Community hub
0 subscribers8 pages, 0 posts
Recent from talks
All channels
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Welcome to the community hub built to collect knowledge and have discussions related to Union-Castle Line.
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Union-Castle Line
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2013) |
Key Information
The Union-Castle Line was a British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. It was formed from the merger of the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line.
It merged with Bullard King and Clan Line in 1956 to form British & Commonwealth Shipping, and then with South African Marine Corporation (commonly referred to as Safmarine) in 1973 to create International Liner Services, but maintained its separate identity throughout. Its shipping operations ceased in 1977.
Predecessor lines
[edit].jpg)
The Union Line was founded in 1853 as the Southampton Steam Shipping Company to transport coal from South Wales to Southampton. It was renamed the Union Steam Collier Company and then the Union Steamship Company. In 1857, renamed the Union Line, it won a contract to carry mail to South Africa, mainly the Cape Colony. The inaugural sailing of Dane left Southampton on 15 September.[1]
Meanwhile, Donald Currie had built up the Castle Packet Co. which traded to Calcutta round the Cape of Good Hope. This trade was substantially curtailed by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and the Castle Line started to run to South Africa instead, later becoming the Castle Mail Packet Company.
In 1872 the Cape Colony gained responsible government and its first Prime Minister, John Molteno, ordered a re-negotiation of the country's mail services. In 1876, keen to avoid either of the two main companies gaining a monopoly on the country's shipping, he awarded the South African mail contract jointly to both the Castle Mail Packet Company and the Union Line. The contract included a condition that the two companies would not amalgamate, as well as other clauses to promote competition, such as alternating services and speed premiums. This competition led to their shipping services running at unprecedented speed and efficiency. The contract was eventually to expire however, and the period of intense competition was later to give way to co-operation, including transporting troops and military equipment during the Boer War. Finally, on 8 March 1900, the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line merged, creating the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, Ltd, with Castle Shipping Line taking over the fleet.[2][3][4]
Union-Castle Line
[edit]
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Union-Castle named most of their ships with the suffix "Castle" in their names; the names of several inherited from the Union Line were changed to this scheme (for example, Galician became Glenart Castle) but others (such as Galeka) retained their original name. They were well known for the lavender-hulled liners with red funnels topped in black, running on a rigid timetable between Southampton and Cape Town. Every Thursday at 4pm a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Southampton bound for Cape Town. At the same time, a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Cape Town bound for Southampton. In 1922 the line introduced its Round Africa service, a nine-week voyage calling at twenty ports en route. Alternate sailings travelled out via the Suez Canal and out via West Africa.[1]
The combined line was sold to the Royal Mail Line in 1911, but continued to operate as Union-Castle. Many of the line's vessels were requisitioned for service as troop ships or hospital ships in the First World War, and eight were sunk by mines or German U-boats. The Royal Mail Line ran into financial difficulties in the 1930s, culminating in the prosecution of its director Lord Kylsant, and Union-Castle Line became an independent company again with Vernon Thomson as Managing Director. Many vessels were again requisitioned in the Second World War. Three – Dunnottar Castle, Carnarvon Castle, Dunvegan Castle became armed merchant cruisers. Pretoria Castle (1939) was also first requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser, but later served as an escort carrier.[6]
After the war the line made good use of its three ships converted to troop transports to facilitate carrying the vast number of emigrants seeking new lives in East and South Africa. When they ran out of berths the line set up its own internal travel agency to book passages on other lines and even air services. The mail service to South Africa, curtailed during hostilities, recommenced with the sailing of Roxburgh Castle from Southampton on 2 January 1947.[1]
British & Commonwealth, and International Liner Services
[edit].jpg)
The company took over the King Line in 1949, and merged with Bullard King and Clan Line in 1956 to form British & Commonwealth Shipping. It merged with South African Marine Corporation in 1973 to create International Liner Services, but competition with air travel adversely affected its shipping activities, and cargo shipping rapidly became containerised. The final South African mail service arrived in Southampton on 24 October 1977, and International Liner Services withdrew from shipping in 1982. British & Commonwealth continued in other fields, and acquired Atlantic Computers in 1989, but accounting problems soon became apparent and British & Commonwealth was liquidated in 1990.
In the 1950s and 60s the line operated a fleet of fifteen ships, eight on the principal weekly mail run from Southampton to Cape Town. Each ship could carry an average of two hundred First Class passengers and four hundred and fifty in Tourist Class. Six of the remaining ships operated the monthly Round Africa service, sailing both clockwise and anti-clockwise round the continent. The remaining ship operated a service carrying up to 750 Tourist Class passengers to Beira and back via the West Coast route every three months.[1]
In December 1999 the Union-Castle name was revived for a millennium cruise; the P&O ship Victoria was chartered for a 60-day cruise around Africa, and had its funnel repainted for the occasion.
The last few surviving Union-Castle Line ships were scrapped in the early 21st century, the former Kenya Castle in 2001, the former Transvaal Castle in 2003, the former Dunnottar Castle in 2004, and finally Windsor Castle in 2005.
