gross tons, which were renamed Siddons and Spenser respectively. The former was sold in 1923 and was ultimately broken up at Blyth in 1931 but the Spenser was to become a war loss in 1918.
Lamport and Holt now had four "V" class passenger liners on the .run between New York and the River Plate, and in addition the Byron and Tennyson were still serving the route as far South as Santos. Although most of the company's cargo liners trading from the United Kingdom to Brazil and the River Plate carried a limited number of first-class passengers, and a large number of steerage passengers from 'both Portugal and Spain southbound, it was decided by the management to commence a similar service from Liverpool to Brazil and the River Plate.
So an order was placed with Workman, Clark and Co. Ltd., of Belfast, for three additional "V" class liners which were to have twin screws. The first appeared in 1911 as the Vandyck of 10,327 gross tons, followed the next year by the Vauban and Vestris.
Vauban
©J. McRoberts Collection
Vauban in Liverpool
G. Topp Postcard Collection
The last two had slightly larger passenger accommodation. than their sister, being able to carry 280 first; 130 second; and 200 third-class passengers, in real luxury.
However this service was to last but a short time from Liverpool, for in 1911, the Lamport and Holt Line became a public company under the title Lamport and Holt Ltd., continuing to manage the ships which were still registered under the Liver- pool, Brazil and River Plate Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.
Messrs. George H. Melly and Arthur Cook became joint managing directors, but the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. Ltd., was Soon to take over control of the company, under the chairmanship of Owen Cosby Phillips, later to become Lord Kylsant. Lamport and Holt Ltd., became one of 13 associate or subsidiary companies of the "Kylsant Empire". The following year, 1912, marked the departure of the company from Drury Buildings, Water Street, to the newly- completed Royal Liver Building, on the Liverpool waterfront.
Up until this time the two companies had run to an extent in competition with each other, and the appearance of three new and well- found Lamport and Holt passenger liners between Liverpool and Brazil and the River Plate, did not fall in with the plans of the parent company at this time, who had three ships on order for their own service, to be known as the "A" class.
Thus it was that the Lamport and Holt ships were not to be allowed to run on this service for very long. In fact while Royal Mail awaited the arrival of their new ships, two of the Lamport and Holt vessels were taken over for their service, the Vandyck making only a few such voyages alongside her sister Vauban. The latter served Royal Mail for much longer, and was renamed Alcala in April 1913, but on the delivery of the new tonnage to the Royal Mail fleet, reverted back to Lamport and Holt and her original name.
Vandyck 2
All three ships were then transferred to Lamport and Holt's New York to Brazil and River Plate service with calls at Trinidad and Barbados en route, thereby leaving the U.K. trade in the hands of the Royal Mail ships. However the loss to the U.K, was to be the gain of the New York service, in that the three became the crack ships on this route with their 15 knot service speed.
Accounting for the loss of the Veronese in 1913 this left six "V" class liners and the Byron and Tennyson on the route, a truly magnificent service, which was the envy of all other lines engaged in the trade. They were without doubt the most popular liners, particularly with American passengers.
During this period a number of cargo liners Joined the fleet. The Dryden was built to the company's order by WIlham HamIlton and Co. Ltd., Port Glasgow in 1912, remaining in the fleet until 1932 when sold to Greek-operators. After passing through the hands of various owners under this nag, she became a war loss, being sunk by air attack off Ostend on May 16, 1940.
During 1912 two ships were acquired; C. Barrie and Sons' Den of Airlie built by Russell and Co. Ltd., Port Glasgow, the previous year, and the Horley from Houlder, Middleton and Company, also delivered the previous year, but by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., of Newcastle.
They were renamed Archimedes and Euclid respectively, and remained in the fleet for a number of years, both eventually going to the Ben Line. The Archimedes became the Benmacdhui in 1932, while the Euclid was renamed Benvannoch a year earlier. The former having been damaged by air attack off Yarmouth on February 10, 1941, was lost on December 21, the same year, when sunk by a mine 10', miles E.N .E. of Spurn Head, while on passage from Immingham to Hong Kong, two crew members being lost.
Archimedes 2
©National Maritime Museum.
