A Crawford & Co

[John Crawford]

I'm trying to find more information on the shipping company founded by my Great Grandfather, Andrew Crawford. Based in Glasgow I believe that there were several name changes although I'm not sure of the different names or the reasons behind the changes. I understand that most of the ships were named after Scottish rivers starting with G and had vale as a suffix i.e. Gretavale, Gogovale, Garryvale and Gryfevale.

[Doc Vernon]

The following may be of interest and thanks to a Mr R Jordan!
Cheers

CRAWFORD SHIPPING CO LTD (formed 1927)
Managed and beneficially owned until 1942 by Andrew Crawford & Co Ltd, Glasgow
Andrew Crawford & Co Ltd was temporarily out of shipowning/management after losing its then last remaining vessel in 1941, but it returned to shipowning in 1945-46. It was not involved with Crawford Shipping Co Ltd after 1942.

The common link with these two companies came about in 1942 when management was taken over by HG Mann, who was the boss of Buries Markes Ltd, both with offices at 2-3 Crosby Square, Bishopsgate, London EC3.
In 1945, Crawford Shipping Co Ltd bought the steamer EMPIRE FLAME, which was renamed DUNKERY BEACON, and in 1946 Medomsley Steamship Co Ltd bought EMPIRE GALE, renamed LANGLEEGALE. The latter carried on the Medomsley naming style of Langlee----. The two 1929-built Medomsley steamers LANGLEECRAG and LANGLEETARN were taken over with the company for management by Mann in 1942.

Things get a bit complicated after the war, but it is reasonable to assume that Crawford Shipping and Medomsley were under the wing of Buries Markes, and if not subsidiaries, almost certainly “associated companies”. These all had the same address and telephone number. HG Mann and AF Blair were directors of all three companies, and those two gentlemen together with FA Bell, were directors of Crawford and Medomsley. That was how things stood in 1946. In 1947 they were joined by Mr Phs van Ommeren, a managing director of Van Ommeren Shipping NV, Rotterdam, and also a director of Phs Van Ommeren (London) Ltd, who became a director of both Crawford and Medomsley, but not of Buries Markes.

In autumn 1947, Crawford and Medomsley were bought by Van Ommeren (London) Ltd, and several new directors appeared on the scene. Blair and Bell, mentioned above, disappeared off the listings. HG Mann remained, however, as a Buries Markes director and joined the Van Ommeren London board. He retired in the earlier 1950s.

Cheers

http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuil...p.asp?id=18123

http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/shipview.asp

Click on Search For Ship in Link!

Empire Tobago was a 7,320 GRT cargo ship which was built by Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. Launched on 28 May 1945 and completed in October 1945. Sold in 1947 to Counties Ship Management Co Ltd and renamed Crowborough Hill. Sold in 1951 to A Crawford & Co Ltd, Glasgow and renamed Gryfevale. Sold in 1955 to Sterling Shipping Co Ltd and renamed Sterling Valour. Sold in 1958 to G Bozzo, Italy and renamed Madda Primo then Madda Bozzo. Sold in 1963 to Seastar Shipping Corporation, Somali Republic and renamed Kriss. Arrived on 21 February 1968 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping.

http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchant.../ship1195.html

http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/450.html

Dont know if the following is one of the Ships you listed?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/5490549183/

http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/157.html

[John Crawford]

Thank you for this information. I've completed some further research and understand that When The Crawford Shipping Co Lt was sold by Andrew Crawford & Co Ltd that the latter continued to trade until it change a name to The Buchanan Shipping Co Ltd in 1953. A new Andrew Crawford & Co Ltd was incorporated to take over the management of The Buchanan Shipping Co Ltd.

I've managed to trace the following ships that were owned or managed by the various companies

Vale Ships - 1904 - 1955

Gogovale - built by Anderson, Rodger & Co, Port Glasgow in 1904. Sold 1914
Gretavale - built by Grangemouth & Greenock Dockyard, Greenock in 1905. Sold 1914
Gryfevale - built by Grangemouth & Greenock Dockyard, Greenock in 1906. Torpedoed off West African Coast
Garryvale - built by W Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland in 1907.
Galavale - built by W Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland in 1907 - Sold during 1st World War
Gogovale II - built by Grangemouth & Greenock Dockyard, Greenock in 1916
Gretavale II - built by Grangemouth & Greenock Dockyard, Greenock in 1916
Gogovale III - built by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow in 1927. Torpedoed and sunk in 1940
Gretavale III - built by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow in 1928. Torpedoed and sunk in 1941
Gryfevale II - built by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow in 1929. Mined off Whitley Bay in 1939
Garryvale II - built by Todd Bath Iron S.B. Corporation. Ex Broompark, ex Ocean Strength, purchased from J & J Denholm in 1951
Gryfevale III - built by Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. Ex Crowborough Hill, ex Empire Tobago, purhcased from Counties Ship Management Co Ltd in 1951
Galavale II - built by Todd California Ship Building Corp. Ex Ocean Vigour, ex Ramillies, purchased from John Cory & Sons Ltd in 1955.

In addition to these ships the following were under management at some point

Marksburg 143287 1143287 1905 MARKSBURG 4281 1919 V1905 #467 British Govt GBR London 1143287 1905 MARKSBURG 4281 1921a V1905 #467 Belgian Govt BEL Antwerp
Otto Kalthoff 143434 1143434 1904 OTTO KALTHOFF 2022 1919 V1904 #432 British Govt GBR London

Hedwig Meidmann Unknown on listing

Groenlo 5606509 1926 GROENLO 1969 V1926 #140 SM Noordzee
Schie 5166108 1948 SCHIE 1953 V1948 #637 NV Houtvaart NLD Rotterdam
Spar WAGL-403 6120187 1944 SPAR 800 U.S.Coast Guard USA
Roumanie 2215849 1917 ROUMANIER 1949 1920 V1917 #474 Lloyd Royal Belge SA BEL Antwerp 1140949 1918 ROUMANIER 2227 1919 V1918 #1781 Lloyd Royal Belge
Oostplein 5605525 1921 OOSTPLEIN 5221 1937 V1921 #733 G.A.Spliethoff
Empire Scott 168650 1168650 1941 EMPIRE SCOTT 6150 V1941 #216 British Govt GBR South Shields


Bareboat Ships

Rocky Mountains Park 174809 1174809 1943 ROCKY MOUNTAINS PARK 7130 V1942/3 #1014 Canadian Govt CAN Montreal 174809 1174809 1943 ROCKY MOUNTAINS PARK 7130 1946 V1942/3 #1014 British Govt GBR London
Westmount Park 174806 1174806 1943 WESTMOUNT PARK 7133 V1942/3 #1126 Canadian Govt CAN Montreal 174806 1174806 1943 WESTMOUNT PARK 7133 1946 V1942/3 #1126 British Govt GBR London
Kawartha Park 175571 1175571 1944 KAWARTHA PARK 7130 V1942/3 #1032 Canadian Govt CAN Montreal 175571 1175571 1944 KAWARTHA PARK 7130 1946 V1942/3 #1032 British Govt GBR London
Fort Michipicoten 169707 1169707 1943 FORT MICHIPICOTEN 7130 V1942/3 #1015 British Govt GBR London
Withrow Park 175577 1175577 1944 WITHROW PARK 7142 V1942/3 #1145 Canadian Govt CAN Montreal 175577 1175577 1944 WITHROW PARK 7142 1946 V1942/3 #1145 British Govt GBR London
Wynchwood Hill 174809 1174809 1943 WYNCHWOOD HILL 7130 1950 V1942/3 #1014 Falaise SS Co Ltd GBR London
West Hill 169885 1169885 1944 WEST HILL 7130 1950 V1942/3 #1028 Canadian Tramp Sg Co Ltd GBR London
Bembridge Hill 175385 1175385 1944 BEMBRIDGE HILL 7138 1950 V1942/3 #1140 Black Lion SS Co Ltd GBR London

Some of the above may not be the ons you want,but hopefully most are!
Cheers
Vernon

PS You will find a lot of Pics on these Ships at the Old Ships Link.
EG here

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...20Hill-02.html

Clicking on the Blue Numbers will take you to Mirimar Ship Index ,but you have to be a Paying Member,well worth it though at a small Yearly cost!
Here is an example of what you can get from the Number! EG For Ship MARKSBURG


Single Ship Report for "1143287"

IDNo:1143287Year:1905Name:MARKSBURGKeel: Type:Cargo shipLaunch Date:3.1.05Flag EUDate of completion:18.2.05
1919, standard 1920> - for SS surface dp">Tons:1919, standard 1920> - for SS surface dp">4281Link:1403DWT:Yard No:176Length overall:Ship Design:LPP:118.1Country of build EUBeam:15.7Builder:Blohm & VossMaterial of build:Location of yard:SteinwerderNumber of
screws/Mchy/
Speed(kn):1Q-10.5
Naval or paramilitary marking :A:*End:1942
Subsequent History:

21 HAINAUT
Disposal Data:

sm/t (U-132) 49.30N/66.30W 5.7.42 [Montreal-UK, vehicles & general]

[Linda Stewart]

I have a couple of framed photos of the Garryvale and Gogovale also several items of the company logo cutlery

[Doc Vernon]

Hello John C
Thnaks for all the info it is nice to have such Threads on site!
Just one thing is that the Link you give for the Ships no longer works, as that old Ships Site is now defunct.

The Mirimar one though is of course still well alive !

Many thanks again
Cheers

[Ivan Cloherty]

I sailed on the 'Melbury Beacon' in 1959, she was owned by Van Ommeren and managed by Crawford Shipping Company, if my memory serves me correctly

[Doc Vernon]

Nice Pic of her here Ivan Docked at Vancouver 1957.
Cheers

Looks like the Photographer did a reverse Shot , the name is backwards!

Melbury Beacon at Dock Vancouver 1957.JPG

Van Ommeren (London) had in 1964 eight ships under the British flag, all with the word " Beacon"
Dunkery Beacon, the Ivinghoe Beacon and the Melbury Beacon. Were owned by Crawford Company

[j.sabourn]

I must have been there on on one of the half dozen times there in 1958 , which was the episode of proof of age. JS

[Keith Tindell]

ref7, now that looks like a proper ship, brings a tear to the eye when i see various supposedly ships coming down the Solent. kt

[vic mcclymont]

A. Crawford worked with Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. in Glasgow. He left them to found his own company. Interestingly his funnels bore a resemblance to Clan Line, in that the the funnel was black with two blue bands instead of Clans two reds.
Scottish Tankers in later years adopted the black funnel with two blue bands.
Vic.