Ships
[edit].jpg)
The initial Union fleet consisted of the colliers Union, Briton, Saxon, Norman and Dane. In 1860 this was augmented by the much larger Cambrian.[1]
At the time of the merger in 1900, the Union fleet included:
- Arab (1879–1900), Briton (1897–1926), Falcon (1896–1942), Gaika (1896–1926), Galeka (1899–1916), Galician (1900-1918), Gascon (1897–1928), Gaul (1893–1906), German (2) (1898–1930), Goorkka (1897-1926), Goth (1893–1913), Greek (1893–1906), Guelph (1894–1913), Mexican (1883–1900), Moor (1881-1901), Norman (2) (1894–1926), Sabine (1895–1921), Saxon (1900–1935), Scot (1891–1905), Spartan (1881–1900), Susquehanna (1896–1926), and Trojan (1880–1900), with Celt on order (renamed Walmer Castle before it came into service)
and the Castle Line fleet included:
- Arundel Castle (3) (1894–1905), Avondale Castle (1897–1912), Braemar Castle (1) (1898–1924), Carisbrook Castle (1898–1922), Doune Castle (1890–1904), Dunolly Castle (1897–1905), Dunottar Castle (1890–1913), Dunvegan Castle (1896–1923), Garth Castle (1880–1901), Harlech Castle (1894–1904), Hawarden Castle (1883–1904), Kildonan Castle (1899–1931), Kinfauns Castle (2) (1899–1927), Lismore Castle (1891–1904), RMS Norham Castle (1883–1903), Pembroke Castle (2) (1883–1906), Raglan Castle (1897–1905), Roslin Castle (2) (1883–1904), Tantallon Castle (2) (1894–1901), Tintagel Castle (1) (1896–1912)[8]
| Ship | Built | Tonnage | Notes and references |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alnwick Castle | 1901 | 5,893 | Passenger steamer Built by William Beardmore and Company, Glasgow |
| Armadale Castle | 1903 | 12,973 | 1936 scrapped |
| Aros Castle | 1901 | 4,460 | Steamer Built by Barclay, Curle & Co., Ltd., Glasgow |
| Arundel Castle | 1894 | 4,588 | Passenger ship built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, launched 1895, sold to the Danish East Asiatic Company in 1905 and renamed Birma |
| Arundel Castle | 1921 | 19,023 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 11 September 1919, completed 8 April 1921, maiden voyage 22 April 1921, scrapped 1959 |
| Athlone Castle | 1936 | 25,564 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 28 November 1935, completed 13 May 1936, maiden voyage 22 May 1936, scrapped 1965 |
| Balmoral Castle | 1910 | 13,361 | 1939 scrapped |
| Balmoral Castle | 1965 | 7,952 | ex-Clan Robertson 1976 renamed Balmoral Castle |
| Bampton Castle | 1920 | 6,698 | 1932 sold to Greece, renamed Atlantis |
| Banbury Castle | 1918 | 6,430 | ex-Glenstrae 1920 purchased from Glen Line, renamed Banbury Castle |
| Berwick Castle | 1902 | 5,883 | 1919 burnt out at Mombasa, sold to Italy |
| Bloemfontein Castle | 1950 | 18,400 | 1959 sold to Greece, renamed Patris |
| Braemar Castle | 1898 | 6,318 | Hospital ship Built by Barclay, Curle & Co., Ltd., Glasgow |
| Braemar Castle | 1943 | 7,067 | ex-Empire Duchess 1949 purchased from MoWT, renamed Braemar Castle |
| Braemar Castle | 1952 | 17,029 | 1966 scrapped |
| Bratton Castle | 1920 | 6,696 | 1931 sold to Greece, renamed Proteus |
| Capetown Castle | 1938 | 27,000 | 1967 scrapped |
| Carlisle Castle | 1913 | 4,325 | Steamer Built by Northumberland SB. Co., Ltd., Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Carlow Castle | 1917 | 5,833 | 1930 sold to Mitchell, Cotts & Co., renamed Cape St. Columba |
| Carnarvon Castle | 1926 | 20,122 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 14 January 1926, completed 26 June 1926, maiden voyage 16 July 1926, scrapped 1963 |
| Cawdor Castle | 1902 | 6,235 | 1926 went ashore South West Africa and declared a total loss |
| Chepstow Castle | 1913 | 7,494 | ex-Anglo-Brazilian 1915 purchased from Nitrate Producers Ltd., renamed Chepstow Castle |
| Cluny Castle | 1903 | 5,147 | 1924 transferred to Bullard King, renamed Umkuzi |
| Comrie Castle | 1903 | 5,173 | Passenger steamer Built by Barclay, Curle & Co., Ltd., Glasgow |
| Corfe Castle | 1901 | 4,592 | 1927 sold to W. Schuchmann, Hamburg, renamed Ostee |
| Crawford Castle | 1910 | 4,264 | ex-Hova 1917 purchased from F.S. Holland, London, renamed Crawford Castle |
| Dover Castle | 1904 | 8,271 | Hospital ship Built by Barclay, Curle & Co., Ltd., Glasgow |
| Dover Castle | 1964 | 7,950 | ex-Clan Ranald 1976 renamed Dover Castle |
| Drakensberg Castle | 1945 | 9,905 | ex-Empire Allenby 1946 purchased from MoWT, renamed Drakensberg Castle |
| Dromore Castle | 1919 | 5,242 | Cargo ship Built by Harland & Wolff at Greenock |
| Dunbar Castle | 1883 | 2,837 | Steamship Laid down as Doune Castle and upon purchase named Dunbar Castle |
| Dunbar Castle | 1930 | 10,002 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, completed 20 May 1930, struck a mine off North Foreland, Kent and sank on 9 January 1940 |
| Dundrum Castle | 1919 | 5,259 | Cargo ship built by Harland and Wolff, completed 31 December 1919, caught fire and sank in Red Sea 2 April 1943 |
| Dunluce Castle | 1904 | 8,114 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, completed 15 September 1904, sold for scrapping in 1939 but purchased by the Admiralty for use as accommodation ship |
| Dunottar Castle | 1890 | 5,625 | Passenger ship Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Goven, Scotland
Dec 1899 requisitioned as a troop transport for the Second Boer War |
| Dunnottar Castle | 1936 | 15,002 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 25 January 1936, completed 27 June 1936, maiden voyage 10 July 1936, rebuilt and renamed Victoria 1958, renamed The Victoria 1976 and Princesa Victoria 1993, scrapped 2004 |
