FURNESS, WITHY & COMPANY LIMITED

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN:
SIR ERNEST H. MURRANT, K.C.M.G ., M.B.E.

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN:
FRANK CHARLTON, F.C .A.

JOHN W. BARRON E. PHILIP REES, C.M.G. , M.C.

COLIN C. BLACK BASIL SANDERSON, M.C.
MAURICE C. HOULDER KENNETH STOKER, M.A. , J.P.
W. ERRINGTON KEVILLE, C.B.E. WALTER C . WARWICK
WILLIAM MACGILLIVRAY
 Under the
Furness Flag
by
A. J. Henderson

Printed in England for Furness Withy & Co. Ltd., by Charles Birchall & Sons Ltd. ,
Liverpool, 2, and 6/ 8 Fenchurch Buildings, London, E.C. 3 and based upon the story
.. From Coasters to Cruising Liners" in the April, 1951 issue of "Sea Breezes."
The Rt. Hon. LORD FURNESS OF GRANTLEY
Born April 23, 1852, at West Hartlepool. Founded
Furness~ Withy a.nd Co. Ltd., in 1891. He was
Knighted in 1895, and was Liberal Member of
Parliament for the Ha.rtlepools 1891-1892 and
1900-1910, when he entered the House of Lords.
In an effort to imprlove relations with the men
in the Hartlepool shipyards he instituted, in
1908, a system of co-partnership by the issue of
special workmen's shares. After a trial period
the scheme was brought to an end owing to
Union · objections. He died on November 10, 1912.
 Under the Furness
Flag
Furness, Withy and Co., Ltd., this year celebrates the 60th
anniversary of its formation by the first Lord Furness. The
degree of success achieved is indicated by the fact that the
capital has increased more than tenfold in the period and the
influence of the company now extends far beyond its original
business of shipowning and shipbuilding, into the realms of
insurance and finance. The new cruising liner " Ocean Monarch "
demonstrates progress and achievement in every respect. Her
originality of design and decorative beauty earned the 1951 Gold
1\Iedal of the American Academy of Design-a tribute to both
owners and builders

FURNESS, WITHY AND co., LTD., Gray and Company, of West Hartle-
commenced business in 1891, when pool, for two iron steamers, and in
Christopher Furness, its founder and 1878 the Chicago and the Averill
first chairman, was 39 years old and were delivered to the firm. The
already had half of his exceedingly former was unfortunately wrecked
successful business life behind him. on Haisboro Sands on her maiden
He was born at West Hartlepool on voyage. The latter, which was
April 23, 1852, and at a very early named after the mother of the part-
age entered the business of his elder ners in the owning company, thus
brother, Thomas, who was estab- became the pioneer of the Furness
lished locally as a grocer and mer- steamship services. She was a ship
chant. At the age of 18 he was doing of 1,690 gross tons, with two decks
business in Scan dina via with very and compound engines, and con-
profitable results, and two years later tinued in operation until 1883.
became a partner in the firm of Other steamers which came from
Thomas Furness and Company. Gray's yard were the Brantjord City
Although interested as merchants (1880), 2,370 gross tons; York City
in the American and Baltic trades, (1881), 2,300 gross tons; Boston City
the shipowning activities of the firm (1882), 2,300 gross tons; and Durha1n
were limited to the running of two City (1882), 3,092 gross tons. These
coasting brigs-the ' Astley, 204 tons, early steamers were registered in the
and the Williams, 184 tons. About name of Thomas Fumess and Com-
1877 Thomas Furne$s and Company pany, but the driving force bJhind
decided to run a service of steamers their acquisition was the younger
between West Hartlepool and Atlan- partner. The elder brother did not
tic ports of North America, both for like the shipowning activities of the
the carriage of their own merchan- firm, but by 1882 Christopher Furness
dise and for general trading. Orders had finally decided where his future
were accordingly placed with William lay. Accordingly, the partnership
3
was dissolved by mutual consent, the Mr. Burnett wrote to her owner
ships being taken over by him and asking if he would be interested.
the merchanting side of the business Such was the commencement of the
continuing in the hands of Thomas Furness Boston-London line, origi-
Furness. Thus it transpired that, nally run in conjunction with Adam-
at the age of 30, Christopher Fumess son and Ronaldson, who acted as
started business on his own account London agents.
with an office in Victoria Terrace, Other services quickly developed,
West Hartlepool, and by his ability notably between London and Halifax,
to judge the future trend of events, N.S., and St. John, N.B., and in 1884
aided by his great self-assurance, he Mr. Burnett opened an office at 130,
quickly established his personal State Street, Boston, which consti-
fortune. tuted the first overseas branch of the
One of his earliest associates was Furness shipping interests. It was
Mr. Robert E. Bumett, who was to in 1883 that Frederick William Lewis,
a large extent responsible for provi- later to become Lord Essendon, first
ding Christopher Furness with his entered the office of Christopher
first opportunity to operate ships on Fumess, and he was appointed
the Atlantic outside the range of the manager of the London office, which
family business. In the early 1880s was opened in 1890. It was also in
the London firm of Adamson and 1883 that the name " Withy " first
Ronaldson, by whom Mr. Burnett became associated with that of
was then employed, ran a service of Furness.
steamers between London and In that year Christopher Furness
Boston, Mass., and for various purchased an interest in Ed ward
reasons found themselves short of Withy and Company, shipbuilders, of
tonnage. Seeing the Brantjord City Hartlepool. Previous to 1876 this
at Deptford Cattle Market one day firm had traded as VV.,.ithy, Alexander
and thinking that she might be a and Company, and on the retirement
~uitable ship for the Boston trade, of Mr. Alexander it continued in

