Shipping line staff of past plan group

Press, 2 September 1986, Page 35

Shipping line staff of past plan group

No shipping company has done more for New Zealand’s development than Shaw Savill, formerly the Shaw Savill and Albion Line and it’s not surprising that former permanent staff members have formed a lively Shaw Savill Association in the North Island. Branches are well established in Auckland and Wellington and now a Canterbury branch is planned. Those interested are requested to write to the association at P.O. Box 130, Lyttelton. The Shaw Savill Line was established in 1859 and the Albion Line was formed in 1864. The latter was an offshoot of a parent company, P. Henderson and Company of Glasgow, long entrenched in the United KingdomBurma trade. Henderson’s, better known as "Paddy Henderson’s,” was formed in 1834. The rest is history. The New Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd, originally formed in Christchurch,

in 1873, but absorbed by P and O in 1916, was a major challenge to both Shaw Savill, and the Albion Line, so much so, that they amalgamated in 1882, to form Shaw Savill and Albion, Ltd, to combat the newcomer in the lucrative New Zealand immigrant and cargo trade.

Great names are evoked by the very mention of Shaw Savill and Albion, Ltd. Last century’s famous sailing vessels in-

eluded the Akaroa, Crusader, Helen Denny, Lutterworth, Pleiades and more. What of the magnificent passenger and cargo vessels of this century, not least the famous, fourmasted immigrant liners, Athenic, Corinthic and lonic, actually White Starowned but Shaw Savill, and Albion operated, which poured thousands of immigrants into New Zealand, particularly in the 19205? These names were revived in latter, modern tonnage. Of course, the names Tainui and Arawa will also evoke nostalgic memories, along with the handsome sisters, Tamaroa (ex Sophocles) seen in photograph, Mataroa (ex Diogenes) and the larger Akaroa (ex Euripides). The names of the huge Dominion Monarch, Northern Star, Southern Cross, and Ocean Monarch (briefly), were once as familiar as Cook Strait or Cathedral Square to New Zealanders,