| Dunvegan Castle | 1936 | 15,007 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 26 March 1936, completed 27 August 1936, requisitioned by Admiralty in 1940 as an armed merchant cruiser and renamed HMS Dunvegan Castle, torpedoed and sunk off Ireland by U-46 on 27 August 1940 |
| Durban Castle | 1938 | 17,382 | 1962 scrapped. In 1947 it was the crime scene of the Porthole Murder Case[9] |
| Durham Castle | 1904 | 8,217 | Passenger/cargo Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering, Govan |
| Edinburgh Castle | 1910 | 13,326 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 27 January 1910, completed 28 April 1910, maiden voyage May 1910. Fitted with 6-inch guns and operated as armed merchant cruiser during First World War. Requisitioned in Second World War and moored in Freetown as accommodation ship. Judged not worth returning to UK and sunk as a target by gunfire November 1945. |
| Edinburgh Castle | 1947 | 28,700 | 1976 scrapped |
| Edinburgh Universal | 1979 | 9,996 | ex-Polar Honduras (Hamburg-Sud) 1981 leased from Barclays Mercantile Finance Co renamed Edinburgh Universal 1984 transferred to Hong Kong renamed Caspian Universal |
| Eider | 1900 | 1,236 | 1926 purchased from Royal Mail SP Co., for the Southampton – Bremen – Hamburg feeder service 1936 sold to J. Billmeir, renamed Stanhill |
| Galway Castle | 1911 | 7,988 | Passenger ship built by Harland & Wolff, torpedoed by U-82 160 nautical miles (300 km) SW of Fastnet Rock, Ireland on 12 September 1918. Taken under tow but sank on 15 September. |
| Garth Castle | 1910 | 7,612 | Launched 13 January 1910.[10] 1939 scrapped |
| Glenart Castle | 1900 | 6,807 | Formerly Union Line Galician Hospital ship |
| Glengorm Castle | 1898 | 6,763 | Formerly Union Line German |
| Gloucester Castle | 1911 | 7,999 | Hospital ship Built by Fairfield SB. & Eng. Co., Ltd., Glasgow 31 Mar 1917 – Damaged by UB-32 near the Isle of Wight. 15 Jul 1942 – Sunk by German raider Michel off South West Africa. Captain H.H. Rose and 92 passengers and crew were killed. Two lifeboats containing 61 people were picked up by the raider and taken to Japan as prisoners |
| Good Hope Castle | 1945 | 9,905 | ex-Empire Life 1946 purchased from MoWT, renamed Good Hope Castle |
| Good Hope Castle | 1965 | 10,500 | 1978 sold to Italy, renamed Franca C |
| Gordon Castle | 1901 | 4,408 | 1924 scrapped |
| Grantully Castle | 1909 | 7,612 | Launched 14 October 1909.[10] 1939 scrapped |
| Guildford Castle | 1911 | 7,995 | 1 June 1933 beached after collision in Elbe with Blue Funnel Line's Stentor. Total loss |
| Hansa | 1904 | 880 | 1907 transferred from Liverpool-Hamburg Line 1937 sold to J. Billmeir, renamed Stanray |
| Helius | 1888 | 4,579 | ex-Dresden, (North German Lloyd) 1903 purchased by Houston Line, renamed Helius |
| Incomati | 1920 | 340 | 1924 purchased from Portuguese Government, East Africa feeder service 1928 sold to Portugal |
| Iolaire | 1902 | 999 | Sir Donald Currie's yacht, used as officer cadet training ship 1914–1918 HMS Iolaire anti-submarine patrol ship |
| Kenilworth Castle | 1904 | 12,975 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 15 December 1903, completed 19 May 1904, scrapped 1936 |
| Kenilworth Castle | 1944 | 9,916 | ex-Empire Wilson 1946 purchased from MoWT, renamed Kenilworth Castle |
| Kenya Castle | 1951 | 17,040 | 1967 sold to Greece, renamed Amerikanis |
| Kinnaird Castle | 1956 | 7,718 | ex-Clan Ross ex-South African Scientist, renamed Kinnaird Castle |
| Kinpurnie Castle | 1954 | 8,121 | ex-Clan Stewart, ex-South African Sculptor 1961 transferred from Safmarine renamed Kinpurnie Castle |
| Kinpurnie Castle | 1966 | 7,950 | ex-Clan Ross 1976 transferred from Houston Line, renamed Kinpurnie Castle |
| Leasowe Castle | 1917 | 8,106 | Passenger steamer Built by Cammell, Laird & Co., Ltd., Birkenhead |
| SS Llandaff Castle | 1926 | 10,786 | Passenger liner/troop transport Built by Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast |
| Llandovery Castle | 1914 | 11,423 | Hospital ship Built by Barclay, Curle & Co., Ltd., Glasgow |
| Llandovery Castle | 1925 | 10,640 | 1953 scrapped |
| Llangibby Castle | 1929 | 11,951 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff (Govan), launched 4 July 1929, completed 21 November 1929, maiden voyage 5 December 1929, damaged during an air raid while docked in Liverpool on the night of on 21–22 December 1940, torpedoed and damaged by the U-402 16 January 1942. Converted to Landing Ship, Infantry and used in invasion of Normandy. Scrapped 1954. |
| Llanstephan Castle | 1914 | 11,348 | operated as troop transport. Converted to Landing Ship, Infantry. Scrapped 1952. |
| Lochgair | 1888 | 111 | 1901 acquired as tender at Port Elizabeth 1905 sold to J.G. Stewart, Glasgow, renamed Loch Gair |
| Newark Castle | 1902 | 6,224 | Passenger/cargo steamer 12 Mar 1908 ran ashore 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) from the coast, in Richard's Bay near the Umhlatuzi River, South Africa |
| Pendennis Castle | 1958 | 28,582 | 1976 sold to Philippines (Panama flag), renamed Ocean Queen April 1980 scrapped |
| Polglass Castle | 1903 | 4,631 | ex-Reichenfels, (Hansa Line) 1914 captured by Britain |
| Pretoria Castle Warwick Castle |
1939 | 17,383 | Requisitioned in October 1939, fitted with 6-inch guns and operated as armed merchant cruiser by RN. 1942 sold to Admiralty and rebuilt as an escort carrier 1946 re-purchased by Union-Castle, renamed Warwick Castle |