Built by Palmers, of .Jarrow-on-Tyne, in 1884, the 2,686-ton "Stockholm

City" originally traded in the United States-Sweden service
4
Of 2,875 gross tons, the "Appomattox " was built in 1893 for the Virginia-
U .K. service of the Chesapeake and Ohio Steaillship Co., Ltd.

business under the style of Edward steamers to the company's assets, as

Withy and Company. Mr. Withy well as other investments and
wished to emigrate to New Zealand interests in ships : -
with his family, and in 1883 sold his Boston City N ewborough
interest in the business to Chris- Durham City Blanche
topher Furness. The yard immedi- Ripon City Damara
ately began to build Furness ships. Stockholm City Taymouth Castle
The Washington City, 2,296 gross Gothenburg ·City Duart Castle
tons, built in 1885 .at Withy's yard, Washington City Ottawa
was the first Furness vessel to be Baltimore City Cenisio
fitted with triple-expansion engines H ali/ax ·City Tynedale
and one of the earliest ever to be Wetherby Tynehead
powered by this type of engine.
On September 16, 1891, the firm of At the time of incorporation the
Furness, Withy and Co., Ltd., was Furness fleet comprised the fore-
incorporated with registered offices going 18 vessels, which aggregated
at West Hartlepool and a nominal 43,897 tons, in addition to which the
capital of £700,000. The company firm held shares in 21 other steam-
was formed by the amalgamation of ships and had an interest in seven
the three firms known as Chris- steamship companies. The new com-
topher Furness, West Hartlepool, pany represented an .a1nalgamation
with branches at Newcastle, Boston. of the ships, investments and offices
Baltimore, and Chicago; Christopher of Christopher Furness and the
Furness and Company, of London; Middleton shipyard and drydocks
and Edward Withy and Company, of owned by Edward Withy and Com-
West Hartlepool. Christopher Fur- pany. Christopher Furness was duly
ness contributed the following 18 elected the first chairman of Fur-
5
ness, Withy and Co., Ltd., the other house and wheelhouse, part of the
directors being Messrs. Henry Withy, spar deck, ship's boats and consider-
R. W. Vick, R. B. Stoker, Thomas able quantities of stores. In addition
King and G. L. Woolley. plates were buckled .and frames and
The Gothenburg City and Stock- deck beams were damaged. In spite
holm City, which were amongst the of the seriousness of the outbreak it
vessels taken over from Christopher was brought under control, and
Furness on the incorporation of the although navigation was rendered
Company, both gained distinction on extremely difficult by reason of the
the North Atlantic. The Gothen- loss of charts and instruments, the
burg City early in her career in 1885 vessel nevertheless reached her
lost her propeller when 10 days out destination without assistance. Tem-
from London bound for Boston. As porary repairs were effected at New-
the vessel was brigantine rigged and port News and the ship returned to
carried sails the Master decided to the U.K.
return to Queenstown or the English The principal lasting interest of
Channel under sail. The ship was Christopher Furness, outside his
therefore turned about and, after business preoccupations, was politics.
taking additional stores from It was. in 1891, the same year in
another vessel encountered in the which he floated Furness, Withy and
Atlantic, eventually reached Fal- Co., Ltd., that he first entered the
mouth unaided 33 days later. House of Commons as Liberal Mem-
The Stockholm City, in December ber for the Hartlepools. He held the
1897, was bound from Manchester to seat for the Liberals in the following
Newport News when a serious fire year, but was defeated in 1895, the
broke out which resulted in the year in which he received a knight-
destruction of the bridge, chart- hood, and was not able to resume

The 14-knot passenger and cargo steamer "Evangeline'', 3,900 gross tons,
was built on the Clyde in 1900 for the London-Halifa.x , N.S., service
6
his political activities at Westminster were imposed-with a black top. The
until 1900. Hartlepool-built ships were sold in
Meanwhile, the new company 1902 and were replaced by the Alleg-
rapidly developed in to one of the hany and Powhatan, each of about
most ROwerful shipping organisations 7,000 tons deadweight. The original
in the North of England. New ser- agreement between the steamship
vices were brought in to operation, company and the railroad company
and trans-Atlantic services in parti- was for a 10-year period, by the end
cular were developed and prospered of which time Newport News had be-
in face of strong competition. In come a thriving port and the objects
1891 the Chesapeake and Ohio of the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
Steamship Co., Ltd., was formed in road had been fully achieved. The
conjunction with the Chesapeake Rappahannock was one of the
and Ohio Railroad to maintain earl;est vessels of her type to be
regular steamship lines between fitted with radio apparatus, and in
Newport News, London and Liver- 1913 it enabled her to go to the assis-
pool for the carriage of flour, tance of the emigrant ship Volturno
tobacco, cattle, grain, etc. The rail- when that ship caught fire in the
road company instituted a pro- Atlantic and to rescue some of the
gramme of commercial development passengers.
with the object of establishing New- In 1896 Furness, Withy and Com-
port News as a deep-water port, but pany took over the British Maritime
the uncertainty of sailings from this Trust, which pursued a policy of
area handicapped its agents in their chartering tonnage to regular lines,
efforts to secure grain and other and for that purpose an extensive
freights for foreign markets. fleet of tramp vessels was constructed
It was in order to establish and successfully operated. At this
regular sailings from the port that time there were many additions to
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, the fleet, and the numerous lines
after much correspondence with then in operation necessitated an
Christopher Furness, drafted an expanding t on n a g e programme.
agreement with him under which These requirements were met both
six ships were built for regular em- by purchase and by building. Among
ployment in the trade. These vessels the notable vessels acquired about
were the Rappahannock, Shenan- that time were the Oregon and
doah and Kanawha-all Clyde-built, Sarnia, then engaged in the Italian
each lifting about 5,500 tons of emigrant trade to the United States
cargo and with accommodation for and which were later disposed of to
about 770 head of cattle--and the the ·Prince Line; the St. Ronans,
Appomattox, Chickahominy and particularly identified with the
Greenbrier-all built by Furness, Boston-London service; and the
Withy and Company at Hartlepool, Halifax ·City, St. John City and
and each having a total deadweight London City, which were all engaged
of about 4,000 tons and fittings for in the Canadian trade from London.
about 550 head of cattle. When, on Additions to the Canadian service
September 9, 1893, the Rappahan- in 1899 were the passenger-cargo
nock berthed in Newport News, the steamers Dahome, Damara and
railroad company ran special trains Ulunda. At this period the company
from neighbouring cities to carry was operating services from London
several hundred interested visitors to Boston, weekly (jointly with the
to v~ew the new ship. Leyland Line); from London to
All six of the ships were built and Halifax, N.S., and St. John, N.B.,
put into operation in 1893, and had fortnightly; from London to Ant-
funnels of buff and white--on which werp, weekly; from the Tyne to
the entwined symbols "C. & 0." New York, fortnightly; and from
'
7
:F irst British-built and owned ocean-going merchant ship to be propelled
by an oil engine was the 1,800-ton '~ Eavestone ", of 1912

