British shipping companies (M)

Last modified: 2008-07-26 by rob raeside
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• MacAndrews & Co. Ltd.
• MacFarlane & Lander
• Mail Steamship Co.
• Mamitank London Ltd.
• Manchester Lines, Ltd.
• Manchester Ship Canal Co. Ltd.
• Mann, MacNeal & Co.
• Maritime Shipping & Trading Co., Ltd.
• MATCO Tankers (U.K.) Ltd
• J. Mawson & Son
• McCallum, Orme & Co
• McIlwraith McEacharn & Co. Proprietary Ltd.
• Donald McKay's Clippers
• Mediterranean & New York Steamship Co.
• Mercantile Steamship Co.
• Metcalf Motor Coasters Ltd.
• Metcalfe, Simpson & Co.
• Wm. Milburn & Co.
• W.S. Miller & Company
• Miller & Richards
• John Milligen & Co., Ltd.
• George Milne and Co. (Inver Line)

• House flags of British shipping companies
• House flags of shipping companies
• United Kingdom

Interestingly, the MacAndrews logo that appears in the "Carga e Transportes" supplement is very different. All these last images have been taken from the same ad, an ad to MacAndrews, that includes these companies it operates with in Portugal: Bank Line, already sent, New Guinea Pacific Line and Crocodile Line, also already sent, plus two more: Ellerman, a company that has three lines from Lisbon or from Leixões (to the British Isles, to the Mediterranean and to India, Pakistan, Middle East and East Africa), and APL, a company that serves the US and Canada and the Far East. 

The logo of MacAndrews (or, better, MacAndrews Lda. / Group Andrew Weir Shipping as the full writing appears in the ad) is not only green, but quite a bit more complicated than appears in Aingeru's image, including a crown and a pair of hands holding the ship:

image located by Jorge Candeias, 25 April 2002

The logo with the crown and a pair of hands holding the ship belongs to Andrew Weir Shipping Ltd. The one of McAndrews is simpler.
Aingeru Astui Zarraga, 26 April 2002

image by Jarig Bakker, 20 December 2005

MacAndrews & Co., Ltd., London - horizontal white flag, with red-yellow-red bars at top and bottom, black outlined sailing ship with sails furled.
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 20 December 2005

image by Jarig Bakker, 20 December 2005

Like the image above, but with two red stripes altered to purple.
Source: Loughran (1979), who writes: "This is a very old company, its former location dating back to 1770, and it has been prominent in trade to the Iberian Peninsula for many years; hence the Spanish national colours which accompany the ship on the flag. During the Spanish Civil War, these stripes were altered to purple, yellow and red, but resumed their former colouring on the cessation of hostilities."
Jarig Bakker, 20 December 2005

In the middle 1950's, I sailed in two of McAndrew's ships, the M.V. Pinto and the M.V. Pelayo. On the Spanish coast we flew the McAndrew's House flag, but on the Italian coast we flew the Glyn Line House flag. I can remember a white lozenge bearing a black capital B and there was also some red and also some green in the flag. As I remember, the Glyn Line was originally a West Country Shipping Company whose main trade was in China Clay. I have searched all the flag sites.
Albert Aliffe, 18 April 2006

MacFarlane & Lander

image by Ivan Sache, 23 April 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Macfarlane & Lander" (#295, p. 51), a company based in Cardiff (Wales), as blue with a thin white saltire and an oval charged with the red letters "M&L" .
Ivan Sache, 23 April 2008 

Mail Steamship Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 23 March 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Mail Steamship Co., Ltd. (Mail Bros.)" (#77, p. 40), a company based in Newcastle-on-Tyne, a white with a blue letter "M".
Ivan Sache, 12 March 2008 

Mamitank London Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 28 November 2005

Mamitank London Ltd., London - blue flag, white "M".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 28 November 2005

from Stewart and Styring's Flags, Funnels and Hull Colors 1963

This company was known as Manchester Liners in the 1950's.
James Dignan, 8 October 2003

Posted as insolvent on 19 May 2004 (The Times).
Ron Lahav, 20 May 2004

Post card collection confirms this design.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 21 February 2007

Manchester Ship Canal Co. Ltd.

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 the Manchester Ship Canal Co. Ltd., Manchester. A blue rectangular flag with two broad white stripes across the centre bearing the blue letters 'MS', 'CC'. 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."