| Pretoria Castle | 1948 | 28,705 | 1966 transferred to South African Marine Corp., renamed S.A.Oranje 1975 scrapped. |
| Reina del Mar | 1956 | 20,263 | Purchased from ex-Pacific Steam Nav. Co, 1964–1973 chartered by Union-Castle for cruising |
| Rhodesia Castle | 1951 | 17,041 | 1967 scrapped |
| Richmond Castle | 1938 | 7,798 | Cargo ship Built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast |
| Richmond Castle | 1944 | 7,971 | 1971 scrapped |
| Riebeeck Castle | 1946 | 8,322 | 1971 scrapped |
| Ripley Castle | 1917 | 7,521 | ex-War Soldier 1919 purchased from shipping controller, renamed Ripley Castle |
| Rochester Castle | 1937 | 7,795 | 1970 sold to Cyprus, renamed Glenda and scrapped |
| Roslin Castle | 1935 | 7,016 | Refrigerated cargo ship built by Harland and Wolff, completed 4 May 1935, scrapped 1967 |
| Rosyth Castle | 1918 | 4,328 | ex-War Earl 1919 purchased from shipping controller, renamed Rosyth Castle |
| Rotherwick Castle | 1959 | 9,650 | 1975 sold to Liberia, renamed Sea Fortune |
| Rothesay Castle | 1935 | 7,016 | Refrigerated cargo ship built by Harland and Wolff, completed 11 May 1935, went ashore on Scottish Island of Islay, total loss 5 January 1940 |
| Rothesay Castle | 1960 | 9,650 | 1975 sold to Uruguay, renamed Laura |
| Rowallan Castle | 1939 | 7,798 | 1942 bombed by German aircraft and sunk in Mediterranean |
| Rowallan Castle | 1943 | 7,950 | 1971 scrapped |
| Roxburgh Castle | 1937 | 7,801 | Cargo ship Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Roxburgh Castle | 1944 | 8,003 | 1971 scrapped |
| Rustenberg Castle | 1946 | 8,322 | 1971 scrapped |
| Sandgate Castle | 1922 | 7,607 | 1937 caught fire and sank NE of Bermuda |
| Sandown Castle | 1921 | 7,607 | 1950 scrapped |
| Southampton Castle | 1965 | 10,538 | 1978 sold to Italy, renamed Paola C |
| Stirling Castle | 1936 | 25,554 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 15 August 1935, completed 29 January 1936, maiden voyage 7 February 1936, scrapped 1966 |
| Stirling Universal | 1979 | 9,065 | ex-Hilco Speedster (Larsen. Oslo) 1981 leased from Lombard Facilities Ltd, London renamed Stirling Universal |
| Tantallon Castle | 1953 | 7,448 | 1971 sold to Cyprus, renamed Aris II |
| Tintagel Castle | 1954 | 7,447 | 1971 sold to Cyprus, renamed Armar |
| Transvaal Castle | 1961 | 32,697 | Ocean liner Built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland
Sold to Safmarine in 1966 and renamed SA Vaal |
| Ulundi | 1927 | 97 | Sold to SA Railways and Harbors in 1935, museum ship in Durban |
| Walmer Castle | 1936 | 906 | 1941 Southampton – Bremen – Hamburg feeder service 21 Sep 1941 bombed and sunk in the Atlantic while convoy rescue ship |
| Warwick Castle | 1930 | 20,445 | Passenger ship/troop transport built by Harland & Wolff, launched 29 April 1930, completed 16 January 1931, maiden voyage 30 January 1931, torpedoed and sunk by U-413 in mid-Atlantic on 14 November 1942 |
| Winchester Castle | 1930 | 20,109 | Passenger ship built by Harland and Wolff, launched 19 November 1929, completed 11 October 1930, maiden voyage 24 October 1930, scrapped 1960 |
| Winchester Castle | 1964 | 7,950 | ex-Clan Ramsey 1977 renamed Winchester Castle |
| Windsor Castle | 1921 | 18,967 | Ocean liner Built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland |
| Windsor Castle | 1960 | 37,640 | 1977 sold to Yiannis Latsis, Piraeus, renamed Margarita L (Panama flag).
Scrapped at Alang, India, from August 2005 |
| York Castle | 1901 | 5,517 | 1924 sold to Italy, renamed San Terenzo |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Damant 1977[page needed]
- ^ Murray 1953, p. 74.
- ^ "Sir Donald Currie". Ancestry24. 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010.
- ^ Molteno 1900, p. 120.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, ed.1911, vol. 24, pg. 889, Plate VIII.
- ^ Gardiner 1980[page needed]
- ^ Huntford, Roland (1985). Shackleton. London: Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 25–30. ISBN 0-340-25007-0.
- ^ It was on the Tintagel Castle in 1900 that Ernest Shackleton met Cedric, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Llewellyn Longstaff, the principal financial backer of Scott’s Discovery Expedition, that meeting led to Shackleton obtaining a place on The Discovery Expedition of 1901–1904.[7]
- ^ "The porthole murder". Daily Echo. 10 January 2008.
- ^ a b "Launches and Trial Trips". International Marine Engineering & Naval Architect. 32 (February). Marine Engineering, Inc., New York—London: 284. 1910. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
Sources and further reading
[edit]- Damant, Henry (1977). Every Thursday at Four O'Clock. Weaving International Friendship Foundation.
- Gardiner, Robert (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Conway Maritime Press.
- Harris, CJ; Ingpen, Brian D (1994). Mailships of the Union-Castle Line. Vlaeberg: Fernwood Press. ISBN 1874950059.
- Molteno, PA (1900). The life and times of Sir John Charles Molteno, KCMG, First Premier of Cape Colony, Comprising a History of Representative Institutions and Responsible Government at the Cape. Vol. II. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 120. ISBN 1-146-67157-1.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - Murray, Marischal (1953). Union-Castle Chronicle 1853–1953. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
- Roussel, Mike; Warwick, Sam (2015). The Union-Castle Line: Sailing Like Clockwork. Stroud: The History Press. ISBN 978-0750962919.
