Company names and their ships names

[cappy]

Hunting & Sons (the first company to operate tankers) had ships with the suffix ‘field’. I remember Thamesfield, Forthfield. They also managed the Argyll for an American company, probably Coral Venture too.

Also sailed in the sheaf field ...sheaf steamship company i believe well know on the tyne cappy

[Tony Taylor]

Hunting & Sons (the first company to operate tankers) had ships with the suffix ‘field’. I remember Thamesfield, Forthfield. They also managed the Argyll for an American company, probably Coral Venture too.

Are you the Harvey that used to get on the no 6 at Wardley (he was with Huntings I think)

[Rod Nissen]

OK, we've heard the rest, now the BEST. Bank Line, the Numero Uno in Tramps. All vessel names simply ended in ..bank, probably because that's where the 1st Lord Inverforth took his money. And as the Poem goes, about our flag.........Blue for the sea we sail on, red for the blood we sweat, the thin grey line of starvation that makes us all forget.....the problems past and present, the hardships yet to come; You think you're a Merchant seaman, but you're only a Bank Line bum.

[bob gatton]

As you do on a quiet Sunday after a heavy Sunday dinner, my mind started to wander and I suddenly thought, how did they come up with those shipping companies names and the names of their ships.

Ponder on you may, or just fall asleep after a Sunday dinner and the sports pages of your preferred Sunday newspaper.
Rgds
J.A.

Blue Funnel ships were all named for Greek Mythology characters. Not sure why. However the founder Alfred Holt was known for his use and appreciation of his Chinese crews. He was also a Traditonalist. It was often said his famous last words were “ Feed my Chinamen and keep the funnels high”. Not currently politically correct but he was of another age

[Colin McClelland]

Another Geordie company, The Hudson steam ship company, Hudson Point ,Hudson Deep etc, I did a season on the Canadian Coast ,24 times up the St. laurence river .On the Hudson Point, a full Geordie crew ,a great time was had by all.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Never saw strick line vessels on the board in the pool in shields ......but if i remember they were all native crew and white officers and POs.....also as some one said earlier .....baron boats always emptied the pool and ropners ...although....our old friend from torquay ivan praised them quite highly ....perhaps it was a bad name from earlier timesR683532

i Cappy.
You were lucky to have a board with the names of ships at your pool. I Swansea a little bloke in uniform used to come out then disappear behind a screen and come out and tell you a ships name, if you didn't like it you got two more, then it was either pick one or no dole. Mo sign of a board.
Des

[j.sabourn]

#35 Did you get that one from the Newcastle pool Colin from a bloke called Sandy ? Think his proper name was Sanderson , a little martinet. After 5 years away on foreign flag , decided to try British ships again and knew I would have to run the gauntlet as was frowned upon in Shipping in those days the late 60s and early 70s so got my own job with John I Jacobs , but still had to get clearance from the pool. So went in and went straight at him saying before you start , may have put a few more adjectives to this, I am not here looking for a job , just clearance and where I have been has nothing whatsoever to do with you ,he just stood there mouth agape and signed the paper. Sometime attack as they say ,is the best form of defence . What a difference in the attitude a few years later when they were promoting foreign flag vessels . Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

#36. That must have been what happened to Aladdin the lamp trimmer Des , went behind the screen so you couldn’t see him rubbing his magic lamp. JS

[cappy]

i Cappy.
You were lucky to have a board with the names of ships at your pool. I Swansea a little bloke in uniform used to come out then disappear behind a screen and come out and tell you a ships name, if you didn't like it you got two more, then it was either pick one or no dole. Mo sign of a board.
Des

What always amazed me was those blokes behind the counter in shields had uniforms with more gold braid than a japanese admiral.....lol R683532

[Rod Nissen]

That reminds me of the tale of the Geordies in the lifeboat, going around ships at the inner anchorage at Bandar Shapour....calling out "any Geordies on board?". Came to one boat and the Scouse bosun calls back..."Nah, all white crew!!!"