The Fleets
Formed at Glasgow in 1829 to operate the marble trade from Italy and the export of coal. In 1845, a service from Glasgow to Bombay and Australia was started and in 1848 the company entered the emigrant trade to New Zealand with calls at Burma for cargo on the return voyage, initially with chartered ships.
A subsidiary company, Albion Shipping Co. was formed in 1864 and this amalgamated with Shaw, Savill Line in 1882 to form Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. In 1874, the British & Burmese Steam Navigation Co. was formed to operate regular liner sailings to Burma.
In 1947, ships were chartered to Elder Dempster Lines who purchased the company and fleet in 1952. The chartered ships were retained on the West Africa routes while P. Henderson & Co. continued to manage the Burma traders.
In 1965 Ocean Steamship Co. acquired control of the group and in 1967 the six day war closed the Suez Canal and Henderson's service to Burma ceased and their last three ships transferred to Elder Dempster routes. The last Henderson ship was sold in 1970 and the name of Henderson disappeared from the shipowning scene.
Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.
Routes
- 1829 - 1848 Glasgow - Mediterranean ports - Livorno.
- 1845 - 1849 Glasgow - Bombay - Australia
- 1848 - 1883 Glasgow - New Zealand - (Burma) - Liverpool / Glasgow.
- 1860 - 1967 Glasgow / Liverpool / Birkenhead - Burma. Glasgow / Birkenhead - Gibraltar - (Palma) - Marseilles - Port Said - Port Sudan (1909) - Aden - (Colombo) - Rangoon. Reverse London - Hull - Leith - Glasgow or London - Avonmouth - Liverpool - Glasgow.
- 1947 - 1970 Liverpool / Birkenhead - West Africa.
Sailing Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes Muir | 1869 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1870 Burma service, 1879 sold to Killick, Martin & Co, London. | 851 |
| Auckland | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,320 |
| Caledonia | 1855 | barque, 1865 sold to Gourlay & Co., Glasgow. | 428 |
| Canterbury | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,290 |
| Caribou | 1864 | Ship, 1865 transferred to Albion Line, 1869 destroyed by fire at sea. | 1160 |
| Christian McAusland | 1869 | Ship, New Zealand service, 1877 transferred to Albion Line, 1878 wrecked in Java Sea. | 1,041 |
| City of Dunedin | 1863 | Ship, New Zealand emigrant trade, 1864 transferred to Albion Line, 1879 sold to J. Ritson, Maryport. | 1,085 |
| Constance | 1859 | Ship, 1859 sold shortly after completion as too small for the emigrant trade. | 351 |
| Cossipore | 1851 | 1852 purchased from W. Powell, London, 1859 chartered to Shaw Savill & Co., 1865 sold to Shaw Savill & Co. | 836 |
| Dunedin | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. 1890 went missing at sea. | 1,308 |
| Edward P. Bouverie | 1864 | Ship, 1865 transferred to Albion Line, 1873 sold to Shaw, Savill & Co. | 997 |
| Elizabeth Fleming | 1867 | Ship, London - India service, 1871 destroyed by fire. | 728 |
| Grasmere | 1862 | no further info on this Ship. | 432 |
| Helen Burns | 1867 | Ship, Albion Line Burma service, 1877 sold to Swansea Ship Co., Swansea. | 799 |
| Helen Denny | 1866 | Ship, Albion Line Burma service, 1873 sold to Shaw, Savill & Co. | 728 |
| Helenslee | 1862 | Ship, 1864 transferred to Albion Line, 1876 sold to Norwegian owners. | 798 |
| Invercargill | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,310 |