External links
[edit]- Swiggum, Sue; Kohli, Marjorie. "Union-Castle Mail S.S. Company". The Ships List.
- "The British & Commonwealth Shipping Company Limited, The Companies, The Ships & The People".
- Collection of Passenger Lists of the Union-Castle Line GG Archives
- Union-Castle Line History and Ephemera GG Archives
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
Union-Castle Line
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
History
Predecessor Companies
The Union Line originated in 1853 as the Southampton Steam Shipping Company, established to transport coal from South Wales to Southampton for use by larger ocean liners departing from the port.[1] This venture was initiated by Scottish shipowner Arthur Anderson, with a modest fleet of five steam colliers ranging from 336 to 530 tons, capitalizing on the growing demand for fuel in the burgeoning steamship era.[4] By 1856, following profitable charters during the Crimean War, the company reorganized as the Union Steam Ship Company Ltd., abandoning coal transport in favor of general freight services to southern Africa.[1] In 1857, the Union Line secured a pivotal government contract to carry mail from England to the Cape Colony, receiving an annual subsidy of £33,000 for monthly sailings with vessels of at least 530 tons, limited to 42 days' duration.[4] This marked the company's expansion into scheduled passenger and mail services, with the inaugural voyage departing Southampton on the RMS Dane.[1] The service grew rapidly, introducing larger iron-hulled steamers; the RMS Cambrian, launched in 1860 at over 1,000 tons, became the first mail vessel to exceed that tonnage threshold and symbolized the line's shift toward reliable passenger accommodations alongside mail delivery.[4] By the 1860s, extensions to ports like Port Elizabeth (1864) and East London (1876) further solidified its dominance in the Cape trade.[4] The Castle Line emerged in 1862 when Donald Currie, a former Cunard Line agent, founded Donald Currie & Co. in Liverpool to operate a regular sailing ship service to Calcutta via the Cape of Good Hope, earning the nickname "Currie's Calcutta Castles" for its vessels named after British castles. Initially focused on freight with a fleet of four sailers by 1863, the company relocated its base to London in 1865 and gradually incorporated steamers for North Sea and Baltic routes.[5] The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 disrupted the Cape route's viability for India-bound sailings, prompting Currie to redirect efforts toward direct passenger and private mail services to South Africa starting in 1872 with the steamer Iceland (946 tons). Intense rivalry developed between the Union Line and Castle Line in the 1870s, as both vied for dominance in the South African mail and passenger trade, overlapping on routes to the Cape Colony and Natal.[1] Currie challenged the Union's monopoly by offering faster sailings—such as the Cape government's 1873 incentive of £150 per day saved below the Union's 30-day proposal—leading to competitive rate reductions and speed enhancements that strained both lines financially.[6] In 1876, the Cape parliament awarded a shared mail contract, splitting the subsidy equally to foster competition while prohibiting amalgamation, which intensified route overlaps and pricing pressures through the 1880s and 1890s.[5] This culminated in their 1900 merger to form the Union-Castle Line.[1]Formation and Early Operations
The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company was formed through the merger of the Union Steam Ship Company and the Castle Mail Packet Company, announced in December 1899 and effective on 8 March 1900, to secure the South African mail contract amid intense pre-merger rivalry between the two lines for dominance on the UK-Cape route.[7][8] The new entity retained the composite "Union-Castle" name to honor both predecessors, while initially preserving their distinct liveries—black hulls with white ribands for Union ships and lavender-grey hulls with black-topped red funnels for Castle vessels—as a transitional measure during fleet integration.[9][10] By 1901, the company unified its branding by adopting the Castle Line's lavender-grey hull livery across the combined fleet of approximately 42 vessels, symbolizing cohesion and enhancing visual identity on the high seas.[10][7] This rebranding coincided with the establishment of a rigid bi-weekly timetable for the Southampton-to-Cape Town mail service, guaranteeing a 14- to 15-day passage with scheduled stops at Madeira for coaling and brief calls at Tenerife and Las Palmas when required, thereby improving reliability for passengers, mail, and cargo transport to South African ports.[11][9] Early growth included innovations such as the 1908 renewal of the mail contract, which mandated faster average speeds and more frequent sailings to meet rising demand, alongside the expansion of intermediate services to East African ports like Mombasa and Zanzibar using smaller vessels for feeder routes.[12][2] These developments solidified the line's position as the primary conduit for British trade and emigration to southern and eastern Africa in the pre-World War I era.[7]World Wars Involvement
During World War I, the Union-Castle Line had 19 of its 41 ocean-going steamers requisitioned by the British Admiralty for military service, primarily as troop transports, hospital ships, and armed merchant cruisers.[7] These vessels supported key operations, including the Gallipoli Campaign and medical evacuations from the Western Front, with hospital ships like the Kildonan Castle operating in the White Sea and others ferrying wounded personnel across the Atlantic and Mediterranean.[13] The line suffered significant losses, with eight ships sunk by enemy action, resulting in 440 personnel deaths; notable incidents included the torpedoing of the hospital ship Llandovery Castle on 27 June 1918, which claimed 234 lives out of 258 aboard, and the Glenart Castle on 26 February 1918, with 162 fatalities.[1] Other losses encompassed the Galway Castle (143 deaths in 1918), Leasowe Castle (92 deaths in 1918), Alnwick Castle (40 deaths in 1917), and Galeka (19 deaths in 1916), underscoring the risks faced by these converted liners.[7] In the interwar period, the company's recovery from wartime depletion facilitated innovations such as the introduction of the Round Africa service in 1922, utilizing war-surplus vessels to offer a circular route from Southampton via the Cape and Suez Canal, enhancing connectivity to East Africa and India.[9] This service, operated on a six-week schedule, helped rebuild the fleet, which expanded to 47 steamers by 1919 through acquisitions of standard wartime ships like the Dromore Castle.[7] World War II saw extensive requisitioning of Union-Castle liners for naval roles, including conversions to armed merchant cruisers such as the Dunnottar Castle, which patrolled the South Atlantic from 1939 to protect against German surface raiders.[14] The fleet contributed to Atlantic convoys, transporting troops and supplies amid U-boat threats, and supported major operations like Torch, the 1942 Allied invasion of North Africa, where vessels including the Warwick Castle ferried personnel before its sinking.[15] Losses totaled 11 ships with 65 fatalities, among them the Dunbar Castle (9 deaths in 1940), Dunvegan Castle (27 deaths in 1940), Llandaff Castle (3 deaths in 1942), Warwick Castle (63 deaths in 1942), and Windsor Castle (1 death in 1943, torpedoed during Mediterranean operations).[1] These sinkings, often by torpedoes or aircraft, highlighted the line's pivotal yet perilous role in sustaining Allied logistics.[15]Post-War Developments
