Last modified: 2005-04-09 by ivan sache
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![[Postel houseflag]](../images/f/fr~hfpos.gif)
by Dominique Cureau
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The company A. Postel & Fils was created in Cherbourg by Auguste Postel (1787-1856) in 1820. The company traded grain, tropical hardwood, sugar etc., with the West Indies, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Bombay (Mumbai) and also transported passengers between Cherbourg and Dunkirk. Auguste's sons Emile (1819-1901) and Auguste Félix (1817-1895) further developed the company from Cherbourg and Le Havre.
The shipwreck of the steamer Ville de Cherbourg in 1903, lost with all hands, ruined the company, which was very badly ensured, as it was often the case at the time. Ship operation was reduced and the company was transformed into a shipping agency.
Emile Postel (1889-1966), president of the Chamber of Commerce of Cherbourg,
was the last shipowner in the family.
Dominique Cureau, 26 January 2005
The house flag of Postel & Fils is white with two red balls place diagonally. It looks like the house flag of Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, one of the oldest French shipping companies.
The family Postel had an explanation for this similarity: Auguste Postel and
brothers Péreire, the founders of Compagnie Générale Maritime, ancestor of CGT, created their companies at the same time in
the same department (Manche) and decided to have complementary houseflags.
However, this is a nice legend since brothers Péreire created the CGM in 1855, whereas
the houseflag of Postel appears on a painting by L. Gamain dated 1838.
Dominique Cureau, 26 January 2005