| James Nicol Fleming | 1869 | 1869 1050 ton Ship, New Zealand service, 1877 sold to Albion Line, 1878 renamed Napier, 1881 sold to J. Hossack, Liverpool. | 1,050 |
| Jane | 1840 | brig, 1845 purchased from Glasgow owners 1855 sold to Glasgow owners and resold to Melbourne gold digger. | 147 |
| Jane Davie | 1868 | Ship, Albion Line Burma service, 1872 wrecked. | 800 |
| Jane Henderson | 1859 | Ship, New Zealand emigrant trade, 1860 Burma trade, 1864 transferred to Albion Line. 1872 sold to Taylor, Bethell & Roberts, London. | 585 |
| Jessie Redman | 1869 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand - China - UK service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. 1893 wrecked on Chatham Island. | 1,013 |
| Lady Douglas | 1856 | Ship, New Zealand emigrant trade, 1860 Burma trade, 1864 transferred to Albion Line, 1872 sold to Taylor, Bethell & Roberts, London. | 594 |
| Lydia | 1849 | 1859 sold to Sharpe & Co., Newcastle. | 541 |
| Lyttelton | 1878 | barque, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,180 |
| Margaret Galbraith | 1868 | Ship, Burma trade, 1876 sold to Shaw, Savill & Co. | 841 |
| Marlborough | 1876 | Ship, owned by James Galbraith and operated within the Shaw, Savill fleet, 1880 owned by John Leslie and merged into the Walter Savill fleet. 1891 went missing off Cape Horn. | 1,191 |
| Napier | see James Nicol Fleming. | ||
| Nelson | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,310 |
| Oamaru | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,364 |
| Ontario | 1845 | Ship, quarter share owned, 1852 share sold to Sharpe & Co., Newcastle. | 432 |
| Otago | 1869 | Ship, 1877 transferred to Albion Line, 1881 sold to Grierson & Co., Adelaide. | 1,048 |
| Peter Denny | 1865 | Ship, 1865 transferred to Albion Line, 1878 sold to J. W. Turner, Glasgow. | 998 |
| Peter Senn | 1825 | barque, 1852 sold to Belfast owners and taken to Melbourne for the gold rush trade. | 195 |
| Pladda | 1857 | Ship, 1859 purchased, New Zealand emigrant trade, 1863 sold to H. Andrews, Belfast. | 983 |
| Robert Henderson | 1857 | Ship, New Zealand emigrant trade, 1860 Burma trade, 1864 transferred to Albion Line, 1871 sold to Shaw, Savill & Co. | 552 |
| Taranaki | 1877 | barque, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1882 sold to John Leslie, 1883 operated by Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,193 |
| Timaru | 1874 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,364 |
| Tom and Jessie | 1827 | brig, 1829 purchased from Henry Wylie, London, 1846 sold. | 199 |
| Vicksburg | 1863 | Ship, 1864 transferred to Albion Line, 1869 sold to F. Groen, Amsterdam renamed Nehalennia. | 1,244 |
| Viola | 1861 | Ship, 1871 sold to B. Vaughan, St. John's, Nfld. | 1,134 |
| Wave Queen | 1861 | Ship, Clyde - New Zealand - Rangoon trade, 1865 transferred to Albion Line, 1873 sold to Park Bros., London. | 853 |
| Wellington | 1874 | Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,247 |
| Westland | 1878 | barque, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,186 |
| Wild Deer | 1863 | Ship, 1864 purchased by Albion Line from W. Walker, London, New Zealand - China - UK service, 1883 transferred to Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. | 1,016 |
| William Davie | 1866 | Ship, Albion Line New Zealand service, 1881 sold to Richardson Bros, Swansea. | 841 |
| William Watson | 1845 | Ship, 1848 purchased from William Watson, Glasgow, 1865 sold to MacFarlane, Greenock. | 432 |
