| |
The Fleets
Lancashire Shipping Co. Ltd
/ James Chambers & Co.,
Liverpool
James Chambers started his own shipping company in 1865
after having been a partner for nine years in the White Star Line of
Australian Packets (later famous as the White Star Line). In 1867 James Chambers took over the Lancaster Shipowners Company a newly
formed company in which he registered his sailing ships.
By the time of his death in 1877 the Lancaster Shipowners Company owned
seven sailing ships and the business was then managed by his son Walter
J. Chambers.
On fourteen November 1896 the Lancashire Shipping Co. Ltd was formed
to take over from the Lancaster Shipowners Company. At the turn
of the century the fleet consisted of eight steamers and two sailing
ships. Fifteen ships joined the Chambers fleet between 1900 and 1915.
Two ships were lost due enemy action during World War I and three ships
were purchased during that period, while three German prizes entered
the fleet between 1919 and 1921. During the second half of the 1920s
five motorships were built for the company and by 1930 at the onset of
the Great Depression the fleet numbered
fourteen ships including eight steamers, but all the eight steamers were
sold during the next six years.
The Round the World Service had several British and American competitors,
including Prince Line from 1914, Silver
Line from 1925 and the Bank Line.
Between 1937 and 1939 four new steamers were built. During World War
II Lancashire Shipping Co. Ltd lost five ships due enemy action.
The management of the company between 1923 and 1927 was done by James
Chambers grandson and after his death in 1927 Samuel Chambers and his
nephew Allan Chambers took command of the company.
Round the end of 1943 they realized that due to increasingly heavy American
competition the Round the World service could not be sustained after
the war and they sold the remaining four motorships, three to Elder
Dempster & Co.
and one to J.A. Billmeir (Stanhope
SS Co.).
In October 1944 Moller & Co. of Shanghai bought the trading rights
and goodwill of James Chambers & Co. and in 1946 ended the management
of James Chambers & Co.
To serve the round the world trade from New York, which was the line
service built up by James Chambers & Co., Moller & Co. bought
two escort carriers in 1947 and converted them back to cargo liners and
one new building joined the fleet in 1949, although this ship never was
employed in her intended trade.
In 1957 Moller & Co. now at Hong Kong sold the last Lancashire Shipping
Co. Ltd ships to the Ben Line and closed this service.
Many thanks to Henk Jungerius and Ted Finch for his assistance in
collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various
sources. This is not an
all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide. If you would like
to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship
Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant
Ship web site.
- Routes:
- Antwerp-New Orleans-Galveston-Vera Cruz (Gulf of Mexico service)
- Gulf of Mexico- New York- Round the World service of the
Barber Line
- Far East-New York (Dodwell Castle Line)
Funnels & Flag:
Red with black top.
Round the World service. Barber Line - Black with blue and white
bands containing red star with white B.
Fleet:
|
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
Sailing Ships |
|
| Vessel |
Built |
Years in Service |
Tons |
| Greystoke Castle (1) |
1886 |
built by Williamson at Workington | three masted ship.
10 June 1896 wrecked on Cape Agulhas. |
1,878 |
| Hornby Castle (1) |
1877 |
built by T.B. Royden
and Son at Liverpool as DUNCAN COUPLAND for Lancaster Shipowners
| three masted ship. 1881 renamed Hornby Castle by James Chambers & Co.,
1905 sold to Aas & Cappelen renamed HARALD, 15 August 1909 wrecked
in the Mull of Oa, Islay. |
1,495 |
| Lancaster Castle (1) |
1884 |
built by Williamson at Workington | three masted
ship. 1898 sold to H.H. Schmidt, Germany renamed MARGARETHA, 13 March
1909 sunk in collision. |
2,155 |
| Lowther Castle (1) |
1886 |
built by Williamson at Workington | three masted
ship. 1889 sold to H.H. Schmidt, Germany renamed MARIE, 1909 broken
up at Harburg. |
1,868 |
| Muncaster Castle (1) |
1882 |
built by Williamson at Workington | four masted barque.
29 May 189? sold not renamed, 1901 wrecked at Staten Island, Patagonia. |
2,044 |
| Pendragon Castle (1) |
1891 |
built by Williamson at Workington | four masted barque.
1898 sold to H.H. Schmidt, Germany renamed LISBETH, 1927 scrapped. |
2,510 |
| Thurland Castle (1) |
1876 |
built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast for James Chambers & Co.
| three masted ship. 1895 sold to C. Brewer & Co. renamed IOLANI,
03 May 1900 sunk in collision off Astoria, Oregon. |
1,301 |
| Warwick Castle |
1863 |
built by Robert Napier & Sons at Glasgow for Castle
Mail Packet Co. | three masted ship. 1870 purchased by James
Chambers & Co. for the Liverpool - Calcutta service not renamed,
1890 sold to A/S Cimbria, S. W. Brunn, Kolding, Denmark renamed
CIMBRIA, by 1905 she was owned by P. L. V. Schiaffino of Genoa
with the same name and was broken up in Italy during 1911. |
1,171 |
| Wray Castle (1) |
1889 |
built by Williamson at Workington | three masted ship.
1901 sold not renamed, 1921 sold to Garthwaite renamed GARTHWRAY,
23 April 1923 wrecked off Santa Maria Island. |
1,891 |
| |
|
Steam and Motorships |
|
| Vessel |
Built |
Years in Service |
Tons |
| Bolton Castle (1) |
1912 |
built by Wm Hamilton & Co. Ltd, Port Glasgow | completed
as Dryden for Lamport & Holt,
1932 sold to Coumantaros Bros, Greece renamed Panagiotis Th. Coumantaros,
1939 sold to S.S. Niarchos renamed Evgenia, 18 May 1940 sunk by air
attack off Dover. |
5,300 |
| Bolton Castle (2) |
1914 |
built by Wm Hamilton & Co. Ltd, Port Glasgow | 1937
sold not renamed, 1939 sold to A. Ravano, Greece renamed Fidelitas,
1940 seized by the Germans, 27 November 1944 bombed and sunk in Sula
Fjord near Aalesund. |
5,826 |
| Bolton Castle (3) |
1939 |
built by J. Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | 05 July
1942 bombed and sunk. |
5,203 |
| Bowes Castle (1) |
1913 |
built by J. Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | 18 August
1914 captured by German cruiser KARLSRUHE off Barbados and scuttled. |
4,650 |
| Bowes Castle (2) |
1913 |
built by J. C. Tecklenborg A.G., Geestemünde | ex-
Solfels built for DDG Hansa,
Bremen, 1919 surrendered to Britain, 1920 sold to Lancashire Shipping
Co., renamed Bowes Castle, 1931 sold to A. Lauro, Naples, Italy renamed
Angelina Lauro, 1940 interned at Liverpool, 1940 seized by Britain,
1941 renamed Empire Advocate, 1945 scrapped. |
5,821 |
| Corby Castle (1) |
1898 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1908
sold to Braemount S.S. Co. Ltd (Sloan & Jackson), Glasgow renamed
Braemount, 1912 sold to Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd for the Chesapeake & Ohio
Co. renamed Albiana, 1913 sold to Sale & Co., London name unchanged,
1919 sold to Union Chartering Co. renamed Berriedale, 1921 sold to
I.C. Ozanne renamed Brockdale, 1924 sold to F.J. Mundy renamed Cardiff,
1927 sold to G. Bozzo, Italy renamed Pellegro, 1934 scrapped. |
3,607 |
| Corby Castle (2) |
1918 |
built by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow | ex- Virgilia,
1925 purchased from Cunard renamed
Corby Castle, 1927 sold to Tatsuuma Kisen , Japan renamed Tatsuha
Maru, 1938 renamed Tatuha Maru, 17 February 1944 bombed and sunk
at Truk. |
5,697 |
| Dacre Castle (1) |
1908 |
built by R. Craggs & Sons Ltd., Middlesborough | 17th
September 1912, while on a voyage from Yokohama to New York with
a general cargo, was wrecked at Keelung harbour |
4,261 |
| Dacre Castle (2) |
1919 |
built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle
| launched as War Lynx for the Shipping Controller and completed
as Dacre Castle for Lancashire Shipping Co., 1937 sold to Brynymor
SS Co. (Ambrose, Davies & Matthews), Swansea renamed Cefn Y Bryn,
1938 sold to Jugoslavenska Ploviba d.d, Susak, Yugoslavia renamed
Kobac, 1938 sold to Prekomorska Plovidba, Susak renamed Lika, 1939
sold to Crest Shipping Co, London renamed Milcrest, 07 October 1942
sunk in collision with EMPIRE LIGHTNING. |
5,278 |
| Egremont Castle (1) |
1890 |
built by Palmers & Co. Shipbuilding & Iron Company,
Jarrow | built for James Chambers & Co., 1896 transferred to Lancashire
Shipping Co. Ltd, 1902 sold to Macbeth & Co., Sidney, NSW not renamed,
1907 sold to Wilh. Wilhelmsen,
Norway renamed Heimdal, 20 June 1910 wrecked Sable Island, N.S. |
2,877 |
| Egremont Castle (2) |
1911 |
built by Craig, Taylor & Co., Stockton on Tees | 19
July 1925 wrecked Tuba Bataha Reef, Philippines. |
5,294 |
| Greystoke Castle (2) |
1906 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1927
sold to Xilas Bros, Greece renamed Michalios Xilas, 1936 scrapped
at Savona. |
3,828 |
| Greystoke Castle (3) |
1928 |
built by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd, Birkenhead | 1943
sold to Elder Dempster & Co. not
renamed, 1946 renamed Freetown, 1958 scrapped at Hamburg. |
5,853 |
| Greystoke Castle (4) |
1944 |
built by Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation,
Tacoma | ex- HMS TROUNCER, 1947 purchased from USMC by Moller & Co.
renamed Greystoke Castle, 1954 chartered to Shaw
Savill & Albion renamed Gallic, 1957 sold to Ben
Line, 1959 renamed Benrinnes, 1973 scrapped at Kaohsiung. |
8,028 |
| Hornby Castle (2) |
1899 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1914
sold to A. Lederer, Austria renamed Libusse, 1915 seized by the British
to A.D. Axarlis renamed Warren, 01 January 1917 torpedoed and sunk
by German submarine. |
3,712 |
| Hornby Castle (3) |
1914 |
built by Sunderland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Sunderland
| ex- Pacific, 1916 purchased from W.H. Cockerline renamed Hornby
Castle, 1929 sold to J.T. Galakis, Greece renamed Theodoros Galakis,
1930 renamed Aspasia, 15 August 1940 torpedoed and sunk by German
submarine UA with the loss of 30 lives. |
4,211 |
| Kendal Castle (1) |
1896 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1901
sold to Yandiola & Solano, Spain renamed Rosario, 1920 sold to Ballesteros
renamed Ceferino Ballesteros, 1930 sold to Fabrica de Mieres renamed
Mieres, 1955 sold to A. Garcia Munte Nuno renamed Garcia Munte, 1959
scrapped at Barcelona. |
2,885 |
| Kendal Castle (2) |
1910 |
built by Short Brothers Ltd., Sunderland | 15 September
1918 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine near Berry Head. |
3,855 |
| Kendal Castle (3) |
1919 |
built by Norddeutsche Werft, Wesermunde, Bremerhaven
| launched as Mai Rickmers for Rickmers ceded to Great Britain and
completed as Ultor, 1921 purchased from British Government renamed
Kendal Castle, 1932 sold to Belgian National Shipping Line (A. Deppe),
Belgium renamed Louis Sheid, 07 December 1939 stranded by Start Point
and lost. |
6,057 |
| Lancaster Castle (2) |
1919 |
built by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Howden
on Tyne | launched as War Terrace for the Shipping Controller and
completed as Lancaster Castle for Lancashire Shipping Co., 1936 sold
to Stathatos & Co., Greece renamed Seapharer, 1938 sold to D.D. Stathatos,
Greece renamed Eleni Stathatos, 28 January 1940 torpedoed and sunk
by German submarine U.34. |
5,625 |
| Lancaster Castle (3) |
1937 |
built by J. Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | 14 April
1942 bombed and sunk in Murmansk roads with the loss of 9 lives. |
5,172 |
| Lowther Castle (2) |
1900 |
built by A. MacMillan & Sons Ltd., Dumbarton | 1912
sold to P. Regier & Son, Russia renamed Rossia, 1922 purchased by Essex
Steam Ship Co. (Meldrum & Swinson) from Sefton SS Co. Ltd renamed
Essex Baron, 1928 sold to Lyn Shipping Co. not renamed, 1930 scrapped
at Queenstown. |
4,599 |
| Lowther Castle (3) |
1914 |
built by Antwerp Engineering, Antwerp | 1933 sold
to G.N. Condylis, Greece renamed Condylis, 10 August 1942 torpedoed
and sunk by German submarine U.660. |
4,439 |
| Lowther Castle (4) |
1937 |
built by J. Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | 27 May
1942 bombed and sunk in convoy PQ16 with the loss of 1 life. |
5,171 |
| Middleham Castle (1) |
1897 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1904
sold to Heyne Hessenmuller, Germany renamed Hermine Hessenmuller,
1908 sold to August Bolten W. Miller’s Nachfolger, Hamburg, renamed
Harz, 1914 seized by Russia to Imperial Russian Navy renamed Dobro,
1919 reverted to Germany, 1923 sold to Emil R.Retzlaff, Stettin renamed
Fafner, 1931 sold to E. Bergmann, Estonia renamed Stella, 25 March
1934 sunk in collision. |
3,062 |
| Middleham Castle (2) |
1910 |
built by Wm Hamilton & Co. Ltd, Port Glasgow | 06
December 1917 heavily damaged in explosion at Halifax, repaired at
New York, 1932 sold to Vogemann's Transport, Panama renamed Delia,
1934 sold to Wing Line renamed Bright Wings, 1939 sold to F. Grauds,
Latvia renamed Everoja, 03 November 1941 torpedoed and sunk by German
submarine U.203 near Belle Ile, Nfl. |
4,534 |
| Muncaster Castle (2) |
1906 |
built by Wm Hamilton & Co. Ltd, Port Glasgow | 1925
sold to W.S. Miller & Co. renamed Elsiston, 1935 scrapped at Rosyth. |
4,757 |
| Muncaster Castle (3) |
1928 |
built by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd, Birkenhead | 30
March 1942 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.68 with the loss
of 24 lives. |
5,853 |
| Muncaster Castle (4) |
1944 |
built by Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation,
Tacoma | ex- HMS PUNCHER, 1947 purchased from USMC by Moller & Co.
renamed Muncaster Castle, 1954 chartered to Shaw
Savill & Albion renamed Bardic, 1957 sold to Ben
Line, 1959 renamed Bennevis, 1973 scrapped at Kaohsiung. |
8,014 |
| Pendragon Castle (2) |
1908 |
built by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow | ex- Inverkip,
1917 purchased from R.J. Rowat & Co. renamed Pendragon Castle, 1922
sold to Chofuku Kisen, Japan renamed Chofuku Maru, 06 February 1931
wrecked near Point Cloates, West Australia. |
4,353 |
| Penrith Castle (1) |
1900 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1916
sold to Atlantic and Eastern S. S. Co. Ltd. (J. Glynn and Son managers),
Liverpool and renamed Alaveno, 1922 sold to Kaye,
Son and Co. Ltd. and renamed Kayak, 1926 sold to Anglo Maritime
Shipping Ltd. (F. S. Edwards manager), London and renamed City of
Patras, 1927 sold to Pandeli Bros. S.S. Co., Greece and renamed Zannis
Pandelis, 13 March 1928 wrecked in English Roads, Bonavista Islands
whilst on a voyage from Barry to Rio de Janeiro with a cargo of coal. |
3,663 |
| Penrith Castle (2) |
1922 |
built by Ardrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.,
Ardrossan | 1927 sold to Les Cargos Algeriens, France renamed Djurdjura,
1940 seized by the British at Falmouth, 13 June 1941 torpedoed and
sunk by Italian submarine Brin. |
3,460 |
| Penrith Castle (3) |
1928 |
built by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd, Birkenhead | 1943
sold to Elder Dempster & Co. not
renamed, 1946 renamed Fantee, 06 October 1949 wrecked in fog on Scilly
Islands, no loss of life. |
5,369 |
| Penrith Castle (4) |
1949 |
built by Blyth Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Blyth
| 1951 sold to Ben Line renamed
Benmhor, 1973 scrapped at Kaohsiung. |
7,731 |
| Raby Castle |
1925 |
built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
Ltd, Dundee | 1943 sold to J.A. Billmeir (Stanhope
SS Co.) not renamed, 1945 renamed Stanhall, 1951 sold to Wallem & Co.,
Hong Kong renamed Ami, 1956 sold to Kawasaki Kisen K.K., Japan renamed
Hisakawa Maru, 1962 scrapped. |
4,996 |
| Richmond Castle |
1898 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1906
sold to Deutsche Levante
Linie, Hamburg, Germany renamed Paros, 1914 seized by the British
at Alexandria not renamed, 17 August 1915 sunk by German submarine