Montreal to the U.K. and Continent Furness, Withy Boston service, the
during the season of open navigation Wilson Line New York service, and
in the St. Lawrence. its own Wilson and Furness Leyland
The already - existing Atlantic Line joint service.
Furness-Leyland joint service was In 1898, four years after the open-
incorporated in the Wilson and Fur- ing of the Manchester Ship Canal,
ness Leyland Line, Ltd., in 1896. This Sir Christopher Furness was the
was an association of Thomas moving spirit in the formation of
Wilsons Sons and Company, of Hull, Manchester Liners, Ltd., which to-
Frederick Leyland and Co., Ltd., of day so successfully operates regular
Liverpool, and Furness, Withy and services between Manchester and
Company. The new line provided a Canada.
weekly service of steamers from With the formation of the marine
London to New York, and a similar engineering firm of Sir Christopher
service bet·ween London and Boston. Furness, Westgarth and Co., Ltd.,
In addition, there was a fortnightly in 1896, the company was able to
service between New York and New- control the production of marine
castle carrying large quantities of engines, in conjunction with the
general cargo, grain, cattle, etc. The shipbuilding and repairing depart-
new association opened an office in ments. The working capacity of the
London and this supervised the shipyard at Middleton was increased
8
by the addition of a new graving vices were also operated between
dock and various other improve- South Wales ports, Antwerp and
ments, including the introduction of Rotterdam, and between the Tees and
electric driving machinery. In 1900 Rotterdam. Typical coasters owned
an amalgamation was arranged by Furness, Withy and Company
between Sir Christopher Furness, were the Buccaneer, Oporto, Albert,
Westgarth and Co., Ltd., Thomas Plato and Edith, which traded for
Richardson and Sons, Ltd., and many years.
William Allan and Co., Ltd., under In 1900 the Evangeline was built
the title of Richardsons, Westgarth by Stephen's yard for the London-
and Co., Ltd., which is still active Halifax service, followed in the next
under other management today. year by her sister-ship, the Loyalist.
Shipbuilding and all other sections These vessels were 3,900 gross tons,
of the business continued to expand the Evangeline carrying a figurehead
rapidly, and in 1908 the company of the Nova Scotian heroine of that
took over Irvine's shipyard at West name, and the · Loyalist having a
Hartlepool. The two shipyards pos- figurehead of a Canadian with
sessed the most modern equipment, musket levelled. Both vessels were
with drydocks, tugs, salvage plant subsequently sold to Lamport and
and steamers as well as extensive Holt and continued in service
repair shops. The shipbuilding and to South America for many
repairing side of the business was years as the Tennyson and Byron
disposed of during the First World respectively.
War, and the company henceforth In the 16 years between the
maintained its connections with this formation of the company and
industry through other associations. 1907 the capital was increased from
The company or Sir Christopher the original £700,000 to £3,500,000
Furness personally either owned or and at opportune times numerous
had substantial interests in colliery shipowning companies were taken
companies and iron and steel works over as going concerns. In 1902 the
on the Nortn-East Coast, and the present chairman, Sir Ernest H.
natural result of the company's close Murrant, K.C.M.G., M.B.E., joined
association with the collieries and the company in a junior capacity,
heavy industries of this area was and in that year also the Economic
that its already-existing coasting Insurance Company was first estab-
services were developed to provide lished.
the necessary transportation for coal The purchase of the Gulf Line,
and other primary products. Among Ltd., in 1902 brought seven more
the early coastal services established ships under Furness management,
were those between London and the vessels taken over being the
West Hartlepool, weekly; between Gulf of Venice, Gulf of Trinidad,
Sunderland, Hartle pool and London; Gulf of Ancud, Gulf of Bothnia,
and a weekly service between the Gulf of Genoa, Gulf of Taranto and
Tyne and London. Coal cargoes from Gulf of Siam. None of these
the North to London were then steamers exceeded 4,000 gross tons,
plentiful, and large quantities of and the principal trade routes
general cargo were also carried. covered were Australia and South
In 1903 the Tyne-Tees Shipping Africa to the U.K. In 1900 a service
Co., Ltd., was formed by amalgama- had been commenced to the West
tion of the London, Hartlepool, Sun- Coast of South America in conjunc-
derland and Newcastle coasting busi- tion with the Nautilus S. S. Co., Ltd.,
ness of Furness, Withy and Co., Ltd., to whom all rights and goodwill of
the Tyne Steam Shipping Co., Ltd., the trade were sold in 1906. In sub-
the Tees Union Shipping Co., Ltd., sequent years the Gulf Line owned
and the Free Trade Wharf, Ltd. Ser- many ships which were engaged
9
either in tramping or in the various CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO FLEET
liner services maintained by the Albiana Powhatan
Furness interests. Newport News Shenandoah
With the transfer of the fleets of Roanoke Mariana
t;he Chesapeake and Ohio Steamship Alleghany Rappahannock
Co., Ltd., and the British Maritime Norfolk Washington
Trust to Furness, Withy and Com- Richmond Rapidan
pany, which took place in 1907, the Kanawha
concern became one of the largest Between 1907 and 1910 the policy
owners of British tonnage. The of expansion by purchase was con-
ships taken over were : - tinued, and in that period the fleets
of the Hessler Shipping Company,
BRITISH MARITIME TRUST FLEET
the Laing Steam Shipping Company,
Arabiana Atheniana the Agincourt Steamship Company,
Austriana Adriana J. Marke Wood, the Norfolk and
Birmingham Bolivian a North American Steam Shipping
Company (the Point Line) and the
Braziliana Como Neptune Steam Navigation Co., Ltd.,
Croxdale Cynthiana each made its contribution to the
Guardiana Indiana ever-growing list of ships under the
Malinche Meinam Furness flag. Most of the vessels
Oriana Persiana thus purchased, with the exception of
Peruviana Potomac the " Point" Line and the Neptune
Rotterdam Sandown
ships, were engaged in general trad-
ing. The " Point " Line, which was
Thornley Tudhoe also known as the Philadelphia
Westhampton Wyandotte Trans- Atlantic Line, originally
Tunstall Graciana operated services between Virginia