The Euclid was resold in 1936 to the Moller Line Hong Kong, becoming the Marie Moller. On March 22, 1937, she was burnt out off Holyhead, while on passage India to Liverpool, becoming a constructive total loss, and was broken up at Troon later that year.
In 1913 three "P" class and two "S" class ships joined the fleet, of 5,600 and 4,900 gross tons respectively. The Pascal, Phldias and Strabo came from the yard of A. McMillan and Son., Dumbarton, while the Plutarch and Socrates came from Russell and Co, Ltd., Port Glasgow. The Pascal was lost in the First World War, but the Phidias served the company until she became a war loss in the later war. The Plutarch was sold in 1931 and the Socrates a year earlier while the Strabo was disposed of in 1932.
Phidias
©World Ship Photo Library
The Socrates was torpedoed and sunk S.W. of Land's End on March 8, 1940, while under the Greek flag, and the Strabo, having made her way through the Panamanian and Greek registers, found herself in 1938 under the Japanese flag. She became a war loss, being bombed and sunk by the U.S. Air Force on January 24, 1944, off Bougainville.
Of the five, the Plutarch must have had the most interesting career. When sold in 1931 she went to Yugoslavia, becoming the Durmitor, surviving without mishap until she was captured on October 21, 1940, by the German armed raider Atlantis near Sunda Strait.
A prize crew was put on board together with a number of Allied prisoners taken from earlier victims of the raider. She was sent to the French West African coast, but was in a sorry state long before her arrival, short of provisions and fresh water and out of bunkers. Abandoned on her arrival, she was retaken in February 1941 at Mogadishu by H.M.S. Shropshire, she was placed under the British flag by the Ministry of War Transport, becoming the Radwinter in 1943. At the end of hostilities she was handed back to Yugoslavia in 1946. Reverting back to the name Durmitor, she traded under this flag without further incident until September 1963, when she arrived at Split, to be broken up. She had clocked up a total of 50 years afloat, quite a record, and a testimonial to British shipbuilding.
At the outbreak of the First World War the company owned a fleet of 36 steamers amounting to a total gross tonnage of 198,992, and during the period of hostilities 11 of these vessels were lost through enemy action, including three "V" class passenger liners. In addition the ship under the French flag, in which Lamport and Holt had a 49 per cent interest was also lost.
First loss was the steamer Cervantes which was intercepted by the German light cruiser Karlsruhe, 100 miles South West of St. Paul's Rocks, on October 8, 1914. After removing her crew the cruiser sank the Cervantes. The company's second loss represented another victim of this German cruiser some 18 days later on October 26, when the Vandyck, on passage from Buenos Aires to New York with over 200 passengers, mostly U.S. citizens and a full cargo, including over 1,000 tons of frozen meat, was sighted by the cruiser.
The Vandyck tried to escape but after a chase the cruiser caught and captured her just before noon, 690 miles West of St. Paul's Rocks. The passengers and crew were placed on the steamer Asuncion, which had previously broken out of Santos, with many other prisoners and sent to Para, now known as Belem, which was reached on November 1. After removing much of her cargo, particularly the frozen meat, the cruiser sank the Vandyck the next day.
After these losses the company's fortunes held for a while, there not being any loss during the whole of 1915, but the following year things changed, and on February 9, 1916, the Horace was intercepted by the German raider Moewe, 600 miles North East of Pernambuco, and sunk.
The next casualty was the Voltaire, which fell victim to the Moewe on December 2, 1916, 650 miles West of the Fastnet. Later in the same month the modern steamer Pascal was torpedoed and sunk off the Casquets on December 17.
The Terence was the next Lamport and Holt ship to be lost to the enemy when she was torpedoed and sunk on April 28, 1917, North West of the Fastnet. Two days later the French Colbert was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean.
Third of the passenger liners to be lost by the company the Verdi, fell victim to a German submarine, which torpedoed and sank her 115 miles North West from Eagle Island, Co. Mayo, Ireland, on August 22, 1917. Six of the crew were lost. Four days later on August 26, the Titian, sister ship of the Terence lost some four months earlier, was torpedoed and sunk South West of Malta.