Steam Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altenfels | 1915 | ex- Hansa Line, 1919 ceded to Britain as war reparations, 1920 sold to Prince Line, renamed Eastern Prince. | 7,569 |
| Amarapoora (1) | 1871 | 1873 sold to Union S.N.Co., resold to J. S. Lapraig, Aberdeen renamed Kwangchow. 1873 wrecked near Aden. | 1,335 |
| Amarapoora (2) | 1874 | 1892 sold to Amarapoora SS Co., Glasgow. | 2,464 |
| Amarapoora (3) | 1901 | 1912 sold to Prentice, Service & Henderson, Glasgow. | 4,546 |
| Amarapoora (4) | 1920 | 1939 became hospital Ship HMS Amarapoora. 1946 acquired by Ministry of Transport, 1948 converted to emigrant Ship, 1951 renamed Captain Hobson. 1959 scrapped. | 8,084 |
| Arracan (1) | 1871 | 1873 wrecked on Maldive Islands. | 1,841 |
| Arracan (2) | 1882 | 1898 sold to Austro-Americana SS Co, Trieste, renamed Ragusa. | 2,880 |
| Arracan (3) | 1900 | 1911 sold to Messageries Maritimes, France, renamed Ispahan. | 3,910 |
| Arracan (4) | 1912 | 1938 sold to Stanhope SS Co., renamed Stanmore. | 5,520 |
| Ava (1) | 1895 | 1905 stranded near Moulmein, Burma total loss. | 3,895 |
| Ava (2) | 1906 | 1917 torpedoed and sunk by U-Boat off S.W. Ireland; loss of 92 lives. | 5,076 |
| Ava (3) | completed as Amarapoora (4) | ||
| Avagyee | 1869 | Burmese coast feeder Ship, 1871 transferred to British India S.N.Co. | 427 |
| Bhamo (1) | 1894 | 1901 sold to Ellerman & Papayanni Line, renamed Austrian. | 3,127 |
| Bhamo (2) | 1907 | 1938 scrapped at Japan. | 5,239 |
| Bhamo (3) | 1957 | 1967 transferred to Guinea Gulf Line, 1979 scrapped. | 5,932 |
| Burma (1) | 1896 | 1906 sold to SteamShip Hamilton Co., Glasgow, renamed Hamilton. | 3,342 |
| Burma (2) | 1914 | 1949 sold to Cia de Nav. Florentia, Panama, renamed Florentia, used on emigrant service to Australia. | 7,470 |
| Captain Hobson | see Amarapoora (4) | ||
| Chindwin | 1910 | 1938 sold to Soc. Misr de Navagation Maritime, Alexandria, renamed Rod-el-Farag. 1940 chartered to MOWT, 1944 destroyed in Bombay Dock explosion | 6,284 |
| Chittagong | 1881 | 1891 sold to W. R. Corfield & Co., London. | 1,912 |
| Daga | 1921 | ex- Malia, 1926 purchased from Brocklebank Line, renamed Daga, 1934 sold to Andrew Weir & Co., renamed Kelvinbank. | 3,872 |
| Daldorch | 1930 | 1941 purchased from Daldorch SS Co., Glasgow, 1945 sold to Head Line, Belfast, renamed Lord Glentoran. | 5,570 |
| Dalhanna | 1930 | 1941 purchased from Dalhanna Co., Glasgow, 1945 sold to Head Line, Belfast, renamed Lord O'Neill. | 5,571 |
| Dalla | 1961 | 1964 transferred to Elder Dempster & Co., 1980 sold to Greece, renamed Marmaras. | 6,564 |
| Donga | 1960 | 1964 transferred to Elder Dempster & Co., 1981 sold to Greece, renamed Diamant Merchant. | 6,565 |
| Dumbaia | 1960 | 1981 sold to Questnorth Ltd., Douglas. | 6,558 |
| Glenelg | 1873 | 1878 chartered from Devitt & Moore, London by Albion Line for one experimental steamShip voyage to New Zealand. | 1,316 |
| Henzada (1) | 1909 | 1933 scrapped Japan. | 5,821 |
| Henzada (2) | 1934 | 1943 torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic. | 4,161 |
| Irrawaddy (1) | 1873 | 1897 sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co, Glasgow. | 2,517 |
| Irrawaddy (2) | 1903 | 1914 sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co., Glasgow, renamed Maraval. | 5,066 |
| Irrawaddy (3) | 1928 | 1938 sold to French Line, renamed Loire. | 4225 |
| Kabala | 1958 | 1960 transferred to Elder Dempster & Co., 1973 sold to Greece, renamed Papamaurice. | 5,445 |
| Kadeik | 1952 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1966 sold to Liberia, renamed Kyra Katina. | 7,489 |