Following World War II, the Union-Castle Line faced significant challenges in rebuilding its fleet, having lost eleven ships during the conflict. The surviving vessels, including the Capetown Castle, Stirling Castle, Athlone Castle, Warwick Castle, Winchester Castle, Arundel Castle, and Carnarvon Castle, underwent extensive refits between 1947 and 1950 to restore passenger accommodations and operational capacity for the resumption of mail and emigrant services to South Africa.[16][12] To modernize and expand, the company invested in new construction during the late 1940s and 1950s, introducing larger and faster steam turbine mailships such as the 28,705-ton RMS Edinburgh Castle and RMS Pretoria Castle in 1948, which set new standards for speed and luxury on the Southampton-to-Cape Town route. This was followed by intermediate liners like the 18,400-ton RMS Bloemfontein Castle in 1950 for emigrant traffic, and the RMS Rhodesia Castle, RMS Kenya Castle, and RMS Braemar Castle in 1950–1951 for the Round Africa service. The pinnacle of this modernization came with the 27,109-ton RMS Pendennis Castle, launched in 1957 and entering service in 1959 as the fleet's fastest vessel at 22.5 knots, featuring stabilizers and with air-conditioning extended to all first-class cabins in 1964. However, these advancements were soon overshadowed by rising fuel costs and intensifying competition from commercial air travel, which began eroding passenger demand by the mid-1950s.[10][16][17] In the 1950s, the line pursued strategic expansions to strengthen its position in the South African trade. Although Bullard King & Company had been a subsidiary since 1919, the Union-Castle Line fully integrated it alongside the King Line and Clan Line through a major merger on January 31, 1956, forming the British & Commonwealth Shipping Company and creating a combined fleet of nearly 100 vessels. This consolidation enhanced cargo capabilities and route coverage but could not fully offset the economic pressures building in the industry.[18][16] The 1960s marked a pivotal shift toward cargo-oriented operations amid declining passenger viability. New passenger liners like the 37,640-ton RMS Windsor Castle in 1960 and the 32,697-ton RMS Transvaal Castle in 1962 supported an accelerated 11-day schedule, reducing the fleet from eight to seven ships in 1965 with the withdrawal of older vessels such as the Athlone Castle, Stirling Castle, and Capetown Castle. To adapt to emerging containerization trends, the company introduced fast diesel-powered cargo liners including the Good Hope Castle and Southampton Castle in 1965, which carried limited passengers while prioritizing freight efficiency. Passenger services were progressively reduced as jet aircraft, including the Boeing 747, captured market share, further compounded by escalating operational costs.[10][16][12] By the early 1970s, external shocks accelerated the decline of the classic liner era. The 1973 merger with South Africa's Safmarine on October 1 formed International Liner Services, integrating operations but signaling a pivot away from traditional mailships toward modern container shipping. This restructuring occurred against the backdrop of global oil crises, which imposed severe fuel surcharges and made unprofitable passenger routes untenable. Union-Castle's passenger services concluded in 1977, with the RMS Windsor Castle completing the final mail voyage from Cape Town to Southampton on September 19, ending over a century of scheduled liner operations to South Africa.[16][10]Operations
Routes and Schedules
The primary route of the Union-Castle Line was the weekly Royal Mail service from Southampton to Cape Town, spanning approximately 5,800 nautical miles along the Atlantic coast of Africa.[19] Following the 1900 merger, the line operated express mail services with departures every Thursday at 4:00 p.m. from Southampton. These schedules incorporated brief stops at key coaling and provisioning ports, including Las Palmas and Tenerife in the Canary Islands on the outward leg, to maintain speed and efficiency.[20] From Cape Town, the route extended southward along the South African coast to Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban, facilitating passenger and cargo connections to inland regions.[20] In 1922, the Union-Castle Line launched a Round Africa service, offering a full circumnavigation via the Indian Ocean, with calls at Mauritius, Zanzibar, Mombasa, and other East African ports before rejoining the main trunk route or returning via the Suez Canal.[7] This expansion complemented the core Cape mail run by providing alternative paths for trade and travel around the continent, using intermediate and larger liners interchangeably.[20] The line's schedules were maintained with exceptional reliability, epitomized by its role in mail delivery under long-term government contracts from 1908 to 1977, which mandated weekly arrivals in Cape Town.[7] To ensure continuity, the service employed dual relay systems: one via the Atlantic with stops at Canary Islands ports, and another via the Mediterranean and Suez for East African extensions, allowing overlapping voyages to mitigate delays.[7] This precision earned the Union-Castle Line a reputation for punctuality, often advertised as a dependable lifeline between Britain and southern Africa.[3] Wartime conditions severely disrupted these operations, particularly during the World Wars, when many vessels were requisitioned for trooping, hospital duties, or convoy escorts, leading to suspended civilian schedules and significant losses.[7] Post-war reconstruction saw the introduction of faster turbine and motor ships, shortening the Southampton-Cape Town passage to as little as 12 days and 13 hours by 1938, while resuming the pre-war route structure with enhanced capacity. In July 1965, the departure day shifted from Thursday at 4:00 p.m. to Friday at 1:00 p.m., reducing the voyage time to 11.5 days.[7][21]Mail and Passenger Services
