The Fleets
This page covers Shire Line and D.J.Jenkins & Co.
Formed 1860 as D.J.Jenkins & Co, London and commenced shipowning in 1861, sailing mostly to India and the Far East. In 1896 the company was restyled David Jenkins & Co Ltd and in 1906 a half share in the Shire Line, but not in the parent company, was sold to Brocklebank's. Both companies contributed five ships each to the Jenkins-Brocklebank pool which ran a weekly service to Japan. In 1907 the whole of the Jenkins business was sold to Royal Mail S.P.Co, which gave them a half share in the Brocklebank-Royal Mail venture which became known as the Shire Line of Steamers Ltd. Brocklebank sold their share of the business to Royal Mail in 1911 and in 1912 Shire and Glen Lines (also owned by Royal Mail) were fused and in 1920 was renamed Glen & Shire Line. For later history, see Glen Line.
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
Sail
- 1861-1872 London - Cape of Good Hope - China.
- 1872-1888 London - China - Japan
- London - India - China
- London - Karachi
Steam
- 1872-1910 London - Suez - Colombo - Singapore - Hong Kong - Nagasaki - Yokohama - Kobe.
- 1910-1920 Hamburg - Antwerp - London - Suez - Singapore - Hong Kong - Hiogo - Yokohama - Chinese Coastal ports.
Sailing Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiganshire (1) | 1864 | barquentine, 1882 sold to R.Jones, Criccieth. | 365 |
| Carmarthenshire (1) | 1865 | ship, 1885 wrecked off Holland. | 812 |
| Carnarvonshire (1) | 1866 | ship, 1880 sold to R.Richards, Barmouth. | 388 |
| Denbighshire (1) | 1870 | barque, 1885 sold to C.Pappalos, Syra renamed Omonia. | 483 |
| Eastward Ho | 1861 | barque, 1862 purchased from E.Heard, Charlottetown, PEI, 1870 sold to H.Cliff, London. | 386 |
| Glamorganshire (1) | 1869 | barque, 1884 sold to J.Kirby, London. | 472 |
| Mary Evans | 1861 | barque, 1882 sold to B.B.Nicholl, Sydney. | 306 |
| Pembrokeshire (1) | 1864 | ship, 1872 re-rigged as barque, 1887 sold to A.B.Troop, Nova Scotia. | 721 |
| Southern Queen | 1866 | ship, 1868 purchased from G.Campbell, Liverpool, 1888 sold to H.Curwen, Liverpool. | 790 |
| W.W. Smith | 1857 | ship, 1870 purchased from Hind & Co, Liverpool, 1875 re-rigged as barque, 1878 hulked. | 661 |
| Webfoot | 1856 | ship, 1864 purchased from underwriters, 1885 sold to W.Woodside, Belfast. | 1,061 |
Steam Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vessel | Built | Years in Service | Tons |
| Brecknockshire | 1917 | 1917 captured and sunk by German raider Moewe. | 8,422 |
| Breconshire (1) | 1878 | 1886 wrecked Lamoka, China. | 1,800 |
| Breconshire (2) | 1883 | ex- Numida , 1886 purchased from Porteous & Senior, London renamed Breconshire, 1893 sold to Breconshire SS Co, Newcastle. | 2,544 |
| Breconshire (3) | 1891 | ex- Pindari , 1906 transferred from Brocklebank Line renamed Breconshire, 1911 sold to Japan renamed Shinyo Maru. | 5,713 |
| Cardiganshire (2) | 1883 | 1894 sold to Japan renamed Iburi Maru. | 2,486 |
| Cardiganshire (3) | 1899 | 1900 sold to Japan renamed Tsurugisan Maru. | 3,838 |
| Cardiganshire (4) | 1889 | ex- Ameer , 1906 transferred from Brocklebank Line renamed Cardiganshire, 1907 taken over by Royal Mail SP Co, 1911 sold to Japan renamed Hakushika Maru. | 4,127 |
| Cardiganshire (5) | 1913 | 1929 sold to Christian Salvesen & Co renamed Salvestria (whale factory ship) | 9,426 |