One of a quintet of ships in the post-First World War replacement

programme, the turbine steamer " London Shipper ", 7,886 gross tons,
joined the fleet of Furness, Withy and Company in 1923
10
Quadruple-screw turbo-electric liner "Queen of Bermuda", 22,575 gross tons, arrived at New York on
February 7, 1949, to resume the Bermuda service following her reconditioning after war work
Furness, Withy and Company's new cruising liner " Ocean Monarch " is a ~
Annstrongs, Ltd. She is the first ship designed espec
 Courtesy: Mardon, Son and Hall, Ltd.
Vin-screw turbine vessel of 13,750 gross tons built and engined by Vickers-
ly for cruiSing since the end of the Second World War
A single-screw turbine steamer of 9,400 gross tons with considerable refrigerated cargo space, the
''Pacific Fortune" was built in 1948 for her owners' North Pacific-United Kingdom service
and other U.S. ports and the U.K. the U.K. or Continent. The ships
After the First World War it became engaged in this trade were mostly
merged in the regular Furness of the " three-island " type, on
Philadelphia-New York service. The account of the heavy cargoes they
vessels taken over with it were the carried and suitability for deck loads.
Montauk Point, Crown Point, North The magnitude of the coal trade is
Point, East .P oint and Eagle Point. illustrated by the fact that in 1907
Not only was the company greatly coal shipped to London by the New-
increasing its fleet of general trading castle office alone to meet the com-
vessels by purchase, but in the years pany's own requirements and those
following 1908 there was great ship- of various customers amounted to
building activity, both in its own yards half-a-million tons. Ships built for
and in others, turning out tonnage the ore and coal trades at this
for special trades in which Furness, period were : -
Withy and Company were then in- Year Gross
terested. Such trades were the Name Built Tons
Pomaron ore trade to American Cramlington 1907 1,824
ports, the collier and coasting trades Dagen ham 1907 1,456
of the U.K., and the china clay Easington 1907 1,387
trade from Fowey, Cornwall, to U.S. Pomaron 1907 1,809
and Canadian ports. Ships engaged Ryhope 1907 1,334
in the Pomaron trade loaded full Thimble by 1907 1,865
cargoes of coal for Portuguese or Westwood 1907 1,968
Mediterranean ports and then pro- Whorlton 1907 1,469
ceeded to the Pomaron River to load Castle Eden 1908 1,844
iron ore for the U.S.A. On com- Charlston 1908 1,866
pletion of discharge in America, car- Cundall 1908 1,851
goes of phosphate, turpentine, resin, Fernandina 1908 1,851
naval stores, etc., or sometimes full Grantzey 1908 1,869
cargoes of pitch-pine were loaded for Porting lis 1908 1,867