The Union-Castle Line's prestige was largely defined by its long-standing royal mail contract, which originated with its predecessor, the Union Line, in 1857. This initial agreement provided an annual subsidy of £33,000 in exchange for monthly sailings from Southampton to Cape Town, establishing a reliable service that took approximately 37 days round-trip.[10] By 1876, the contract was shared with the rival Castle Mail Packets Company, prohibiting amalgamation to maintain competition, though both lines adhered to strict timetables.[8] Following the 1900 merger forming the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, a new consolidated contract was awarded, valued at £135,000 annually by 1904, supporting weekly departures and faster passages that reduced the Southampton-to-Cape Town leg to around 14 days by the 1930s under subsequent renewals.[22] The 1936 renewal explicitly required delivery within 14 days, with records showing achievements as low as 13 days and 9 hours on vessels like the Stirling Castle.[23] With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Union-Castle mail ships were increasingly militarized, with many requisitioned as armed merchant cruisers equipped with naval guns for defense against U-boat threats, ensuring the continuation of vital mail and passenger services amid heightened risks.[7] Passenger accommodations emphasized luxury, particularly in first class, featuring elegant dining saloons, spacious lounges, and modern amenities; by the 1920s, ships like the Arundel Castle introduced indoor swimming pools and gymnasiums, enhancing the transatlantic voyage's appeal for affluent travelers.[7] The 1930s saw significant expansion in tourist class, with refits converting third-class areas to more affordable yet comfortable options, reflecting growing demand from middle-class emigrants and holidaymakers.[24] Onboard life aboard Union-Castle liners revolved around a structured program of leisure to combat the two-week journey's monotony, including evening dances in ballrooms, deck sports such as quoits and shuffleboard, and occasional lectures on topics like South African history or navigation.[25][26] Entertainment extended to social events like bingo, mock horse races, and live music, fostering a sense of community among passengers; in the 1950s, peak sailings on ships like the Edinburgh Castle carried over 800 passengers per voyage, blending mail duties with vibrant tourist experiences.[25] The line's passenger operations declined sharply from the 1960s as air travel supplanted sea voyages, culminating in 1977 when the final mail contract shifted to air services, ending scheduled passenger sailings with the Windsor Castle's last departure from Southampton.[27]Cargo and Freight Operations
The Union-Castle Line's cargo and freight operations focused on transporting essential commodities between Britain and South Africa, with northbound voyages carrying wool, diamonds, coal, and perishables such as fruit and meat from South African ports.[28][29] These goods supported the export economy of the region, including agricultural products like wool and minerals like diamonds from Kimberley, alongside coal from the South African Republic.[28] To accommodate perishables, the line pioneered refrigerated holds in the 1890s, equipping ships such as the Hawarden Castle (built 1892) with dedicated refrigeration chambers for exporting fruit and meat to Britain.[28] This innovation allowed for the reliable shipment of time-sensitive items like citrus, apples, pears, and grapes, known collectively as the "soft fruit trade."[30] The fleet comprised dedicated cargo vessels alongside liner-cargo hybrids, with the latter integrating freight space on passenger routes for efficiency.[30] Notable cargo-only ships included the 'R' class, such as Roslin Castle and Rothesay Castle (built 1935, around 7,000 gross tons each), designed for rapid refrigerated transport at speeds up to 17 knots, while later groups like Rochester Castle (1937) handled both fruit and general cargo.[30] By the 1930s, these operations moved substantial volumes, with the fleet's refrigerated capacity alone exceeding hundreds of thousands of cubic feet across multiple vessels.[30] Post-war, the 1956 merger with Clan Line facilitated container trials in the 1960s, adapting ships like Clan Maclaren for early containerized freight to modernize operations.[31] Economically, the line bolstered British Empire trade by linking South African exports to British markets, thriving during commodity booms in wool and fruit while facing challenges in economic depressions that reduced freight demand.[29]Fleet
Ship Design and Construction
The Union-Castle Line's early vessel designs, emerging from the 1900 merger of its predecessor companies, emphasized reliable steam propulsion suited for the demanding Southampton-to-Cape Town mail route. Initial ships incorporated turbine steamers alongside reciprocating engines, with triple-expansion engines serving as the standard configuration until the 1920s, providing efficient power for speeds around 15-17 knots on vessels like the Gaika (6,287 GRT, built 1897 by Harland & Wolff). These designs prioritized durability for long voyages, featuring steel hulls and coal-fired boilers, though quadruple-expansion variants appeared in larger mail steamers such as the Walmer Castle (12,546 GRT, 1908), which used twin-screw quadruple-expansion engines to achieve 17.5 knots.[7][10][32] Iconic visual elements defined the line's fleet, including lavender-grey hulls complemented by vermilion red funnels banded in black and white, a livery that persisted from the early 1900s and symbolized the company's prestige in passenger services. Ship sizes evolved significantly to accommodate growing demand for mail, passengers, and cargo, progressing from approximately 8,000 GRT intermediates in the 1910s—such as the Dover Castle (8,200 GRT, 1919)—to larger express liners exceeding 20,000 GRT by the 1920s and reaching 25,000 GRT in the 1950s, exemplified by the Carnarvon Castle (20,122 GRT, 1926), which introduced diesel propulsion for enhanced efficiency at 18 knots and marked one of the line's first large motor vessels.[33][7][34] This progression reflected advancements in accommodation for up to 300 first-class and 200 second-class passengers, with later designs incorporating Art Deco interiors and stabilized hulls for smoother Atlantic crossings.