The Fleets
This page covers Lambert Brothers 1878-1978 / Temple Steam Ship Company (1921)1926-1978 London / Dornoch Shipping Company
Lambert Brothers entered ship owning in 1878 when a small wooden schooner was purchased.With both brothers being members of the Coal Factors Society and being based in the Coal Exchange, London, they built up a fleet of coastal colliers. By 1896 a fleet of ten colliers was operated but in that year Lambert Brothers sold their coal interests and fleet to William Cory and thereafter traded deep sea tramps. At the turn of the century Lambert Brothers Ltd built two tramps the AGNES and EDITH.
The Commercial Steamship Co. Ltd was purchased from Young, Ehlers & Co. in 1905 together with four tramp ships, the funnel markings and the house flag of this company was a Black, on a white band a red equilateral triangle funnel and the flag was white with a red equilateral triangle, with a spanning circle of approximately half the flag's depth. The Commercial Steamship Co. Ltd had connections with Wm. Ruys and stood at the base of the founding of the Stoomboot Reederij Rotterdamsche Lloyd in 1875, which in its turn led in 1883 to the Rotterdamsche Lloyd.
During World War I a number of small ships were managed for The Shipping Controller. Two ships were lost during that period. After World War I the Company ceased for a time having any direct interest in shipowning. In 1923 a substantial shareholding in the Temple Steam Ship Company took place.
The Temple names came from the title of the Temple Steam Ship Company, formed in London in 1921 by Temple, Thomson & Clark, the management of which was taken over by Lamberts Brothers in 1926. In 1928 five new tramps were delivered with Temple names and the company traded through the depression without laying up any ships.
By 1935 with rising freight rates a fleet expansion programme was started with several new ships building, as well the Dornoch Shipping Company was formed in Glasgow and at the outbreak of war, Lambert Brothers and its subsidiaries operated a fleet of ten tramps. Five ships were lost during the World War II.
The Dornoch Shipping Company was sold to Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd in 1954. Three ships joined the fleet in the 1954-1958, the TEMPLE HALL, TEMPLE LANE and TEMPLE MAIN. Lambert Brothers became a subsidiary of the Hill Samuel Group in 1968.
In 1969 Lambert Brothers took delivery of the first of four bulk carriers with Temple names that operated within the Scottish Ship Management fleet, the last four ships, with Scottish Ship Management, were TEMPLE ARCH, TEMPLE BAR, TEMPLE INN and TEMPLE HALL the last of them being sold in 1978. The company then traded as shipping agents and may still do so.
Many thanks to Henk Jungerius and Ted Finch for their 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.
Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes | 1900 | Built by S.P. Austin & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1913 sold to Cia Algortena de Nav., Spain renamed Asuarca, 1915 sold to Hijos de Jose Taya S en C, 1918 renamed Almiral Luis de Requesens, 1920 sold to Cia Barcelonesa de Nav SA renamed Nuria, 1924 sold to Linea de Vapores Cano renamed Rita Sister, sold several times and 1960 scrapped at Barcelona. | 2,845 |
| Ann Webster | 1870 | Built by Withy & Alexander, Middleton | ex- Ann Webster, 1886 purchased, 1891 sold renamed Londres. | 771 |
| Burham | 1865 | Built by Palmers & Co. Ltd., Newcastle on Tyne | ex- Upton, 1888 purchased renamed Burham, 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1909 scrappped | 831 |
| Cookham | 1890 | Built by Oswald, Mordaunt & Co., Southampton | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1916 sold to Town Line renamed Butetown, 04 December 1917 wrecked Cullercoats. | 1,594 |
| Coulbeg (1) | 1936 | Built by Ayrshire, Irvine | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1938 sold to Honeyman & Co. renamed Carsbreck, 24 October 1941 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.564 with the loss of 23 lives. | 3,670 |