By courtesy of Alan B. Deitsch , New York

s.s. " Lowther Range", 3,926 gross tons, built in 1906 by Fumess, Withy
and Co., Ltd., Hartlepool, for the Neptune Steam Navigation Co. The
vessel was sunk by enemy action in 1916
15
 In 1906 the Atlantic trade of the Two years later, in the winter of
Neptune Steam Navigation Com- 1912, the Sn()(Wdon Range left Phila-
pany, of Sunderland, was taken over. delphia with 4,000 tons of grain for
This service was operated by the Leith. After encountering severe
steamers Queen Wilhelmina, Ohio weather for about a week the rudder
and Runo. The two last-named ships, broke and the vessel became help-
together with the goodwill of the less in very heavy seas. Great hard-
line between Rotterdam and Balti- ships were endured and repeated
more, were ultimately sold to the .attempts made to rig a jury rudder.
Holland-Amerika Line. Other vessels Although the ship had strayed off
taken over at the same time were the steamer tracks and the chances
the Venango, Tabasco and Durango, of assistance were thus greatly re-
all of which r.an for many years on duced, the Master refused to aban-
the Liverpool-Halifax, N.S., berth don the vessel. After bunkers were
and, together with the Queen Wil- exhausted the Snowdon Range was
helmina, were eventually transferred eventually taken in tow by a British
to Furness, Withy ownership. The steamer when about 500 miles
Tabasco, Durango and Queen Wil- from the Fastnet, and brought to
helmina were all sunk by enemy Queenstown-54 days from Phila-
action in the First World War. delphia.
In 1910 the entire remaining assets The Neptune Company lost its
and interests of the Neptune Com- separate identity only when it
pany were acquired, among which formed part of an amalgamation of
were the cargo steamers Pennine Liverpool-managed associated com-
Range, Grampian Range, Norfolk panies to form the Johnston Warren
Range, Malvern Range, Lowther Lines, Ltd., in 1935.
Range and Snowdon Range. The During this period of .activity the
Neptune fleet was considerably in- coasting trade was not neglected. In
creased when the company came 1910 a service was inaugurated
under complete Furness control by between Kirkcaldy and London, and
the addition of such ships as the this eventually absorbed the rival
Chiltern Range, Cotswold Range, and older line known as the London
Hambleton Range, Cheviot Range and Kirkcaldy Shipping Company;
and Sidlaw Range, which were all the service was operated with the
typical tramp vessels of the period steamers Kirkcaldy and Abbotshall,
before the First World War. under the title of the Kirkcaldy,
Of the vessels taken over two were Fife and London Shipping Company,
to achieve renown within the next carrying large quantities of linoleum
few years. In June 1910 the Lowther and general cargo from the North.
Range, when in the Indian Ocean A regular passenger trade between
bound from Cardiff to Bombay, the North-East Coast and London
came upon the Austro-Hungarian was also developed, and in 1910
steamer Trieste which had lost her Irvine's built the passenger steamer
propeller. With great difficulty in Stephen Furness, a vessel of 1,710
monsoon weather, and after re- gross tons, with two decks and
peated failures, the Lowther Range accommodation for 250 first-class and
got a towing hawser aboard the 120 second-class passengers. An
Trieste, which was carrying passen- important addition to the coasting
gers and .a large quantity of bullion, trade was the purchase in 1911 of
and towed her for seven consecutive the London Welsh Steamship Co.,
days. For his services the Master Ltd., whose old ships were sold and
received an inscribed gold watch and replaced in 1913 by the Llanelly
the special thanks of the Austrian Trader, London Trader, Channel
Emperor, together with other salvage Trader, Barry Trader and Tees
awards to himself and the crew. Trader, ships of about 700 tons. In
16
 By courtesy of Alan B . D eitsch, Ne 1e Yo?"l"

In the early days Furness ships had a plain black funnel, but before the
First World War this was changed to black with a blue band and a white
~' F " , as shown in the picture of the " Boliviana ", above. When ships
were still owned by Thomas Furness and Co., the flag was blue with the
white letters T. F. & Co. The first flarg ado11ted by Christnpher Furness
is illustrated below, but this v..as later changed to the familiar blue flag
with the white "F" which continued to be- flown by the ships of Furness,
Withy and Co., until 1946. The modern House Flag· maintains the
connection between flag and present day funnel marks and at the same
time still retains the white " F ' }

. I I I I I l l l l l f l t t l l l l t l l l t t i i i i i i i i i i i i U I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1111111 I 11111111111. 11111111111 I 11111111111111111111 I I l l I I I I l l l l l l l l l l l l l t l l l l l l l l l t l f l l l l l l l l l t

-~·FUBRBSS :LENB ·~_.

AND
BOS· TO~~ LO~I>O~~
MA~A<:HUSETTS. ENGLAND.

York City, 2,325 Tons. Durham City, • 3,092 Tons.

Wetherby, 2, I 29 Tons. Boston City, 2,334 Tons.
Stockholm City, 2,686 Tons. Newcastle City., 2, 129 Tons.
Ripon. City, . 2, I 41 Tons. / , /'6- Gothenburg City, 2,526 Tons.
Through Bills of Lading issued to and from all the princj pal Baltic, Continental, Mediter-
ranean, and Oriental Ports, connecting at Londol} with direct Steamers .
FOR FREIGHT OR OTHER PARTICULARS APPLY TO