[7] Construction was concentrated at key British shipyards, with Harland & Wolff in Belfast responsible for many early and iconic vessels like the Arundel Castle (19,023 GRT, 1921), while Fairfield Shipbuilding in Govan, Glasgow, handled builds such as the Tantallon Castle (1913). Cammell Laird in Birkenhead became prominent for post-war liners, including the Windsor Castle (37,640 GRT, 1960), the line's largest ship. Over the company's history, more than 60 major liners were constructed across these and other Clyde-side yards like John Brown & Company in Clydebank, enabling a fleet that peaked at around 43 vessels by 1914 and expanded thereafter to support global operations.[7][35][36] During the World Wars, requisitioned Union-Castle ships underwent significant adaptations for military use, including the addition of armoring, gun mounts, and anti-submarine equipment to convert them into armed merchant cruisers, troopships, and hospital vessels. For instance, the Carnarvon Castle was fitted with eight 6-inch guns and lighter anti-aircraft armament during World War II, enhancing her defensive capabilities while maintaining partial passenger configurations. These modifications, often performed at naval dockyards like Simonstown, allowed the fleet to transport troops and supplies effectively, though at the cost of several losses to enemy action.[37][7]Notable Vessels
The Union-Castle Line's pre-World War I fleet included the RMS Saxon, launched in 1899 and delivered in 1900 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast as the first joint ship following the merger of the Union Steam Ship Company and Castle Mail Packets Company.[38] Measuring 12,385 gross registered tons (GRT) with a length of 570 feet and twin-screw quadruple-expansion engines producing 17.5 knots, she accommodated 310 first-class, 203 second-class, 132 third-class, and 154 steerage passengers on the Southampton-to-Cape Town mail route.[38] Her career featured notable events such as transporting Boer generals in 1902 and serving as a troopship during World War I from 1914 to 1917, before returning to intermediate passenger services until 1931.[38] Incidents included losing her rudder after colliding with a barge in Cape Town in 1920 and a bunker fire near Madeira in 1921, after which she was escorted to Cape Town for repairs.[38] She was sold for scrap in 1935 for £27,500 and broken up at Blyth, Northumberland, by Bolckow & Company.[38] In the interwar period, the RMS Stirling Castle exemplified the line's luxury liners, launched in 1935 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast at 25,550 GRT, with a length of 725 feet and a service speed of 20 knots powered by two Burmeister & Wain 10-cylinder two-stroke double-acting diesel engines.[39][40] Entering service on her maiden voyage from Southampton to Durban in February 1936, she set a record crossing time of 13 days and 9 hours in August 1936 and offered opulent accommodations for 615 first-class passengers.[39] Requisitioned as a troopship in 1940, she transported over 128,000 soldiers across more than 500,000 miles during World War II, including participation in Operation Bolero in 1943, and was placed on 7-day standby in 1941 for potential operations in the Azores and Canary Islands.[39] After a refit in 1946, she resumed mail services in 1947 until withdrawn in 1961 and sold for scrap in 1966 for £360,000, arriving at Mihara, Japan, on March 3 for breaking by Nichimen K.K.[39] World War I claimed several Union-Castle vessels, with the RMS Galway Castle standing out as a tragic loss; built in 1911 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast at 7,988 GRT and 492 feet long, she operated on the mail route with twin-screw engines achieving 17 knots.[41][42] Requisitioned as a troopship in August 1914 for the German West Africa campaign, she reverted to commercial service in 1915 after surviving a German bomber attack in 1916 where a bomb failed to explode.[41] She grounded briefly on Orient Bank near East London from October 12 to 17, 1917, but was refloated undamaged.[41] On September 12, 1918, torpedoed by German U-boat U-82 off the coast of Ireland while homeward bound, she wallowed for three days before sinking with the loss of 143 lives.[41] Post-war reconstruction brought the RMS Windsor Castle as the line's flagship and last dedicated mail ship, constructed in 1960 by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead, England, at 37,640 GRT, 783 feet long, and powered for 23 knots on the Southampton-Cape Town route.[36] Accommodating 239 first-class and 591 tourist-class passengers, she entered service in 1960 and maintained the weekly mail schedule until the service's end in 1977, including a famous 1967 race against a motor car from Cape Town to Southampton.[36][43] Withdrawn after her final voyage in 1977, she was sold and renamed multiple times (Margarita L, China Bear, Demos, Ocean Dream, Formosa Dream) before being beached for scrapping at Alang, India, in 2004 and fully dismantled by 2005.[36] Accidents marred several careers, including the RMS Dunnottar Castle, built in 1936 by Harland and Wolff at 15,007 GRT and 560 feet long for 17 knots on the London-round Africa service.[44] Requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser in 1939 and later a troopship from 1942, she transported thousands post-D-Day and suffered a grounding incident in 1942 during wartime operations. Rebuilt in 1959 with increased length to 572 feet, she shifted to cruises until scrapped in Cyprus in 2004.[44] The following table summarizes 12 major Union-Castle vessels across eras, highlighting their tonnages, builders, and fates:| Vessel Name | Build Year | Gross Tonnage (GRT) | Builder | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMS Saxon | 1900 | 12,385 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1935, Blyth |
| RMS Norman | 1894 | 5,019 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1922, Italy |
| RMS Briton | 1899 | 5,028 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1926, Italy |
| RMS Galway Castle | 1911 | 7,988 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Sunk 1918 by U-boat |
| RMS Arundel Castle | 1921 | 19,023 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1959, Japan |
| RMS Stirling Castle | 1935 | 25,550 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1966, Japan |
| RMS Dunnottar Castle | 1936 | 15,007 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 2004, Cyprus |
| RMS Athlone Castle | 1936 | 25,564 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1966, Spain |
| RMS Edinburgh Castle | 1948 | 28,705 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Scrapped 1976, Taiwan |
| RMS Windsor Castle | 1960 | 37,640 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | Scrapped 2005, India |
| RMS Transvaal Castle | 1962 | 33,039 | John Brown & Co, Clydebank | Scrapped 2009, India |
| RMS Pendennis Castle | 1958 | 28,582 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | Scrapped 1980, Taiwan |