| Coulbeg (2) | 1940 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1951 sold to Glen & Co. renamed Jutland, 1952 sold to Tsavliris renamed Marianthe, 1955 renamed Berna, 1958 to Tsavliris Hellas renamed Marianthe Tsavliris, 1963 renamed Free Merchant, 10 June 1967 foundered. | 5,237 |
| Coulbreck | 1946 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1954 renamed Dundrennan, 1954 Company sold to Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd, 1957 sold to Banco Cubano del Comercio Exterior renamed Rio Jibacoa, sold several times without change of name, 1969 scrapped. | 3,654 |
| Coulgorm | 1942 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1953 renamed Temple Mead, 1954 Company sold to Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd, 1955 sold to Vlassopoulos renamed Theodore N. Vlassopulos, 1963 sold to Transmarina Arm. renamed Ais Giannis, 1966 scrapped at Kaohsiung. | 6,997 |
| Coulmore | 1936 | Built by Ayrshire, Irvine | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1948 sold to N.W. Purvis renamed Avisford, 1950 sold to P. Skjold renamed Stripa, 1957 sold to F.H. Andersson renamed Nautic, 1966 sold to M. Starita renamed Saratoga, 1969 scrapped at Venice. | 3,670 |
| Coultarn | 1938 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 30 March 1941 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.69 with the loss of 3 lives. | 3,759 |
| Darlington | 1890 | Built by Richardson Duck & Co., Stockton | ex- Darlington, 1905 taken over with the Commercial Steamship Co. (Young, Ehlers & Co.), 1906 sold to Echevarrieta & L, Spain renamed Cosme, 1917 sold to Izarra, Azpeita, 1923 sold to J.B. Bores renamed Dimarts, 1929 sold to S.A. Cros renamed Sac 5, 1950 to Transportes A&C; renamed Sac Sevilla, 1965 scrapped at Barcelona. | 2,523 |
| Dornoch (1) | 1936 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1937 renamed Huncliffe, 1940 purchased by J.A. Billmeir from Primrose Hill Steamship Co. (Lambert Bros.), London renamed Stancliffe,12 April 1940 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.37 off the Scottish Coast with the loss of 20 lives. | 4,511 |
| Dornoch (2) | 1939 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1952 sold to Glen & Co. renamed Dunrobin, 1957 sold to Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd. renamed Vennachar, 1959 scrapped at Moij. | 5,186 |
| Dundrennan | see Coulbreck. | ||
| Dunster | see Temple Lane (2). | ||
| Edith | 1901 | Built by S.P. Austin & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1913 sold to Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, Japan renamed Harunasan Maru, 1933 scrapped. | 2,873 |
| Goulgarve | 1949 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Dornoch Shipping Co., 1954 Company sold to Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd, 1954 renamed Dunolly, 1959 sold to Valck & Monckton renamed Santiago, 23 May 1960 wrecked in tidal wave off Isla Mocha. | 2,946 |
| Halling | 1871 | Built by Withy & Alexander, Middleton | ex- Emma Trechmann, 1887 purchased renamed Halling, 1891 sold renamed Terneuzen. | 803 |
| Huncliffe | see Dornoch (1). | ||
| Hurstdale | 1902 | Built by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland | ex- Hurstdale, 1910 purchased from Hurstdale Shipping Co. Ltd, 23 October 1914 sunk by German raider Karlsruhe off Brazil. | 2,752 |
| Jubilee | 1867 | Built by Oswald, Mordaunt & Co., Southampton | ex- Jubilee, 1879 purchased, 1883 wrecked in River Humber, 1884 scrapped. | 669 |
| Kenley | 1877 | Built by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland | ex- Kenley, 1878 purchased from J. Young, Ehlers & Co., 05 January 1889 sunk in collision near Lowestoft. | 667 |
| Kent | 1881 | Built by Austin & Hunter, Sunderland | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1918 sold to Soc. Nationale des Chemins de Fer Francais renamed Vidauban, 1920 went missing. | 1,045 |
| Kitty Taylor | 1929 | Built by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Newcastle on Tyne | 1934 sold to R. Ropner & Co. renamed Daleby, 04 November 1942 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.89. | 4,640 |
| L.H. Carl | 1898 | Built by Wm Gray & Co. Ltd, West Hartlepool | ex- L.H. Carl, 1916 purchased from D/S Gorm, Copenhagen, 20 July 1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine with the loss of 2 lives. | 1,916 |