| Carmarthenshire (2) | 1887 | 1901 sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co, London renamed Maracas. | 2,726 |
| Carmarthenshire (3) | 1893 | ex- Sabor, 1908 transferred from Royal Mail SP Co renamed Carmarthenshire, 1913 reverted to Royal Mail SP Co renamed Chaleur. | 4,745 |
| Carmarthenshire (4) | 1915 | 1929 sold to Christian Salvesen & Co renamed Sourabaya (whale factory ship) | 7,823 |
| Carnarvonshire (2) | 1890 | ex- Gaekwar, 1906 transferred from Brocklebank Line renamed Carnarvonshire, 1907 taken over by Royal Mail SP Co, 1911 sold to N.Fredriksen, Sandefjord renamed Falkland. | 4,220 |
| Carnarvonshire (3) | 1914 | 1933 transferred to Glen Line | 9,406 |
| Denbighshire (2) | 1885 | 1894 sold to Japan renamed Fukuoka Maru. | 2,538 |
| Denbighshire (3) | 1899 | 1907 taken over by Royal Mail SP Co, 1919 transferred to Royal Mail SP Co renamed Tamar. | 3,844 |
| Flintshire (1) | 1872 | 1873-74 chartered to Eastern & Australian Mail Steam Co, 1888 sold to Lim Tiang Hee, Singapore. | 1,565 |
| Flintshire (2) | 1888 | 1895 sold to Japan renamed Toyohashi Maru. | 2,879 |
| Flintshire (3) | 1896 | 1907 taken over by Royal Mail SP Co, 1913 sold to Ellerman Lines renamed Algerian. | 3,815 |
| Glamorganshire (2) | 1884 | 1897 wrecked near Cape James. | 2,835 |
| Glamorganshire (3) | 1900 | 1902 sold to Japan renamed Bombay Maru. | 4,625 |
| Glamorganshire (4) | 1900 | ex- Marwarri , 1906 transferred from Brocklebank Line renamed Glamorganshire, 1911 transferred back to Brocklebank Line renamed Marwarri. | 5,659 |
| Glamorganshire (5) | 1918 | ex- War Armour *, 1919 purchased from The Shipping Controller renamed Glamorganshire, 1933 scrapped Holland. | 8,192 |
| Merionethshire (1) | 1878 | 1890 sold to Quebec SS Co, London renamed Caribee. | 1,817 |
| Merionethshire (2) | 1895 | 1907 sold to Ellerman Lines renamed Bavarian. | 3,012 |
| Merionethshire (3) | 1913 | 1918 torpedoed and sunk off Azores. | 4,308 |
| Monmouthshire (1) | 1886 | 1902 sold to Quebec SS Co, London renamed Korona. | 2,874 |
| Monmouthshire (2) | 1902 | 1907 taken over by Royal Mail SP Co, 1919 transferred to Royal Mail SP Co renamed Tyne. | 5,092 |
| Montgomeryshire (1) | 1873 | 1877 sold to Japan renamed Akitsushima Maru. | 1,725 |
| Montgomeryshire (2) | 1901 | ex- Bengali , 1906 transferred from Brocklebank Line renamed Montgomeryshire, 1912 reverted to Brocklebank renamed Bengali. | 5,665 |
| Montgomeryshire (3) | 1921 | ex- War Valour *, completed as Montgomeryshire, 1931 sold to Italy renamed Riv. | 6,650 |
| Pembrokeshire (2) | 1882 | 1893 sold to Quebec SS Co, London renamed Fontabelle. | 2,632 |
| Pembrokeshire (3) | 1901 | 1903 sold to Japan renamed Mandasan Maru. | 4,513 |
| Pembrokeshire (4) | 1893 | ex- Segura , 1908 transferred from Royal Mail SP Co renamed Pembrokeshire, 1913 reverted to Royal Mail SP Co renamed Chignecto. | 4,757 |
| Pembrokeshire (5) | 1914 | 1935 sold to T.Dunlop & Sons, Glasgow. | 7,821 |
| Radnorshire (1) | 1876 | 1885 wrecked Malta. | 1,810 |
| Radnorshire (2) | 1890 | 1907 sold to Greece renamed Assimacos. | 2,898 |
| Radnorshire (3) | 1913 | 1917 captured and sunk by German raider Moewe. | 4,310 |
| Radnorshire (4) | 1919 | ex- War Diamond *, completed as Radnorshire, 1930 sold to H.Thomson, London renamed Sithonia. | 6,723 |