The Memling, only delivered to the company two years previously, and a fully refrigerated ship of the "M" class, was torpedoed by a submarine off Brest on October 3, 1917, and with assistance made port, but was so badly damaged that she was found to be beyond repair, and was declared a constructive total loss, and broken up. The last loss suffered in 1917 was the Canova which was torpedoed and sunk 15 miles South of Mine Head, Ireland, on December 24, 1917, during which action seven members of the crew lost their lives.
Mr. Tom Waring, who served in a number of Lamport and Holt ships just prior to and during the First World War, sailed in the Canova, leaving Liverpool on August 14, 1915, for Brazil, via Lisbon, where emigrants were still being picked up for South America. After discharging in Brazil the usual cargo of coffee was loaded for New York, and she left, calling at the West Indies en route, discharging at Brooklyn.
A large cargo was loaded, and she sailed for the U.K. on November 20; after encountering rough weather which necessitated heaving to for several days, she arrived in the Mersey on December 13, having been over 22 days on the passage, and it can well be imagined that there was much jubilation at the Lamport and Holt offices on her arrival at Eastham, en route to discharge at Manchester, as she had been more or less given up as lost.
Mr. Waring's service, although short, was quite interesting, and some details are given hereunder:
After leaving school in 1909 he worked for a time in the Manchester Ship Canal office at Latchford Locks, and he noted that Lamport and Holt had a weekly sailing from New York to Manchester. In March 1913, he went aboard the Thespis at Latchford and asked Capt. Ferguson for a position as ordinary seaman, but she had already signed on and he was given a letter of introduction to the marine superintendent at Liverpool, Capt. Bird.
On the following Saturday, March 8, he sailed in the Raeburn as ordinary seaman for Brazil, calling at Leixoes where 350 emigrants were picked up, and after four months and 10 days paid off with the princely sum of £5-9s.-0d., all of 30s. a month.
He served aboard the Raeburn for a further four voyages, and during the last voyage was on board at Buenos Aires when the Great War broke out. The ship received orders to proceed to Santos where a number of German and Austrian ships were interned, having already been loaded with coffee, meant for the United States.
Having arrived at Santos she became a radio link between the cruiser H.M.S. Glasgow and the British Consul. The German steamers Santa Maria and Cap Ortegal came alongside the Raeburn and transferred their cargo to her, and in Mr. Waring's words, "they were not very happy about it."
Finally the cargo from the German steamer Hockfels was transferred. During this time the German steamer AsuncIon went round the anchorage taking on coal, stores and men to supply the raiders Karlsruhe and Cap Trafalgar, and broke out on a Sunday night. The Raeburn left for Rio de Janeiro, where cargo was taken on board from the Austrian Laura before proceeding via Pernambuco and Barbados to New Orleans where she arrived on October 3.
After discharge of the coffee she was intended to be chartered to the British Government to transport horses and mules from Montreal to France; in the event these orders were changed and she was taken up by the French Government, and having grounded on a bank in the river while changing berths, was towed off by the tug W C. Wilmot on October 9.
Loading 900 mules and horses, she left for Bordeaux, with 75 cattlemen on board to tend the animals, arriving on October 28. This was the first cargo of horses and mules to arrive in France since the outbreak of war. And a number of the crew were paid off here by their own request, and made their way home having been away from the United Kingdom for a fair time.
As a result a part crew was signed on consisting of three French, one Japanese, one Spaniard, one American and a Swiss. Mr. Waring was promoted to quartermaster, and they left on November 5, for Newport News, passing and signalling St. Michaels, Azores on the 11th, arrived at Newport News on November 21.
Three days later the lamptrimmer broke his leg with the result that Mr. Waring was promoted to this position, the injured man being sent home aboard the Raeburn's sister Romney.
Having loaded 910 horses she left on November 26 for Bordeaux, and after a rough passage arrived on December 10, to be diverted to LaPallice where she arrived the next day. During the passage a total of 52 horses were lost, which demonstrates the severity of the weather encountered, and the extent to which these ships were loaded during the hostilities.
On December 16, the Raebllrn left for Newport News, and again encountered bad weather; during December 20, she was hove to all day, losing the starboard life-boat and accommodation ladder. On January 11, 1915, she arrived at Newport News, and six days later left with 1,250 horses. On January 19, during very rough weather she lost most of the horses and pens from the foredeck.