| Manaton | 1902 | Built by J. Priestman and Co., Sunderland | ex- Manaton, 1905 taken over with the Commercial Steamship Co. (Young, Ehlers & Co.), 1910 sold to Nav Libera Giovanni Racich & Co., renamed Iskra, 1934 scrapped at Trieste. | 4,025 |
| Medway | 1879 | Built by Austin & Hunter, Sunderland | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1910 scrapped at Boulogne. | 910 |
| Merthyr | 1882 | Built by Palmers & Co. Ltd., Newcastle on Tyne | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1907 sold to E.B. Aaby renamed Orion, 01 March 1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine. | 1,354 |
| Middleton | 1935 | Built by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | ex- Darcolm, 1937 purchased from Douglas & Ramsey renamed Middleton, 18 February 1942 sunk in collision. | 4,297 |
| Ocean | 1894 | Built by S.P. Austin & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 23 November 1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine. | 1,442 |
| Pelaw | 1869 | Built by J. Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ex- Pelaw, 1887 purchased, 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1910 scrapped at Bologne. | 824 |
| Plympton | 1893 | Built by Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool | ex- Plympton, 1905 taken over with the Commercial Steamship Co. (Young, Ehlers & Co.), 14 August 1909 wrecked St Warner Bay, St Agnes. | 2,869 |
| Snake | 1922 | Built by Osbourne, Graham & Co., Sunderland | ex- Snake, 1926 taken over with Temple Steam Ship Company, resold to S.N.A., France renamed S.N.A. 1, 03 March 1940 sunk in collision | 2,655 |
| Surf | 1896 | Built by S.P. Austin & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1920 renamed Corsurf, 1921 sold to Emil R. Retzlaff, Germany renamed Gunther, 1933 sold to C. Feuerloh renamed Oderstrom, 20 June 1946 scuttled Skagerrak. | 1,590 |
| Taunton | 1898 | Built by Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool | ex- Taunton, 1905 taken over with the Commercial Steamship Co. (Young, Ehlers & Co.), 1910 sold to Nav Libera Giovanni Racich & Co., renamed Izvor, 1934 scrapped at Monfalcone. | 3,793 |
| Temple Arch (1) | 1940 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1959 sold to A.& D. Chandris renamed Marihora, 03 November 1966 stranded Madras. | 5,147 |
| Temple Arch (2) | 1969 | Built by Horten Vaerft, Horten | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1978 sold renamed Leila, 1988 sold renamed Ghadeer, 1993 sold renamed Royal Kris, 1994 scrapped in China. | 13,543 |
| Temple Bar (1) | 1928 | Built by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 08 April 1939 struck rock at Cape Flattery near Seattle and sunk. | 4,291 |
| Temple Bar (2) | 1942 | Built by Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., Vancouver | ex- Fort St. James built for British Government, 1946 purchased renamed Temple Bar, Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1959 sold to Wallem & Co. renamed Nord Sky, 1960 sold to China renamed Ho Ping 27, 1967 renamed Zhan Dou 27, 1992 deleted from Register. | 7,191 |
| Temple Bar (3) | 1971 | Built by Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd, Govan | 1977 sold renamed Lake Nipigon, 1977 lengthened 18,496gt, 1984 renamed Laketon, 1986 renamed Lake Nipigon, 1987 sold to Algoma Central renamed Algonorth. | 13,545 |
| Temple Hall (1) | 1954 | Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd, Dundee | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1969 sold to D.P. Margaronis & Sons renamed Pantelis, 1977 sold to K. Mitsotakis & Sons renamed Telamon, 31 October 1981 leaked and beached Arrecife. | 8,003 |
| Temple Hall (2) | 1971 | Built by Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd, Govan | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1978 sold renamed Seaway Sandpiper and converted into a pipe-burying vessel 13,095gt, 1990 Sandpiper. | 13,523 |
| Temple Inn (1) | 1940 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1959 sold to A.& D. Chandris renamed Mariviki, 22 July 1965 wrecked Mormugoa. | 5,231 |