| Kaduna | 1956 | 1972 transferred to China Mutual S.N.Co., 1973 sold to Liberia, renamed Regent Reliance. | 5,599 |
| Kaladan | 1950 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1963 sold to Panama, renamed Activity. | 4,916 |
| Kalaw | see Prahsu. | ||
| Kalewa (1) | 1940 | 1942 sunk in collision with Danish Ship near Cape Town. | 4,389 |
| Kalewa (2) | 1947 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1963 sold to Panama, renamed Sincerity. | 4,876 |
| Kanbe (1) | 1941 | 1942 torpedoed and sunk off Liberia with all hands lost. | 6,057 |
| Kanbe (2) | 1948 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1962 sold to Liberia, renamed Loyalty. | 4,878 |
| Kandaw | 1955 | owned by Elder Dempster & Co., 1967 sold to Panama, renamed Honesty. | 5,599 |
| Kansi | 1943 | ex- Frank D. Finney, MOWT managed by Henderson, renamed Samovar, 1947 purchased by Henderson renamed Kansi, 1948 sold to T & J. Harrison, Liverpool renamed Colonial. | 7,277 |
| Katha (1) | 1938 | 1943 torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic. | 4,357 |
| Katha (2) | 1947 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1962 sold to Liberia, also renamed Sincerity. | 4,878 |
| Kemmendine | 1924 | 1940 sunk by German surface raider Atlantis, south of Ceylon. | 7,837 |
| Kentung | 1954 | owned by Elder Dempster & Co., 1972 sold to Panama. | 5,558 |
| Kindat (1) | 1938 | 1948 sold to Normanton SS Co., London, renamed Lord Church. | 4,358 |
| Kindat (2) | 1950 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1963 sold to Panama, renamed Fidelity. | 5,530 |
| Kohima (1) | 1953 | taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1966 sold to Panama, renamed Festivity. | 5,597 |
| Kohima (2) | see Prahsu. | ||
| Koyan | 1952 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1966 sold to Panama, renamed Audacity. | 5,537 |
| Kumba | 1958 | 1964 transferred to Elder Dempster & Co., 1972 transferred to China Mutual S.N.Co, 1973 sold to Panama, renamed Regent Liberty. | 5,439 |
| Mandalay (1) | 1871 | sold to Portuguese Government before completion renamed India. | 1,302 |
| Mandalay (2) | 1872 | 1887 sold to Raeburn & Verel, Glasgow. | 1,907 |
| Mandalay (3) | 1898 | 1910 sold to Messageries Maritimes, France, renamed Caucase. | 3,881 |
| Mandalay (4) | 1911 | 1947 scrapped. | 5,518 |
| Martaban (1) | 1873 | 1893 sold to Fabre Line, Marseilles, renamed Olbia. | 2,517 |
| Martaban (2) | 1904 | 1932 scrapped. | 5,106 |
| Martaban (3) | 1934 | 1948 sold to Aviation & Shipping Co, London, renamed Avisglen. | 4,160 |
| Martaban (4) | 1949 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1965 sold to China Merchants S.N. Co., Taipei, renamed Hai Ho. | 5,740 |
| Mecklenburg | 1892 | ex- Hamburg America Line, 1919 ceded to Britain as war reparations, 1922 sold to Spain, renamed Antolina Ponte. | 3,433 |
| Pegu (1) | 1889 | 1896 sold to Compagnia Trasatlantica, Barcelona, renamed Alicante. | 3,661 |
| Pegu (2) | 1900 | 1914 sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co., renamed Mayaro. | 3,896 |
| Pegu (3) | 1913 | 1917 torpedoed and sunk by U-Boat off Galley Head, Ireland. | 6,348 |
| Pegu (4) | 1921 | 1939 grounded in River Mersey and broke in two. | 8,084 |
| Pegu (5) | 1942 | 1950 sold to Ben Line, renamed Benattow. | 7,838 |
| Pegu (6) | 1961 | 1964 transferred to Elder Dempster & Co., 1966 transferred to Guinea Gulf Line, 1972 reverted to Elder Dempster, 1975 again to Guinea Gulf Line, 1980 sold to Sidebank Investments Ltd, Douglas, renamed Regu. | 5,764 |
