The Fleets
This page covers Thos. B. Royden & Co. and Indra Line.
The company started in 1800 in Liverpool as wooden shipbuilders, and like many builders of the time, ended up with shares in the ships they built. This gradually progressed to shipowning and the company traded to India, South America, New Zealand and Australia. Steamers were introduced in 1888 and in 1893 Royden's withdrew from shipbuilding. The company formed the Indra Line in 1901 and their main routes were then to New York and the Far East. In 1914 three ships were contributed to the Commonwealth & Dominion Line (Port Line), but the Santa Clara S.S Co was then formed to operate a feeder service from the West Indies to New York and one ship, SANTA CLARA was built to operate this route. The remaining New York service and the ships on it, were sold to the Blue Funnel Line in 1915 and the Santa Clara S.S Co remained Royden's only shipping interest. In 1920 a second ship, PINAR DEL RIO was built, but the SANTA CLARA foundered in 1924 and in 1930 the PINAR DEL RIO was sold to the Bristol City Line and renamed CITY OF MONTREAL. This ended the shipowning business of the Royden family.
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.
Sailing Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Royden | 1856 | India service. | 1,175 |
| Beatrice | 1864 | barque. Australia service. | 591 |
| Clifford | n/a | 915 | |
| Ismyr | n/a | South America Pacific coast. | 610 |
| La Zingara | 1860 | South America service. | 287 |
| L'Allegro | n/a | 612 | |
| Lucile | n/a | 1,491 | |
| Lurlei | n/a | 835 | |
| Sabina | n/a | 792 |
steam Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indra (1) | 1888 | India service, 1896 sold to W. Thomson & Co, Dundee renamed Kildona. | 3,582 |
| Indra (2) | 1897 | 1913 sold to S.Samuel renamed Indro, resold to Japan renamed Bankoku Maru. | 6,057 |
| Indra (3) | 1913 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line renamed Euryades. | 3,620 |
| Indrabarah (1) | 1905 | sold to Admiralty while building renamed HMS Cyclops. | 11,300 |
| Indrabarah (2) | 1910 | 1914 transferred to Commonwealth & Dominion Line (Port Line), 1916 renamed Port Elliot. | 7,395 |
| Indradeo (1) | 1902 | chartered from Falls Line S.S.Co., 1908 off charter renamed Falls Of Moness. | 5,315 |
| Indradeo (2) | 1910 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line renamed Eurybates. | 5,529 |
| Indradevi (1) | 1898 | 1899 sold to Houlder, Middleton & Co renamed Whitgift. | 2,993 |
| Indradevi (2) | 1900 | 1911 sold to Furness Withy & Co. renamed Chaseside. | 5,683 |
| Indraghiri (1) | 1896 | 1910 sold to Vestey Bros renamed Brodstone. | 4,927 |
| Indraghiri (2) | 1912 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line renamed Eurylochus. | 5,723 |
| Indrakuala | 1912 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line, transferred to China Mutual S.N.Co renamed Euryplus. | 5,691 |
| Indralema (1) | 1894 | 1900 sold to Ulster S.S.Co., Belfast renamed Bray Head. | 3,150 |
| Indralema (2) | 1901 | 1914 transferred to Commonwealth & Dominion Line (Port Line), 1916 renamed Port Alma. | 6,669 |
| Indramayo (1) | 1889 | 1892 chartered to Tyser & Co., 1901 sold to Houlder Bros renamed Thorpe Grange. | 4,110 |
| Indramayo (2) | 1902 | 1913 sold to Japan renamed Kongosan Maru. | 5,200 |
| Indrani (1) | 1888 | 1892 sold to Donaldson Bros, same name. | 3,640 |
| Indrani (2) | 1894 | (there were two INDRANIs on the register at the same time), 1912 sold to Japan renamed Shinbu Maru. | 4,994 |
| Indrani (3) | 1912 | 1914 captured and sunk by the German cruiser Karlsruhe. | 5,706 |
| Indrapura (1) | 1890 | 1894 sold to Raeburn & Verel, Glasgow renamed Westminster. | 3,859 |
| Indrapura (2) | 1897 | 1911 sold to Japan renamed Indo Maru. | 4,899 |
| Indrapura (3) | 1911 | Victoria emigrant service, 1914 transferred to Commonwealth & Dominion Line (Port Line), 1916 renamed Port Adelaide. | 8,144 |
| Indrasamha | 1901 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line renamed Eurydamus. | 5,197 |
| Indravelli | 1897 | 1913 sold to Japan renamed Nankai Maru. | 5,805 |
| Indrawadi | 1902 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line renamed Eurymedon. | 5,194 |
| Inverclyde | 1906 | 1915 sold to Blue Funnel Line renamed Eurymachus. | 4,995 |
| Inveresk | 1907 | 1911 wrecked in Mozambique Channel. | 4,986 |