Arriving at Bordeaux on February 5, she sailed again four days later, and after a fine passage arrived back at Newport News, on February 24. On her arrival it was discovered that the steamer Anglo-Patagonian had picked up the Raeburn's life-boat lost on December 20, and had feared the worst.
After repairs she left again on March 14, arriving at Bordeaux on March 28. Leaving _on April 1, she arrived at Newport News, on April 16. After loading 1,250 horses she left on April 27, for St. Nazaire, arriving on May 11. Leaving four days later, she arrived back at Newport News on June 1.
Having to wait a long time for a berth, they were informed that the next run was to Brest, hopefully to be paid off. She loaded 1,215 horses, and sailed on June 30, arriving at Brest on July 14, where Capt. Jardine was reluctant to pay his crew off.
After discussions with the consul it was decided to despatch the Raeburn to Liverpool; sailing on July 18, she docked at Liverpool three days later, thereby ending a voyage that had lasted for 14 months 10 days.
Mr. Waring's final voyage in a Lamport and Holt ship was aboard the Sid- dons from October 14, 1916 until January 6, 1917. The voyage was direct to Buenos Aires, Christmas Day 1916, being spent at Dakar waiting for a homeward convoy to form.
While engaged in the carriage of horses between the United States and France, the Raphael, on passage between Bordeaux and New Orleans in ballast in December 1914, was involved in the salvage of the City of Lincoln for which her crew were awarded salvage money.
The last war loss was the Spenser, sister ship of the Siddons which was torpedoed and sunk on January 6, 1918, off Bardsey Island in the Irish Sea.
Mr Frank Evans, who served in the Herschel for about two years as a naval gunner, recollects his service.
He joined the Herschel at Liverpool early in 1917, having been sent up from Plymouth to join as a naval gunner. She had not been docked long, when to his utter amazement he noted on an elevated platform aft an imitation gun, made of wood by the "Chippy". It was removed and a 4.7 in. Vickers gun was installed, and a full gun crew was placed aboard.
The Herschel was evidently built for the Spanish passenger traffic because all the cabins were lettered in Spanish.
Leaving Liverpool at night they took on a full cargo of coal at Newport, Mon., for Port Said, and joining a convoy at Avonmouth, set off for Port Said under the command of Capt. Frodson. Having discharge-d, they moved to Alexandria where a full cargo of cotton was loaded for Boston, U.S.A., arriving there about three weeks later. Then light ship to Newport News where a cargo of coal was taken on for Buenos Aires, for the Argentine Railway. He noted the large amount of German tonnage in port at Buenos Aires, due to the presence out- side of the cruisers Gloucester and Bristol.
Loading a cargo of corned beef, linseed, Indian corn and hides, they crossed the River Plate to Montevideo where the cargo was completed with bagged wheat, and she sailed for Liverpool.
On their way home they were in action with a German submarine in the Gulf of Mexico area, which must have spent all her torpedoes, as she commenced a surface attack with gunfire. The Herschel's gun crew opened up at long range, but ceased after a long delay by the submarine in returning this fire.
After a while the submarine opened fire with shrapnel, which caused some casualties aboard the Herschel, Mr. Evans being hit in the right leg. Capt. Frodson kept the stern on to this submarine, while the gun crew exchanged fire.
A hit was recorded on the submarine, followed by a red flash; the submarine then submerged, and no more was heard of her. It was never established if this submarine was sunk by the Herschel, but whatever happened, the action kept her at bay.
Having joined a homeward bound convoy at Freetown, they proceeded to the Bay of Biscay, where at 11 a.m. on October 1, 1917, a torpedo flashed past the port bow of the Herschel, not hitting any member of the convoy. The submarine was later seen on the surface well astern, and scored a hit on the escort's main mast, and eventually sank a number of the ships in the convoy, the surviving members putting into Barry. 'The Herschel arrived at Liverpool a few days later.
The next voyage was under the command of Capt. Carey, from Liverpool to Durban, via the Suez Canal, thence to Buenos Aires, where she stayed three weeks, leaving part loaded for Rio de Janeiro to take on bagged wheat. Thence to Bahia for completion with coffee, arriving at Liverpool, after the armistice had been signed.