C. FURNESS, ADAMSON &. RONALDSON,

130 State Street. Boston, U. S. 34 Leadenhall · Street, London.
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[7
1924 the London Welsh Steamship In 1910 Sir Christopher Furness
Company was sold to Coast Lines, was raised to the Peerage as Baron
Ltd. Furness of Grantley, but did not live
Through the British Maritime long to enjoy the honour, for he
Trust, Ltd., the company purchased died two years later at the compara-
in 1911 a substantial holding in the tively early age of 60. In the 21
Richelieu and Ontario :r-~avigation years since its formation, Furness,
Company. Into this had already Withy and Company, under his
been merged the Northern Naviga- guidance, had grown from small
tion Company and the Niagara beginnings to a great place in the
Navigation Company, a combination world of commerce. Lord Furness
possessing the most extensive cargo was succeeded as chairman by his
and passenger trade on the Great nephew, Mr. Stephen Fumess, M.P.
Lakes at that time. These interests On the death of the latter, two years
were subsequently disposed of in later, the second Lord Furness was
Canada. But by far the most im- appointed chairman, and Mr. F. W.
portant event in 1911 v.,·as the pur- Lewis became deputy-chairman.
chase of a large interest in the old- In 1916 the shipowning business
established firm of Houlder Brothers and fleet of William Johnston and
and Co., Ltd. This was followed the Company, of Liverpool, and the
next year by the purchase of the Prince Line fleet of James Knott, of
even older Warren Line, of Liverpool. Newcastle, were purchased. During
As both these family firms were the First World War new trans-
sailing-ship owners in the middle of Atlantic services came into opera-
the last century, each had a long tion, but the conflict seriously
individual record of achievement. interfered with many more of the
Even before their association with company's services, because the re-
Houlder Brothers, Furness, Withy quisitioning of tonnage by the
and Company had been turning Government placed large numbers
their attention to the refrigerated of ships beyond the direct control of
meat trade with South America. A their owners and rendered impossible
service between Canada and South the full maintenance of established
Africa, which had been maintained and regular trade routes. After
for a year or two jointly with Elder suffering severe losses in men and
Dempster and Company, was discon- ships the company emerged from
tinued about this time and, to give the war as a predominantly liner
employment to the refrigerated organisation, and its development
vessels thus available, the British since then has been essentially the
and Argentine Steam Navigation establishment and operation of
Company was formed. regular trades.
In 1912 Furness, Withy and Co .. There were great changes in the
Ltd., ordered a new type of vessel executive of the company in 1919,
from Sir Raylton Dixon and Co., when the Furness family sold their
Ltd., of Middlesbrough. This was the holdings, and by 1920 all its ntem-
motorship Eavestone, 1,800 gross tons, bers had resigned from the board.
the first British-built and British- Sir Frederick W. Lewis replaced
owned, ocean-going ship to be driven Viscount Furness as chairman, and
by intemal-combustion oil engines. the capital was increase d to
She traded in the Pomaron-U.S. £5,500,000. This post-war period was
service, and in 1915 was converted one of great activity and develop-
into a steamer with reciproca ting ment and offices were opened in
engines. Two years later she was many parts of the world where
sunk by a submarine west of the hitherto there had been no direct
Fastnet, when running as an representation.
Admiralty collier. On relinquishing control of the
18
1924 the London Welsh Steamship In 1910 Sir Christopher Furness
Company was sold to Coast Lines, was raised to the Peerage as Baron
Ltd. Furness of Grantley, but did not live
Through the British Maritime long to enjoy the honour, for he
Trust, Ltd., the company purchased died two years later at the compara-
in 1911 a substantial holding in the tively early age of 60. In the 21
Richelieu and Ontario Navigation years since its formation, Furness,
Company. In to this had already Withy and Company, under his
been merged the Northern Naviga- guidance, had grown from small
tion Company and the Niagara beginnings to a great place in the
Navigation Company, a combination world of commerce. Lord Furness
possessing the most extensive cargo was succeeded as chairman by his
and passenger trade on the Great nephew, Mr. Stephen Furness, M.P.
Lakes at that time. These interests On the death of the latter, two years
were subsequently disposed of in later, the second Lord Furness was
Canada. But by far the most im- appointed chairman, and Mr. F. W.
portant event in 1911 was the pur- Lewis became deputy-chairman.
chase of a large interest in the old- In 1916 the shipowning business
established firm of Houlder Brothers and fleet of William Johnston and
and Co., Ltd. This was followed the Company, of Liverpool, and the
next year by the purchase of the Prince Line fleet of James Knott, of
even older Warren Line, of Liverpool. Newcastle, were purchased. During
As both these family firms were the First World War new trans-
sailing-ship owners in the middle of Atlantic services came into opera-
the last century, each had a long tion, but the conflict seriously
individual record of achievement. interfered with many more of the
Even before their association with company's services, because the re-
Houlder Brothers, Furness, Withy quisitioning of tonnage by the
and Company had been turning Government placed large numbers
their attention to the refrigerated of ships beyond the direct control of
meat trade with South America. A their owners and rendered impossible
service between Canada and South the full maintenance of established
Africa, which had been maintained and regular trade routes. After
for a year or two jointly with Elder suffering severe losses in men and
Dempster and Company, was discon- ships the company emerged from
tinued about this time and, to give the war as a predominantly liner
employment to the refrigerated organisation, and its development
vessels thus available, the British since then has been essentially the
and Argentine Steam Navigation establishment and operation of
Company was formed. regular trades.
In 1912 Furness, Withy and Co .. There were great changes in the
Ltd., ordered a new type of vessel executive of the company in 1919,
from Sir Raylton Dixon and Co., when the Furness family sold their
Ltd., of Middlesbrough. This was the holdings, and by 1920 all its ntem-
motorship Eavestone, 1,800 gross tons, bers had resigned from the board.
the first British-built and British- Sir Frederick W. Lewis replaced
owned, ocean-going ship to be driven Viscount Furness as chairman, and
by internal-combustion oil engines. the capital was increase d to
She traded in the Pomaron-U.S. £5,500,000. This post-war period was
service, and in 1915 was converted one of great activity and develop-
into a steamer with reciprocating ment and offices were opened in
engines. Two years later she was many parts of the world where
sunk by a submarine west of the hitherto there had been no direct
Fastnet, when running as an representation.
Admiralty collier. On relinquishing control of the
18
The 7,114-ton motorship "Pacific President", built in 1928, disappeared
without trace while bound fvom Oban to New York in the winter of 1940
and was presumed lost by enemy action