| Temple Inn (2) | 1972 | Built by Haugesund MV, Haugesund | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1978 sold renamed Cape Antibes, 1988 sold renamed Pearl of Dubai, 1997 scrapped at Alang. | 14,651 |
| Temple Lane (1) | 1928 | Built by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1937 sold to Pnevmatichos et al renamed Panaghia, 17 February 1938 wrecked near Cape St Francis. | 4,289 |
| Temple Lane (2) | 1954 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1968 renamed Dunster, 1969 sold to Bird & Co. renamed Deuterornis, 1971 sold to Navarino Shipping & Transport Co. renamed Humanity, 1973 sold to Fidelity Maritime renamed Laurice Fidelity, 1974 sold to G. Spanos renamed Aegean Navigator, 1976 renamed North Wave, 21 April 1981 leaked and beached at Alexandria and later scrapped. | 7,847 |
| Temple Main | 1958 | Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd, Dundee | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1961 sold renamed Irini, 1984 sold renamed Spirit, 1984 scrapped at Gadani Beach. | 8,005 |
| Temple Mead (1) | 1928 | Built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 21 January 1941 bombed and sunk with the loss of 14 lives. | 4,427 |
| Temple Mead (2) | see Coulgorm. | ||
| Temple Moat | 1928 | Built by Wm Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 23 February 1941 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.69 with the loss of 41 lives. | 4,427 |
| Temple Pier | 1928 | Built by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | Registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 17 June 1940 seized at Algiers by Vichy Government renamed Saint Fernand, 1942 to Italian Government renamed Alcono, 1946 returned to owner renamed Temple Pier, 1947 sold to C. Strubin & Co. renamed Lake Geneva, 1950 sold to Great Eastern Shipping Co. renamed Jag Rani, 1951 sold to Nippon Kisen renamed Ryuko Maru, 05 December 1962 foundered. | 4,312 |
| Temple Yard | 1937 | Built by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | ex- Darleny, 1937 purchased from Douglas & Ramsey renamed Temple Yard, registered for Temple Steam Ship Company, 1951 sold to Orion Shipping & Trading Co. renamed Flisvos, 1952 sold to Taiheiyo Kaiun renamed Hoyo Maru, 1969 sold to Ednasa Co. renamed Yuan Tung, 1970 scrapped at Kaohsiung. | 5,205 |
| Terlings (1) | 1871 | Built by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland | ex- Terlings, 1884 purchased, 1889 stranded. | 572 |
| Terlings (2) | 1937 | Built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | 21 July 1940 bombed and sunk near Catherines Point with the loss of 10 lives. | 2,318 |
| Tintern Abbey | 1910 | Built by Irvine's Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool | Launched as Lamorna for Turnbull & Co., Leith but completed for SMG as Graanhandel, 1916 transferred to Lloyd Royal Belge renamed Colombier, 1922 sold to Abbey Line, Cardiff renamed Tintern Abbey, 1923 sold to Lambert Bros, London, 1923 resold to W. H. van der Zee, Smyrna renamed Christine, 1933 sold to Euxine Shipping Co., London renamed Christine Marie, 1936 sold to Lovisa Angfartygs A/B, Lovisa, Finland renamed Inga, Dec.1940 sunk in collision with Danish s/s SILKESBORG in Kiel Canal. | 1,815 |
| Vernon | 1878 | Built by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland | ex- Vernon, 1887 purchased from H. Wrightson, 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 31 August 1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine. | 1,042 |
| Victoria Peak | 1912 | Built by Flensburger Schiffsbau Gesellschaft, Flensburg | ex- Stolberg built for Deutsch Australische DS, 1914 interned in Dutch East Indies, 1919 war reparations to Britain, 1921 sold to Union S.S. Co. of New Zealand renamed Waiotapu, 1946 sold to Lambert Bros, Liverpool renamed Victoria Peak, 1947 sold to Wallem & Co. renamed Shah Rokh, 1947 sold renamed Dah Hung, 1951 scrapped. | 5,886 |
| Walker | 1890 | Built by Wood, Skinner & Co., Newcastle | 1896 to W. Cory & Son, 1904 sold to M. Kanazawa, Japan renamed Kaiun Maru, 1935 sold to Marusyo Kaiun renamed Nissyo Maru, 23 July 1945 mined off Shimonoseki. | 606 |