Loughran (1979) writes: "Forty miles from the sea, the port of Manchester has always required a large fleet of tugs, not only to work on the dredging of the canal, but to assist ocean-going ships to negotiate it. For the better part of a century, these tugs and ancillary vessels, have borne the same livery. The two bands of the funnel are repeated on the house flag, where the company initials are added".
Jarig Bakker, 20 August 2004

Mann, MacNeal & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 31 May 2006

Lloyd's (1912) shows the house flag of Mann, MacNeal & Co., Glasgow, as white with a blue M. The flag can also be seen at http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/ImPage.cfm?PageNum=30&BibId=11061&ChapterId=8 .
Ivan Sache, 31 May 2006

from Stewart and Styring's Flags, Funnels and Hull Colors 1963

MATCO Tankers (U.K.) Ltd

image by Jarig Bakker, 29 August 2005

MATCO Tankers (U.K.) Ltd, London - white flag, black "M".
Source: Loughran (1995)
Jarig Bakker, 29 August 2005

J. Mawson & Son

image by Ivan Sache, 23 March 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "J. Mawson & Son" (#74, p. 40), a company based in Barrow-in-Furness, as red with a white lozenge charged with a red letter "M".
Ivan Sache, 23 March 2008 

McCallum, Orme & Co

image located by Jan Mertens, 23 May 2007

This beauty appeared on Maritime Timetable Images a few days ago ( http://www.timetableimages.com/maritime/images/mcco.htm ):

“Formed in 1929 from the merger of (Captain, jm) John McCallum & Co. (Hebrides) and Martin Orme & Co. (Dunara Castle). McCallum, Orme & Co. was taken over by David MacBrayne in 1948” (1 Jan. in fact). Company seat, Glasgow.

Flag of Scotland (white saltire on blue) with a large white disk in the middle bearing a red-and-blue thistle. In the drawing, the disk is enclosed by a blue holding line.

“1948 saw the (…) acquisition of the ships and goodwill of McCallum, Orme & Co which for many years had worked cargo (and passenger, jm) sailings to the Isles from Glasgow. The sailings of the two companies gradually integrated and the services were pruned, partly by the increased use of improved roads by lorries and causeways.”

McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co. Proprietary Ltd.

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 McIlwraith McEacharn & Co. Proprietory Ltd., Melbourne and London. A rectangular yellow flag with a red rampant lion in the centre within a border of double red lines. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. The lion in the centre is stenciled. A rope and Inglefield clip is attached. The design is based on the Royal Standard of Scotland."
Jarig Bakker, 20 August 2004

Founded 1875, also known as the Scottish Line, operating vessels between England, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The company was a pioneer in the development of refrigerated shipping. Their Australian operation apparently helped form Bulkships Pty., Ltd. in 1958 which became a partnership of the company and Adelaide Steamship Company, which eventually became Associated Steamships Pty. Ltd. (now ASP). Their ships appear to be run by ASP. Stewart & Styring (1963) places this company in Melbourne.
Phil Nelson, 18 October 2003

Mediterranean & New York Steamship Co.

  image by Joe McMillan

Mediterranean Steamship Co.
There have been several companies with similar names, but none I have found information on matches this time period. The flag in Flaggenbuch 1905 is a distinctive red flag with two white vertical stripes, forming five equal bands.
Source: Flaggenbuch 1905

Joe McMillan, 29 October 2001

Mediterranean Steamship Co. This is the flag of the UK company Mediterranean & New York Steamship Co. Ltd. based in Liverpool and operating 1878-1905. Details are available in Bonsor P1016. (Volume 3). It has been shown by the shorter title, Mediterranean Steamship Co., by the Liverpool Journal of Commerce Chart of 1885 but the fuller title is shown by subsequent sources up to Lloyds 1904. The confusion regarding country (US or UK?) probably relates to their managers, Phelps Bros. & Co., based Liverpool, who had opened a New York branch around 1874.

Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2004

Mercantile Steamship Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 23 March 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd." (#81, p. 40), a company based in
London, as blue with the white letters "MSCo." The iron steamship "Boyne" was launched by the "Mercantile Steamship Co." in 1881.
http://portcities.hartlepool.gov.uk/server.php?show=conMediaFile.493
Ivan Sache, 23 March 2008 

Metcalf Motor Coasters Ltd.

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 Metcalf Motor Coasters Ltd., London. A green swallow-tailed burgee with a white border. A white 'M' is placed 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 toggle is attached."
Jarig Bakker, 20 August 2004

Metcalfe, Simpson & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 24 March 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Metcalfe, Simpson & Co." (#82, p. 40), a company based in West Hartlepool, as white with a blue border and the red letters "MS&Co".
Lloyd's caption says "also A.A. Thore, Jonstorp" (see Thore).
Ivan Sache, 24 March 2008 

Wm. Milburn & Co.

Sources:

http://www.red-duster.co.uk/MILBURN.htm and
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/milburn.htm.

An early starter, at 23 William Milburn was already involved in shipping in 1849 and had ships of his own from 1852 on. This trade was coastal (coal), operating out of Newbiggin and Blyth. From 1857 till 1879 he and Edmund Watts - as the senior partner - operated Watts, Milburn & Co. Already active in the West Indies, India, and China, Milburn saw his field of operations now extended to the Black Sea. Other ventures were the Hamburg-Brasilianische Dampf. Ges. in cooperation with Bolten (to Brazil) and later the famous Hamburg Süd (to South America in general). The partnership with Watts having been dissolved, Wm. Milburn & Co., new and London-based from 1880 on, established routes to China and Australia. In fact, 1883 saw the foundation of the Anglo-Australasian Navigation Co. with Antwerp as an important link in the chain (the line was known as the Australasian Steam Navigation Co.). Both entities were put together under a new name, Milburn Line, in 1890. There was a slack in emigrant transportation then resulting in a heightened importance of cargo, of course, and tramping as well. One ship however, a collier, was operated by the separate Ashington Coal Co. 1905 saw the end of passenger transportation. The final name, Milburn & Co., Ltd. was introduced in 1912. Over the years, cooperation with firms such as Royden and Tyser led to the establishment of the Commonwealth & Dominion Line later known as Port Line Ltd. (1914). Milburn - acting on its own - operated some ships from 1927 on but I do not know when this ended.

image by Ivan Sache, 9 December 2005

Now to the flags. The first one found is a red triangular pennant with initials in white 'W.M & Co' (the 'o' is raised) and can be seen here, top of page: http://www.red-duster.co.uk/MILBURN.htm.

image by Ivan Sache, 9 December 2005

The second attachment shows the twin pennants of the Anglo-Australasian Steam Navigation Co. as rendered by the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels: http://www.mysticseaport.org/library/initiative/Impage.cfm?PageNum=13&bibid=11061&ChapterId=8, see no. 241. Red pennant uppermost, in fact an elongated version of the preceding one, and a white one accompanying it, bearing the red initials ‘AASN Co’ (again, the ‘o’ is raised).

image by Ivan Sache, 9 December 2005

On the other hand, according to Red Duster “The pennant houseflags of the two companies were amalgamated into a single rectangular flag. 1890” which we see here, top of page: http://www.red-duster.co.uk/MILBURN4.htm.

image by Ivan Sache, 28 March 2008

Lastly, a rectangular flag for ‘Wm. Milburn & Co., London’ appears in the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels: http://www.mysticseaport.org/library/initiative/Impage.cfm?PageNum=7&bibid=11061&ChapterId=8, see no. 122. Only the form is different from the short and long pennants; colours and initials are the same.

All this is fairly clear except for the rectangular WMC/AASNC flag, which Lloyds ought to have shown – or so it seems, if we believe Red Duster – instead of the twin pennants.

Of course there is still the obscure Ashington Coal Company… And although the later Watts flag is known, what did the combined Watts-Milburn flag look like?

Jan Mertens, 3 December 2005

W.S. Miller & Company

image by Jarig Bakker

Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels [Wedge 1926]

W.S. Miller & Company, Glasgow - white flag, blue contoured rectangle charged with a blue anchor on top of blue letters "W.S.M & Co".
Jarig Bakker, 15 January 2005

Miller & Richards

image by Ivan Sache, 31 May 2006

Lloyds (1912) shows the house flag of Miller & Richards, Glasgow, as horizontally divided blue-white-blue with the red letters M. R. in the middle of the white stripe. The flag is also seen on http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/ImPage.cfm?PageNum=30&BibId=11061&ChapterId=8 .
Ivan Sache, 31 May 2006

from Stewart and Styring's Flags, Funnels and Hull Colors 1963

George Milne and Co. (Inver Line)

image by Ivan Sache

W. Montgomery & Co., Ltd., London. The flag is red with a white rectangle charged with a M (blue).
Based on The Mystic Seaport Foundation
Ivan Sache, 1 February 2004