·oranges, lemons, grapefruit, .apples, represented in themselves an ambi-

_pears and grapes to be carried suc- tious building programme, but they
·cessfully on the long voyage to by no means constituted the total
=Europe. tonnage laid down for the company
The motorship Pacific Reliance, .at this period. Although many other
·built in 1927, was the first of the notable ships were built for the
"improved type of motorships on associated companies at this time,
·which the service was to depend for the crowning achievement was the
many years. Others of the same Bermuda, 19,086 gross tons, built at
-type were the Pacific Enterprise, Belfast in 1927 for the New York-
Pacific Exporter, Pacific Pioneer, Bermuda service. This vessel was
Pacific President, Pacific Grove and the first passenger liner to be pro-
Pacific Ranger, each about 10,120 pelled by four Doxford opposed-
tons deadweight. They were driven piston oil engines, each engine
by four-stroke engines giving them a having four cylinders and each
.service speed of 12! knots and had driving one screw. The ship had a
·refrigerated compartments specially service speed of 17-18 knots. Furnish-
designed for the carriage of fresh ings throughout her were of the
fruit. There was comfortable accom- most luxurious character, and with
modation for 12 passengers in two- accommodation for 616 passengers
berth and single-berth staterooms, in the first class and 75 in the
dining saloon, smokeroom and second class, she set an entirely new
·lounge. This fleet of cargo liners standard in luxury travel.
~rovided a regular fortnightly However, even the Bermuda was
~ervice out and home via Panama. destined to be surpassed when the
The new " Pacific "-type ships Monarch of Bermuda and Queen of
20
Bermuda, each over 22,000 gross tons, or chairmen of port committees. On
were commissioned in 1931 and 1933 the declaration of war the whole of
respectively. They were among the the organisation of the company
earliest vessels with turbo-electric everywhere was at the disposal of
machinery, which drove four screws, the Government, and American
and the vessels had a speed of over and Canadian offices had partic-
20 knots. During the Second World ularly important work to do for
War the Queen of Bermuda served Britain.
first as an armed merchant cruiser When the regular liner services
and later as a troopship, while the from New York to Bermuda, the
Monarch of Bermuda performed West Indies, South America and
transport duties throughout the South Africa were suspended, and
whole war and carried 164,840 pas- the Bermuda vessels commenced
sengers and troops a total distance their war services, the principal busi-
of 420,512 miles. ness of the company's New York
In 1933 the company extended the organisation became to facilitate the
range of its interests in trade with despatch to the United Kingdom of
t he Dominions by the purchase of vast quanti ties of war materials and
e xtensive holdings in the Shaw, foodstuffs aboard British-controlled
S avill and Albion Co., Ltd., one of vessels. During the six years of
t he leading lines operating to Ne·w hostilities the total quantity of cargo
Z ealand and Australia. loaded from New York to U.K. ports
The last vessels to be constructed by Furness - opera ted ships was
for Furness, Withy and Company be- 2,287,980 tons deadweight.
fore the outbreak of the recent ·war The stevedoring organisations on
were the Fort Amherst and Fort both sides of the Atlantic worked at
T ownshend, built in 1936 for the Red great pressure for the whole period
C ross Line from New York to Hali- and handled stupendous tonnages.
f ax, N.S., St. Pierre and St. John's, The company's New York stevedoring
N .F. This service had been bought in organisation, the Bay Ridge Operat-
1929 together with the ships Nerissa, ing Company, dealt with a total of
Silvia and Rosalind, formerly 2,278 vessels involving cargo which
m anaged by C. T. Bowring and aggregated 7,500,000 tons, mostly for
Company. The Fort Amherst and Europe, the Middle East and the
F ort Townshend were the only Pacific. Specialised modern equip-
vessels of all the company's fleet ment was acquired and many
requisitioned during the war which hundreds of longshoremen and
were left in the service for which harbour workers were constantly
t hey were designed, and during the engaged. For these activities the
p eriod of hostilities each accom- Bay Ridge Company received the
p lished more than 100 round voyages, Award of Merit from the U.S.
while they carried between them a Navy.
total of 24,834 passengers and 431,577 After withdrawal from the Pacific
tons of cargo. Coast trade, the company's " Pacific "
As a British company widely estab- vessels were continuously engaged in
lished in the United States, all the the shorter North Atlantic - U.K.
American and Canadian offices of trade, except during periods when
Furness, Withy and Company were they were employed by the Sea
active in the war from the first day, Transport Department of the
a nd the managers at New York, Ministry on special operations. The
Baltimore, Portland, Me., Newport Pacific service was maintained by
N ews, San Francisco, Los Angeles non-refrigerated tonnage directed to
a nd Halifax, N.S., were appointed it by the Government. Great quanti-
M inistry of War Transport repre- ties of cargo were shipped by
s entatives or deputy representatives Furness, Withy from all the Atlantic
21
and Pacific ports of the U.S.A. and been better known during those six
Canada. For example, 523,521 stan- hectic years than Halifax, N.S., where
-dards of timber, which had been the vast trans-Atlantic eastbound
railed across the con tin en t from the convoys assembled. The total number
Pacific, were shipped from five of ships cleared from Halifax was
Canadian ports in 542 ships, and about 20,000, and of these the com-
.553,097 standards in 429 ships from pany attended 7,050, many of which
13 U.S. ports. took cargoes to Britain, Russia, the
Vast additional quantities of Middle East, the Far East, South
Eastem Canadian timber were also Africa and Europe, totalling in all
shipped. During the whole war 3,638,446 tons. Among the 123,341
period the company's Montreal office passengers dealt with were many
controlled and supervised the ship- Ministers of State, diplomats, senior
ment of 5,879,000 tons of timber and Service officers and famous personali-
718,000 tons of metals to the U.K. ties of stage and screen.
and other war theatres. In addition, The total number of British-con-
this office alone shipped 3,440,000 trolled ships of all types which
tons of foodstuffs, raw materials and claimed the attention of the com-
equipment in over 900 vessels during pany's superintendents in North
open navigation periods in the St. America during the war was about
Lawrence River. 2,500. Some required only routine
Few ports in the world can have repairs; some had damage from

Pictured at Hamilton~ Bennuda., the "Fort Amherst" is a single-screw

steamer of 3,489 gross tons which was built in 1936
22
enemy action, collision, fire or heavy East, and Mr. S. J . Forster became
weather; some required major deputy-chairman in his stead. On
engine repairs; some required addi- the retirement of the latter in
tional temporary insulation; and 1948, after 52 years with the
some were tankers requiring spar- firm , his place was taken by Mr.
decks fitted for the carriage of Frank Charlton. Other directors
planes. The closest co-operation was who have retired since the war, after
maintained between the technical over 50 years with the firm, are Mr.
departments in Britain and the W. H. Beckingham and Mr. H.
U.S.A. Many curious situations Smurthwaite, lately resident director
confronted the marine and engineer in the United States. The board, as
superintendents in the course of now presided over by Sir Ernest, is
their duties, but it must suffice here composed exclusively of working
to mention only the case of the ship directors fully representative of all
which was a menace to every convoy aspects of the company's business,
in which she sailed because she was as well as the wider spheres of
for ever stopping on account of the banking, insurance and finance , with
water in the oil fuel; yet the cap-
tain could not use his bath because
the faucet delivered oil fuel instead
of water, there was also oil fuel in
the feedwater tank and lubricating
oi! in the boilers !
Full justice cannot be done in this
restricted space to the heroic work
during the war of the ships, great
and small, or to the triumphs and
disasters in all the oceans which
befell their crews. During the period
of the war the companies comprising
the Furness group lost by enemy
action a total of 42 vessels, with the
loss of 1,078 of the men who sailed
in them.
After 61 years of service Lord
Essendon, chairman of the company,
died in June 1944. Of that long
period he occupied the highest
position for 25 years, and as his
life's work was bound up with the
activities of Furness, Withy and Co.,
Ltd., the company held a special
place in his affections, notwithstand-
ing his numerous other important
interests. His lifelong colleague and
sometime deputy-chairman, the late
Mr. R. E. Burnett, retired after 62
years service with Christopher Fur- THE RT. HON. LORD ESSENDON
ness and the Company, for 40 of Frederick Willialll Lewis was born
which he was a Director of Furness, in 1870. He was President of the
Withy & Co. Ltd. Chamber of Shipping of the United
Lord Essendon was succeeded as Kingdom 1922, and was created the
chairman by Sir Ernest H. Murrant, first Baron Essendon in 1932. He
who relinquished the post of was Chairman of Furness, Withy
Ministry representative in the Middle and Co. Ltd. 1919-1944
23
which the business of shipowning is
so intimately concerned.
At the end of the war the com-
pany was faced with the task of
effecting fleet replacements and re-
establishing or continuing pre-war
liner services. Of the old " Pacific "-
type ships only three remained in 1945
and only the Pacific Exporter is
running today, but by building such
ships as the Pacific Fortune and
Pacific Unity and by the purchase
of additional tonnage the dam-
age has now been largely made
good.
The Queen of Bermuda is back
again in her proper service after a
refit costing more than the original
building of the ship .and has now been
joined in American waters by the
magnificent new Ocean Monarch,
which has accommodation for 440
passengers in one class and which
embodies many devices new to the
company's ships. All the staterooms
are on the outside, with bathrooms
or showers adjoining, and many .are
fitted with disappearing Pullman
beds to facilitate conversion into Sir Ernest H. Murrant, K.C.M.G.,
living rooms by day. M.B.E., chairman of Furness, Withy
The Ocean Monarch has been and Co. Ltd. He was Ministry of
specially designed for cruises from War Transport Representative,
the United States, and no effort or Middle East, 1943-1944, President of
expense has been spared to provide the ChaJ:nber of Shipping of the
a degree of comfort sufficient to United Kingdom in 1947/48
satisfy the most fastidious traveller
accustomed to the highest standards.
Of 13,750 gross tons and driven by topical note by reference to the
steam turbines giving her a speed of Exhibition Ship, Campania, the
20 knots, the new ship should prove management of which was under-
as popular as any of the passenger taken by the Company at the re-
ships which have been so successfully quest of the Festival of Britain
operated by the company from New Authorities.
York in the past. She is a notable Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., to-
addition to the fleet now controlled gether with all its Associates, is fully
by the Furness, Withy group, which resolved to justify the continued
at present totals 81 ships with an support of the travelling public
aggregate of 680,000 gross tons. and cargo shippers in .all parts of
This account of the origins of the world . by offering for their
Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd. and its patronage in the years to come, up
develop1nent during the past 60 to date, and well run ships " under
years may fittingly be closed on a the Furness flag ".

24
 FURNESS, WITHY 8l CO., LTD.
OFFICES
AT

LONDON (Head Office) 56, Leadenhall Street, E.C.3.

NEW YORK, N.Y. . . . 34, Whitehall Street.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt 41, Rue Nebi Daniel.
BALTIMORE, Md. 19-21, South Street.
BOSTON, Mass. 10, State Street.
CHICAGO, Ill. 180, N. Michigan A venue.
GLASGOW ... 19, St. Vincent Place.
HALIFAX, N.S. 71 / 73, Upper Water Street.
LEITH ... Atlantic Chambers, Constitution St.
LIVERPOOL Royal Liver Building.
LOS ANGELES, Cal. 825, Central Building.
MIDDLESBROUGH Lloyd's Bank Chambers.
MONTREAL 315, St. Sacrament Street.
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE Milburn House.
NORFOLK, Va.... 434, Bausch Street.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. 312, Lafayette Building.
PORTLAND, Ore. 317, Board of Trade Building.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal. 239, California Street.
ST. JOHN, N.B .... 22, King Street.
ST. JOHN'S, N.F. Water Street, East.
SEATTLE, Wash. Exchange Buildings.
TRINIDAD, B.W.I. 84, Marine Square, Port of Spain.
VANCOUVER, B.C. 219, Marine Building.

ALSO AGENTS IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD.