The Fleets
This page covers Warren Line, White Diamond SS Company, Furness Withy & Company, Johnston-Warren Line and Furness-Warren Line.
Successor to the White Diamond Line of sailing packets which failed in 1857, they bought up many of their ships and continued the Liverpool - Boston trade as George Warren's Line of Liverpool and Boston Packets. The company started passenger steamship sailings in 1865 as George Warren & Co. They became the White Diamond SS Co in 1898. In 1912, Furness Withy & Co acquired a controlling interest in the company and a new company - George Warren & Company (Liverpool) Ltd was formed. In 1922 the the name became Warren Line (Liverpool) Ltd and in 1934 they took over the Johnston Line and Neptune Steam Navigation Company to form the Johnston-Warren Line. They became known as the Furness-Warren Line in 1947.
They sailed mostly Liverpool to Boston, but also made calls at Halifax and Philadelphia.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edith Warren | 1868 | ship, 1878 sold to Kellock & Co, Liverpool. | 1,334 |
| Fred Warren | 1863 | ship, 1877 scrapped. | 983 |
| Lotte Warren | 1863 | ship, 1877 sold, 1879 scrapped. | 1,184 |
Steam Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany | 1922 | 1923 transferred to Rio Cape Line renamed Castilian Prince. | 3,489 |
| Appomattox | 1922 | 1924 transferred to Rio Cape Line renamed Sardinian Prince. | 3,491 |
| Aviemore | 1920 | 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1939 torpedoed and sunk off Lands End. | 4,060 |
| Bay State (1) | 1898 | 1899 wrecked Cape Ballard, NF. | 6,824 |
| Bay State (2) | 1915 | 1917 torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic. | 6,583 |
| Bay State (3) | 1919 | ex- Spartan Prince , 1923 transferred from Prince Line renamed Bay State, 1928 sold to Greece renamed Eleni Stathatos. | 5,247 |
| Beechmore | 1954 | 1965 transferred to Prince Line renamed English Prince. | 3,596 |
| Beemore | 1929 | tug, 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1958 transferred to Alexandra Towing Co, Liverpool renamed Mumbles. | 186 |
| Ceemore | 1929 | tug, 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1958 transferred to Alexandra Towing Co, Liverpool renamed Murton. | 186 |
| Chickahominy | 1921 | ex- Persiana , 1922 transferred from Furness Withy renamed Chickahominy, 1924 transferred to Rio Cape Line renamed Corsican Prince. | 3,493 |
| