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Based in London, ran UK-Ireland ferries and London - Falmouth, Liverpool, and
numerous other coastal services.
Jarig Bakker, 11 October 2003
Based on Sampson (1957)
James Dignan, 11 October 2003
In "All about Ships and Shipping", 1959 is
another flag: blue, white, red, white and blue horizontal stripes (International
"C" flag), with CL in Blue.
Jarig Bakker, 11 October 2003
"Flags and Funnels of the British and
Commonwealth Merchant Fleets" also shows this flag.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 June 2006
Coast Lines Ltd. The white flag with red saltire and black "C" was adopted in
1917 when the company changed names from Powell, Bacon & Hough Lines being
replaced by the striped flag, which incorporated the colours of the original
three founders, in 1937 so Sampson (1957) is rather behind the times.
Talbot-Booth (1938) noted the change and then for some reason proceeded to show in his WW2
books a version with a black "C" overall though
again in 1944 he notes that the single "C" being replaced by "C.L." in black
which is incorrect both for the colour and the dots. The company itself was
taken over by P&O in 1970/1 and became their Short Sea Shipping Division.
Neale Rosanoski, 14 April 2005
image by Eugene Ipavec, 6 March 2009
A member - as is River Bulk Shipping Ltd. -
of Fourwind Holdings, Coastal Bulk Shipping is established at Rochester, Kent.
Website: (jump over the regrettable insolvency notice):
http://www.coastalbulkshipping.co.uk/. The house flag we know from River
Bulk Shipping appears here as well.
Twelve ships, all but one British
registered (the one exception being the Bahamas) carry all sorts of goods.
“Delivering for Britain & Europe” - see the impressive list:
http://www.coastalbulkshipping.co.uk/index.asp?cargo. The Photo Gallery has
a few pictures showing the house flag in action. On that matter, see the
history page
“Founded in November 1951 by Tony Lapthorn with the acquisition of the 110
tonne barge "Nellie" the Company owned the biggest coastal and short sea cargo
fleet flying the British Flag trading in North West Europe. Since the Company's
foundation the size and type of vessel has constantly evolved to meet the
changing demands of the competitive coastal and short sea trades.”
We
also note that the firm operates a little port of its own on the River Medway
since 1954. As to the family business, in 2003 a new investor and major
shareholder caused a change of name to ‘Fourwind Holding Ltd (formerly Lapthorn
Holdings Ltd)’ whereas the ‘R Lapthorn & Co. Ltd.’
became ‘Lapthorn Shipping Ltd’. The present name was adopted on 1 Nov 2006, the
ships were renamed and “the house flag colours were changed from red to green to
reflect the environmentally friendly service offered by the Company in promoting
the water option as an alternative to road transport”.
The former house
flag (R Lapthorn & Co. Ltd.) was
horizontally divided red-black-red with the yellow star in the centre stripe.
The characteristic star was retained but now appears on a much less contrastive
background.
This Shipspotting photo by Robert J. Smith (uploaded on 22
Jun 2008) shows ‘Hoo Swan’ (currently ‘Swallow’) “seen at Ipswich on the
17/06/06”:
http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=366252 shows the
former flag (and probably England’s). Shipspotting
photo of ‘Curlew’ (made by Ian G. Hardie on 2 Aug 2008) flying the flag:
http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=489698.
Jan Mertens, 6 March 2009
Trapezoidal flag with six white and red vertical stripes.
image by Jarig Bakker, 30 November 2005
Coe Metcalfe Shipping Ltd. (Dry Cargo Vessels), Liverpool - horizontal
blue-white-blue flag, in center red "C".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 30 November 2005
image by Jarig Bakker, 20 November 2005
Colne Shipping Co., Ltd., Lowestoft - white flag, blue "C".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 20 November 2005
image by Eugene Ipavec, 16 April 2009
A note on London-based British shipping company Comben Longstaff & Co. Ltd is
found at
http://www.benjidog.co.uk/allen/index_files/Page2639.htm. Most of the
comments are in fact the blurb for a book to be mentioned further on but the
links are helpful: they lead us to b/w ship’s photos – the ‘Warwickbrook’ seems
to fly the house flag:
http://www.benjidog.co.uk/allen/photos/COMLON05.jpg. The same design is on
the funnel of ‘Leicesterbroo[k]’:
http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=452141, that is to
say, red field with white lozenge (touching the flag’s edges) bearing large red
initials ‘CL’.
At
http://www.coastalshipping.co.uk/Pictures/OtherPublications/CombenLongstaff&CoLtd.jpg
company dates are given as 1933-1980 in book description (author K.S. Garrett),
about 1/5 down on this page (url followed by quote):
http://www.worldshipsociety.org/2986.html:
“The company was notable for
building some of the last steamers for the coal trade, and followed these with
an attractive series of motorships (…) 180 photographs plus illustrations of
flags and funnels used by the company's 136 ships.”
Jan Mertens, 13
April 2009
Based on Sampson (1957)
James Dignan, 14 October 2003
Notable in that the company was involved in a lawsuit with the Imperial Smelting
Corp. Ltd in which an the company was the plaintiff. The case is cited as an
example of meeting the burden of proof.
Phil Nelson, 14 October 2003
Although similar to the flag of Constantine Lines, Montreal (Canada), Brown
(1951) has this flag with a blue C for Joseph Constantine Steamship Line, Ltd.,
London.
Jarig Bakker, 9 August 2004
Joseph Constantine Steamship Line. The version showing the blue "C" from Brown
1951 is incorrect this being the only edition from this series and the only
source to so show. The correct version is that with the black "C". The company
was previously known as Constantine & Pickering Steamship Co. with Lloyds 1904
showing a white flag having a white canton defined red and bearing a red cross
and saltire design with in the lower field the red letters "C.&P.S.S.Co." with
the "o" enhanced with Talbot-Booth in 1942
describing the cross being surmounted by a red circle as well. Constantine Lines
(Canada) Ltd. was a subsidiary which became Quebec Steamship Lines Ltd. in 1948.
Neale Rosanoski, 14 April 2005
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 Constants Ltd., London. A red
rectangular flag bearing a white disc in the centre with a black letter 'C' on
it. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton
hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached. The hoist is inscribed
'Constants Cardiff'.
The Constant family had been Thames ship owners since the 18th century with a
head office in London during the 20th century. Constants (South Wales Ltd) was
formed in 1929 with an office in Cardiff. Its fleet of tramps exported coal from
South Wales and imported iron ore from Northern Spain, cork, pyrites and timber
from Portugal and other cargoes from the Mediterranean. The company was wound up
after the war and its ships registered under the London office. During the 1950s
and 1960s, a small modern fleet tramped worldwide. In 1973 the family sold the
company to Dovey Shipping and Industrial Holdings Ltd, Cardiff who closed the
business down in 1976.
Jarig Bakker, 5 August 2004
Constants Ltd. Lloyds 1904 shows for Joseph Constant of London a blue flag with
a white design of a 2 "C"s, one being backward with
Brown 1943 showing a version for the subsidiary Constants (South Wales) Ltd.
with the emblem in white being displayed on a black panel edged white from a red
field which was subsequently altered according to
Brown 1951 to show a single "C" with subsequent
sources showing the red flag with white circle and black "C".
Neale Rosanoski, 14 April 2005
I'm happy to confirm that the rectangle or company logo on that page is
indeed a flag, as I saw it flying in front of the firm's Antwerp branch
yesterday. Of course, a real maritime sighting would have been the real thing.
Jan Mertens, 19 December 2003
Thomas Coppack & Co.
Flag: Company initials in white on blue.
Source: Lloyds 1912
Joe McMillan, 20 September 2001
This was a British family firm located in Connah's Quay in Wales originated by
Captain John Coppack in 1860 and lasting until the early 1970s. Between 1910 and
1926 it went under the name of Thomas Coppack & Co. using the flag shown.
Neale Rosanoski, 1 February 2004
Thomas Coppack & Co. This was a family firm which became Coppack Bros. & Co. in
1898 with Lloyds 1904 showing a blue pennant with the white letters (b, above). By 1910 Thomas Coppack had bought out the last of his 3
brothers becoming Thomas Coppack & Co. with the letters becoming "T.C.&Co."
(c, above) which in turn apparently became the rectangular version
which is shown by Lloyds 1912. In 1926 the sons of Thomas took over and the
company again became Coppack Bros. & Co. changing to a blue swallowtail with
white letters "C.B.&Co." (d, above) although the LJC chart of
1930 shows it as a tapered swallowtail in contrast to all other sources.
Neale Rosanoski, 14 April 2005
For details, see British & Continental S.S. Co. entry.
"Flags and Funnels of the British and Commonwealth
Merchant Fleets" shows this flag but the star is lighter and smaller,
reaching outside the cross.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 June 2006
image by Jarig Bakker, 20 November 2005
Cornish Shipping Ltd., Plymouth - blue flag, in center three white "C"'s,
arranged triangularly.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 20 November 2005
image located by Jan Mertens, 29 November 2005
Source:
http://www.red-duster.co.uk/CORRY.htm
A further source (listing routes and years of operation) is
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/corry.htm.
Robert Corry, originally of Co. Down (Ireland) founded a company in Belfast in
1826, active in timber imports from Canada and later sailing to India, Australia
and New Zealand, and South America. Relocated to London as a result of this
growing trade; by then the firm was already named Corry & Co. (about 1850).
During that period, the wooden Canadian-built ships were replaced by iron ones
built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast. Representing a new generation, James P. Corry
– grandson and name giver to the modified company name, created a baronet in
1885 - saw the acquisition of steamships starting in 1887 and the introduction
of refrigeration plants. In cooperation with Thomas Royden & Sons
and G.D. Tyser & Co., an emigrant service to Australia was established in 1912.
Two years later, Corry’s Star Line (named after a famous series of ships the
names of which started with ‘Star of…’), Royden (Indra Line), Tyser, and William
Milburn (Anglo-Australian Steam Navigation Co.) were to merge into the
Commonwealth & Dominion Line, later known as the Port Line.
The house flag is white with two red horizontal edges (1:2:1) and a red heart in
the centre. I am convinced the heart is canting and long used as a mark before
the mentioned baronetcy (whatever the armorial bearings may have been). A much
smaller heart is shown by the on-line 1912
Lloyds Flags & Funnels, under No. 1386, last on that page, for ‘James P.
Corry & Co. (Star Line, Ltd.) London’.
Jan Mertens, 29 November 2005
Based on
Wedge 1926 John Cory & Sons, Limited, Cardiff -
blue, in the center red disk charged with white "C".
Jarig Bakker, 13 December 2004
"Flags and Funnels of the British and
Commonwealth Merchant Fleets" shows this flag with a serif letter C.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 June 2006
From
http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/strick.html:
“Another Company called Cory & Strick (Steamers) Ltd was formed in 1928. Cory's
were long established in the coal trade and between 1928 - 31 they had six ships
built with names all similar to that of La
Tunisienne Steam. (…)
None of the Strick Companies could escape the depression in 1931 and many of
their vessels found their way to lay up in various rivers and ports. (…)
In September of 1939 the three Fleets of Strick comprised 25 vessels of which 12
being Strick Line (1923) Ltd, 1 being Shahristan Steamship, 6 being La
Tunisienne Steam Navigation and finally the remaining 6 with Cory & Strick. (…)
(In) 1943 Cory Strick had lost three of its six ships, two of the remaining were
sold and the last was transferred to La Tunisienne Steam bringing to an end the
Cory Strick association.”
The National Archives identify Cory & Strick as shipping agents based at
Plymouth.
Lifted from the funnel image and enlarged, the flag above is seemingly a black
lozenge with rounded sides delineating red fields (upper hoist and lower fly)
and blue ones (lower hoist and upper fly), respectively. The black centre may
symbolize the coal trade.
Jan Mertens, 27 January 2007
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 Cory Brothers, Cardiff. A rectangular
flag divided horizontally into white over green. A pink Welsh dragon is in the
centre holding two overlapping black diamonds with a white diamond in the centre
stitched with the inscription 'CORY BROTHERS'. The flag is made of a wool and
synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and
toggle is attached. The dragon and black diamonds are a reference to their
coaling activities."
Jarig Bakker, 10 August 2004
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 Cory Colliers Ltd., London. A red,
rectangular flag with a white diamond in the centre. The flag is made of a wool
and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope
and two Inglefield clips is attached."
Jarig Bakker, 10 August 2004
William Cory & Son. Originally in the coal
trade they became tug operators, taking over several other companies and
eventually consolidating under the control of Cory Towage Ltd. Around 1985 the
flag emblem was altered from a white diamond to a blue one edged white. They
were taken over and absorbed effective 20 February 2000 by Bureau Wijsmuller B.V.
Neale Rosanoski, 16 February 2004
image by Jarig Bakker, 3 November 2005
Cory Towage Ltd., London - red flag, blue diamond bordered white.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 3 November 2005
image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 May 2009
The Simplon PC site presents Cosens & Co. also known as ‘Weymouth, Bournemouth
& Swanage Steam Packets Ltd’ at
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Cosens1.html. We are offered a number of post
card pictures, no history this time if you except the quote “later taken over
by the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet
Co. Ltd (Red Funnel Steamers)”. The vessels illustrated were operated between
1852 and 1967.
Quoting from a blurb (book by R. Clanmer):
http://www.heritagesteamers.co.uk/publicationssouthcoast.htm,
“The once
familiar Buff Funnel paddle steamers of Cosens & Co Ltd were part of the
scenery along the Wessex coast of the south of England. They crowded
Bournemouth Pier and Weymouth, offering excursions to the Isle of Wight,
Swanage and landings on the beach at Lulworth Cove. To the west the paddlers
called at Lyme Regis, and visited the south Devon resorts of Seaton, Torquay,
Paignton and as far as Plymouth. Closer to home they offered cruises to see the
warships in Portland harbour whilst their fleet of speed boats offered trips in
Weymouth Bay. This book tells the fascinating story of these services between
1918 and 1996.”
More history here (highlights taken over):
http://paddlesteamers.awardspace.com/CosensandCo.htm
Founded 1852 by
Capt. Joseph Cosens and newspaper owner J. Drew wishing to link Weymouth to
Portland transporting goods, workers at Portland dockyard, and tourists.
Later also Channel crossings. Takeover of competitors Dodson (1858) and
Tizard (1860). Ltd in 1876; expansion of company to include repair,
engineering, towage, and salvage. 1946 taken over by Southampton, Isle of Wight
and S. of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co./Red Funnels (separate flags).
Last sailing Sept. 1966; Cosens Engineering Ltd had to close down in 1999.
Some pennants and flags appear on the Simplon cards – some of them coloured
in – but none so clear (excepting the Red Duster) as the house flag rendered
in b/w. A picture in colour is found in the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags &
Funnels:
http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/ImPage.cfm?PageNum=67&BibId=11061&ChapterId=8.
No. 1384 ‘Cosens & Co. Ltd, Weymouth’: horizontally divided red-blue-white, the middle stripe appearing somewhat
wider and in any case containing a white disk almost touching the red edges. The b/w renderings shown by Simplon have equal stripes and the disk touches
the edges. Direct link:
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/CosensPCs/Brodick_Castle-01_900.jpg.
Jan Mertens, 7 May 2009
image by Jarig Bakker, 15 January 2006
Coulouthros Ltd., London - horizontal blue-white-blue flag, in center blue
cross.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 15 January 2006
Based on Sampson (1957)
James Dignan, 8 October 2003
Stewart & Styring (1963) lists a Counties
Ship Management Co. Ltd. and London and Overseas Freighters Ltd. from London UK,
but shows a different flag.
It's a little difficult to follow the history of the company, but Counties Ship
Management was originally Rethymnis and Kulukundis, which set up different
companies to manage each ship they owned - these each named after an English
county. Three companies merged in 1937, apparently Rethymnis and Kulukundis
Limited (London) being the primary concern. By 1950 it
became the largest tramp steamer company in London. Its affiliated company
London and Overseas Freighters Ltd. was started as a "tramp tanker" company by
Rethymnis and Kulukundis. Counties Ship Management appears to have gone out of
business in 1968 and London and Overseas sold the last of its tankers in 1997
(actually the company being purchased by Frontline Ltd. a Swedish company flying
under the Bermuda flag).
Phil Nelson, 9 October 2003
Brown 622: Counties Ship Management Co., Ltd., London
Funnel: Buff with a red C surrounded by a red circle, over this a black top.
Flag: Triangular 2:3; white with a red border, in its center a red C surrounded
by a red circle. (The C in Brown's is about one-fourth of the flag in height;
the circle is
pictured as a line, slightly thinner than the letter, and both considerably
thinner than the border. C for County?)
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 20 October 2003
image by Jarig Bakker, 27 December 2004
Counties Ship Management (Rethymnis & Kulukundis), London - burgee white over
blue; in center red 5-pointed star.
Rethymnis & Kulukundis (Piraeus) have an identical tapered swallowtailed
houseflag, according to Brown (1951).
From Scott, R.M., The Caltex book of Flags and Funnels, Capetown, Caltex Africa
Ltd. (1959).
Jarig Bakker, 27 December 2004
Counties Ship Manaagement. The biband white-blue pennant with red star was
apparently adopted post WW2 [Sampson being late picking up the change once
again] as a group flag for Rethymnis & Kulukundis. I suspect that the
swallowtailed tapered pennant shown by Brown 1951 referred to by Jarig is an
error. Nobody else mentions it and Brown 1958 shows the pennant shown.
Neale Rosanoski, 14 April 2005
In the 1960’s I worked for Rethymnis and Kulukundis and
the Counties ship were named after hills in London, e.g.,
Streatham Hill, Tulse Hill, etc., and were all WWII built Canadian Forts or
Parks.
Colin Brown, 6 April 2006, Bob Boxer, 3 January 2008
image by Ivan Sache, 10 April 2008
Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of "J.B. Couper" (#259, p. 49), a company based in Glasgow
(Scotland), as blue with a red descending diagonal stripe charged with a white
"C".
Ivan Sache, 10 April 2008
image by Ivan Sache, 10 April 2008
Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of "George Couper & Co." (#261, p. 49), a company based in
Helmsdale (Scotland), as red with a red rectangle bordered in white and charged
with a white "C".
Ivan Sache, 10 April 2008
3:5 image by Rob Raeside, 15 January 2008
House Flag of R&J Craig Co of Glasgow.
Red, white and blue
horizontal: red St Andrew's Cross superimposed on white.
Graham Cumming,
15 January 2008
According to James Griffin's 'Flags national and
mercantile' (Portsmouth, Griffin, 1891), the flag was 3:5 in dimension.
Ian Sumner, 16 January 2008
image by Jarig Bakker, 29 August 2005
C. Crawley, Ltd., Gravesend - green flag, white bucket.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 29 August 2005
From The National Maritime Museum:
The house flag of Crescent Shipping. A rectangular red flag with a white crescent near the hoist. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached.Jarig Bakker, 10 Aug 2004
Crescent Shipping. This is the flag of the British company London & Rochester Trading Co. Ltd.
The NMM flag is the only source which shows these different proportions. London
& Rochester, dating from 1907, used Crescent Shipping as a trade name until 1986
when they officially became Crescent Shipping Ltd. Involved in the coastal
trade, in 1989 they absorbed Bowker & King Ltd. who were similarly involved but
in tankers and according to Brown 1995 they then used two flags, one red with
the white crescent for cargo ships and the other blue with the white crescent
for tankers. In 1997 a takeover saw them become Crescent plc under which title,
as a subsidiary of the Clipper Group, they still operate with their shipping
operations handled by Crescent Marine Services Ltd. Going by their website
www.crescentltd.com they
probably no longer use this flag as their logo appears to now comprise mainly a
red crescent above two wavy red lines though a blue version is given for the
Seatruck Ferries division. The red version is shown appearing on a white funnel
band which may indicate possible use as a flag.
Neale Rosanoski, 18 April 2005
image by Jarig Bakker, 3 October 2005
Crescent Shipping Ltd., (Tanker), London - blue flag, white crescent towards
the hoist (the companion of the red flag with crescent).
Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 3 October 2005
image by Ivan Sache, 10 April 2008
Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of "Isaac Crocker" (#254, p. 49), a company based in
Cardiff (Wales), as white with a red "A" in the middle.
Ivan Sache,
10 April 2008
image by Ivan Sache, 4 April 2008
Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912)
shows the house flag of "Crow, Rudolf & Co." (#177, p. 45), a company based in
Liverpool, as horizontally divided red-blue-red with a white disk in the middle.
"A heavy failure is reported from Liverpool, where the well known firm of
Crow, Rudolf & Co., merchants and shipowners, have availed themselves of the
protection of the Liverpool Bankruptcy Court. An order for a receivership, says
"The Times" has been made against them on the petition of certain creditors, who
are bankers in New York. [...] The failure is understood to be due to the
suspension of the First National Bank of Pensacola, which involved the failure
of an American firm heavily indebted to Crow, Rudolf & Co. [...]"
Ivan Sache,
4 April 2008
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 Crusader Shipping Ltd., London. A black
swallow-tailed pennant with a shield bearing the cross of St George on a gold
sword. The flag is made of a machine sewn, wool and synthetic fibre bunting. The
motif and the hoist are made of cotton fabric. A rope and toggle is attached.
The crusader's sword and shield in the design were intended by the company to
symbolise the launch into a new trade route across the Pacific from New Zealand
to the West Coast of USA."
Jarig Bakker, 10 August 2004
image by Jarig Bakker, 9 September 2005
Crusader Swire Container Service Ltd., London - white flag, blue "CSCS".
Source:
Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 9 September 2005