In the early part of the war most regular services were maintained, but towards the end it was found increasingly difficult to maintain the New York to South America service, it having to be reduced considerably.
Canning 2
©J. McRoberts Collection
The following figures produced by the company relate to the cargo carried by the Archimedes alone during the period of hostilities. She was employed throughout on carrying stores etc., between the U.K. and France, and carried over 145,000 troops, 70,000 horses, 225,000 bags of mail, 12,000 vehicles, and a further 68,320 tons of stores and materials. During this period 351,000 tons of meat were carried in the company's refrigerated steamers to the armies in France and elsewhere.
H.M.S. Canning as a kite balloon carrier in WWI
©J. McRoberts Collection
As well as the "R" class being used on carrying horses and mules across the Western Ocean to France a number of other Lamport and Holt vessels were engaged in this service, and others being used on carrying stores for the armed services to all theatres of the war. The Tintoretto was so employed on the route from Quebec and Montreal to France, with such materials, and later in the war was to be found with other units of the fleet carrying horses and mules from Newport News to Salonica. During the whole period of the war. the Canning, having been requisitioned by the Admiralty, was used as a balloon ship, and was not returned to the fleet until 1919.
A number of ships joined the fleet during the war, having been built to the company's order. There were two "H" class ships, the Herschel (previously mentioned), and Holbein of 6,200 gross tons, delivered by D. and W. Henderson and Co. Ltd., Glasgow, in 1914 and 1915 respectively. These remained in the fleet until disposed of in 1934 and 1935. (However, the Herschel was in the hands of the Admiralty from June 24, 1914 to September A, 1914).
It is interesting to note that Lamport and Holt had been carrying frozen meat since a contract was obtained to carry 230 tons a month in 1886, the first ship being fitted with refrigerated space being the Thales in 1887.
Six fully refrigerated ships were built for Lamport and Holt between 1915 and 1917, designated the "M" class; they were easily recognised by their huge funnel which stood some 66 ft. above the boat deck. Of these, four were sister ships in the full sense of the word, being twin-screw vessels; the Meissonier, Murillo, Moliere and Marconi.
Marconi, shown in Union Castle colours whilst on charter.
The first three came from the yard of Russell and Co. Ltd., Port Glasgow, and were of 7,206 gross tons, while the Marconi of 7,402 tons was delivered by Harland and Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, who also built the single screw Millais. The sixth, but first to enter service, was the Memling from A. McMillan and Co. Ltd., Dumbarton, previously mentioned as a war loss.
The other five survived the war, and were employed on the frozen and chilled meat trade from the Argentine to London, a contract being signed with Weddel and Company. In 1929- 1930 the Meissonier, Murillo and Moliere were sold to II. and W. Nelson, Ltd., of London, for whom they continued trading to the River Plate. All three passed to the Royal Mail fleet in 1932 together with the rest of the Nelson fleet, the latter two being renamed Nalon and Nela respectively.
The Meissonier was renamed Nasinathe following year, and sold to an Italian firm two years later, becoming a war loss when torpedoed and sunk by H.M.S. Unshaken off Brindisi on August 11, 1943.
The other two continued to serve Royal Mail until the Nalon (ex- Murillo) was bombed and sunk West of Ireland, while homeward bound from Cape Town on November 6, 1940. The Nela (ex-Moliere) lasted until sold to be broken up in 1946 at Ghent.
The Marconi was sold to Kaye, Son and Co. Ltd., London in 1937, and was lost on May 21, 1941, when torpedoed and sunk South East of Cape Farewell in convoy, there being a heavy loss of life. The Millais was sold to the Blue Star Line in 1938, becoming their Scottish Star; she was torpedoed and sunk on February 20, 1941, East of Barbados, on passage Liverpool to Montevideo. As can be seen, only one of these ships ever found her way to a breaker's yard, that being the Moliere.
The Swinburne and Sheridan were the last two vessels delivered to the company during the war years; joining in 1917 they were both of 4,600 gross tons. The former became a Second World War loss when she was bombed and sunk by aircraft West of Ireland on February 26, 1941, while the Sheridan was to stay in the fleet for some 30 years, mostly employed on the New York, Brazil and River Plate service until sold in 1947.
Go to Part Three