The Fleets
This page covers Liverpool and Great Western Steamship Company and Guion Line.
There were two companies known as the Guion Line and although both were controlled by Stephen Guion, there was no direct connection between the two companies. The first company only operated between 1862-63.
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.
Guion Line (Fernie Bros.)
Routes
- 1862-1863 Liverpool - Queenstown - New York
Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina | 1863 | launched for Guion but taken over by National Line before completion. 2,872 | 2,872 |
| Georgia | 1863 | 1863 wrecked on Sable Island; no loss of lives. | 2,870 |
| Louisiana | 1858 | ex- Hudson, 1862 purchased from North German Lloyd, 1863 taken over by National Line. | 2,266 |
| Virginia | 1863 | 1863 taken over by National Line | 2,876 |
Liverpool and Great Western Steamship Company/Guion Line
The official name of the company was the Liverpool & Great Western Steamship Company Limited from its inception by Guion & Co. in 1866 until closure in 1894, however it was invariably known as the Guion Line from almost the start, but this was an unofficial title. It was founded in 1866 for the Liverpool to New York, via Queenstown, route. Their fast ships were making the voyage in 6 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes in 1883. The Oregon reduced that to 6 days, 10 hours, 10 minutes that same year. The line became uneconomical and ceased operations in 1894.
Routes
- 1866-1894 Liverpool - Queenstown - New York.
Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssinia | 1870 | 1880 purchased from Cunard SS Co, 1887-1891 chartered to Canadian Pacific for trans-Pacific service, 1891 returned to Guion and destroyed by fire at sea; no loss of life. | 3,376 |
| Alaska | 1881 | 1894 laid up, 1897 chartered to Cia Trasatlantica, renamed Magallanes, 1898 laid up, 1899 sold for scrapping. | 6,932 |
| Arizona | 1879 | 1894 laid up, 1898 rebuilt to 5,305 tons transferred to Pacific service, 1898 sold to U.S. Government, renamed Hancock. | 5,147 |
| British Empire | 1878 | 1885 chartered from British Shipowners Ltd. for one voyage. | 3,361 |
| British King | 1881 | 1885 chartered from British Shipowners Ltd. for one voyage. | 3,559 |
| Chicago | 1866 | Jan 1868 wrecked near Queenstown; no loss of life. | 2,869 |
| City of New York | 1865 | 1878 chartered from Inman Line for two voyages. | 3,499 |
| Colorado | 1868 | Feb. 7, 1872 sunk in collision with SS Arabian in River Mersey; loss of 6 lives. | 2,927 |
| Dakota | 1875 | May 1877 wrecked on Anglesey, N.Wales; no loss of life. | 4,332 |
| Idaho | 1869 | 1878 wrecked on Irish coast; no loss of life. | 3,132 |
| Manhattan | 1866 | 1875 sold to Warren Line, renamed Massachusetts. | 2,869 |
| Minnesota | 1867 | 1875 sold to Warren Line. | 3,008 |
| Montana | 1874 | March 1880 stranded on Anglesey, N.Wales, refloated and scrapped. | 4,321 |
| Nebraska | 1867 | 1876 sold to British owners, renamed Victoria. | 3,985 |
| Nevada | 1869 | 1894 sold to Dominion Line, renamed Hamilton | 3,121 |
| Oregon | 1883 | June 1884 sold to Cunard SS Co., sank 11 Mar 1886. | 7,375 |
| Wisconsin | 1870 | 1874 (or earlier) rebuilt to 3,700 tons, 1893 scrapped. | 3,238 |
| Wyoming | 1870 | 1874 (or earlier) rebuilt to 3,729 tons, 1893 scrapped. | 3,238 |