U.38 west of Bardsey Island. |
3,605 |
| Rose Castle (1) |
1895 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | built
for James Chambers & Co., 1896 transferred to Lancashire Shipping
Co. Ltd, 1899 sold to F. de Abasolo, Spain renamed Arraiz, 1931 sold
to Duro Felguera renamed Ciano, 1934 sold to Amaya renamed Axpe,
1936 scrapped at Bilbao. |
2,816 |
| Rose Castle (2) |
1915 |
built by Short Brothers Ltd., Sunderland | 1917 sold
to T. Lewis not renamed, 1920 sold to Dominion Shipping of Canada
not renamed, 20 October 1942 damaged by German submarine U. 69, 02
November 1942 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.518 with the
loss of 24 lives. |
7,546 |
| Sizergh Castle |
1903 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | ex- Sirocco,
1913 purchased from W.& R. Thomson renamed Sizergh Castle, 1919 sold
not renamed, 07 October 1919 abandoned and foundered in North Atlantic. |
3,747 |
| Skipton Castle |
1907 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1928
sold to Kassos SN Co., Greece renamed Prionas, 1932 scrapped at Port
Glasgow. |
3,823 |
| Thurland Castle (2) |
1901 |
built by Bartram & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1913 sold
to Becchi & Calcagno, Savona, Italy renamed Fede, 1935 scrapped at
La Spezia. |
3,819 |
| Thurland Castle (3) |
1914 |
built by Irvine's Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd.,
West Hartlepool | ex- Corinthic, 1916 purchased from W.H. Cockerline
renamed Thurland Castle, 1923 sold to H.W. Dillon & Sons renamed
Hemisphere, 1926 sold to Kohun Kisen, Japan renamed Kohki Maru, 1930
sold to Ishihara GK renamed Nanshin Maru, 31 March 1943 wrecked. |
4,736 |
| Thurland Castle (4) |
1929 |
built by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd, Birkenhead | 1943
sold to Elder Dempster & Co. not
renamed, 1946 renamed Fulani, 1958 scrapped at Odense. |
6,372 |
| Thurland Castle (5) |
1951 |
built by Blyth Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Blyth
| laid down as Thurland Castle for Moller & Co.
but completed as Cuzco for Pacific
Steam Navigation Co., Liverpool, 1965 sold to the Ben
Line renamed Benattow, 1977 scrapped at Kaohsiung. |
8,038 |
| Wray Castle (2) |
1904 |
built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | 1915
sold to Sale & Co. not renamed, 1915 sold to Houlder Middleton renamed
Wisley, 1925 sold to Canada SS Lines renamed Welland County, 1925
sold to Essex Steam Ship Co.
renamed Essex Isles, 13 January 1927 burned and sunk at Tampico. |
4,399 |
| Wray Castle (3) |
1919 |
built by Rickmers Werft, Geestemunde | launched as
Rickmer Rickmers , 1919 ceded to Great Britain and completed as Paria,
1920 purchased from British Government renamed Kendal Castle, 1932
sold to A. Lauro, Naples, Italy renamed Olimpia, 1943 seized by the
Germans, 16 March 1943 sunk by British warships off Lissa, in Bocche
di Cattaro. |
6,025 |
| Wray Castle (4) |
1938 |
built by Wm Hamilton & Co. Ltd, Port Glasgow | 03
May 1941 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine with the loss of
1 life. |
4,253 |
| Wulsty Castle |
1918 |
built by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland | 1921 laid up,
1925 re-engined, 1929 laid up, 1936 sold to Rethymnis Kulukundis
renamed Craggan Hill, 1938 sold to Cie. France Navigation renamed
Bonifacio, 1939 sold to Compagnie
Generale Transatlantique not renamed, 1942 seized by the Germans
and passed to Italy renamed Campobasso, 1943 shelled and sunk by
HMS Nubian east of Keliba Island. |
3,566 |
TheShipsList | Return
to The Fleets
TheShipsList®™ - (Swiggum) All Rights Reserved - Copyright © 1997-present
These pages may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion
without written consent of
.
Last updated: February 12, 2010 and maintained by
and M. Kohli
|