| Prahsu | 1959 | launched for Elder Dempster & Co., 1964 transferred to Henderson Line renamed Kalaw, 1966 reverted to Elder Dempster renamed Kohima (2), 1973 scrapped Taiwan. | 5,445 |
| Prome (1) | 1893 | 1901 sold to Ellerman's Hall Line, renamed Locksley Hall. | 3,580 |
| Prome (2) | 1937 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1962 scrapped at Bruges. | 7,043 |
| Rangoon | 1897 | 1907 sold to Nautilus SS Co., Sunderland, renamed Palm Branch. | 3,891 |
| Sagaing | 1925 | 1942 bombed and destroyed by Japanese aircraft at Trincomalee. | 7,994 |
| Salween | 1937 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1962 scrapped Hong Kong. | 7,063 |
| Sittang | 1910 | ex- Liddesdale, 1919 purchased from MacKill SS Co., Glasgow, renamed Sittang, 1935 scrapped. | 4,403 |
| Sunjarv | 1958 | ex- Glenfjell, 1964 purchased from Olsen & Ugelstad and operated under Saguenay Terminals colours in the Canadian newsprint trade to the UK. 1970 sold to Bermuda. | 10,179 |
| Taiaora | 1875 | Albion Line New Zealand coastal feeder service, 1876 sold to Union SS Co. of New Zealand. | 438 |
| Tenasserim (1) | 1871 | 1874 wrecked near Cape Guardafui, Somalia. | 1,837 |
| Tenasserim (2) | 1875 | 1894 sold to Burrell & Son. | 2,693 |
| Tenasserim (3) | 1905 | 1918 destroyed by fire at Rangoon. | 5,089 |
| Wolfram | 1915 | ex- German (uncompleted at end of war), 1919 ceded to Britain as war reparations, 1920 sold to David SS Co., London, renamed Netley Abbey. | 5,952 |
| Yoma (1) | 1928 | 1943 torpedoed and sunk off Derna, Mediterranean while trooping; loss of 500+ lives. | 8,230 |
| Yoma (2) | 1948 | 1952 taken over by Elder Dempster & Co. 1965 sold to China Merchants S.N. Co., Taipei, renamed Hai Ping. | 5,909 |
| Yoma (3) | 1958 | launched as Daru for Elder Dempster & Co., 1965 transferred to Henderson, renamed Yoma, 1966 reverted to Daru, transferred to Guinea Gulf Line, 1979 sold to Liberia, renamed Lone Eagle. | 6,340 |
| Yomah | 1926 | 1927 sold to Trinder, Anderson & Co., renamed Ashburton. | 5,047 |
Wartime Manaaged Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberte le Borgne | 1914 | ex- French, 1940 MOWT managed by Henderson, 1943 transferred to army as stevedore training Ship. | 3,921 |
| Botwey | 1916 | ex- Manchester Producer (Manchester Liners Ltd.), 1939 MOWT managed by Henderson renamed Botwey, 1941 torpedoed and sunk off Ireland. | 5,106 |
| Empire Athelstan | 1946 | MOWT managed by Henderson, 1947 sold to Ben Line, renamed Benalbanach. | 7,795 |
| Empire Citizen | 1922 | ex- Wahehe (German East Africa Line), 1941 captured by R.N., renamed Empire Citizen, managed by Henderson, 1941 torpedoed and sunk in North Atlantic. | 4,690 |
| Nevada II | 1915 | ex- Nevada (French Line), 1940 MOWT managed by Henderson, renamed Nevada II, 1942 stranded on Scottish coast, total loss. | 5,693 |
| Ocean Viceroy | 1942 | MOWT managed by Henderson, 1948 sold to Clan Line, renamed Clan Kenneth. | 7,174 |
| Sambut | 1943 | MOWT managed by Henderson, sunk on D-Day by German long range guns in Straits of Dover; loss of 150+ lives. | 7,219 |
| Samlossie | 1944 | MOWT managed by Henderson, 1947 sold to Counties Ship Management, London, renamed Barn Hill. | 7,219 |
| Samneagh | 1944 | MOWT managed by Henderson, 1947 sold to Counties Ship Management, London, renamed Stamford Hill. | 7,219 |
| Samphire | 1943 | MOWT managed by Henderson, 1947 returned to U.S. Maritime Commission, renamed Montford Stokes. | 7,219 |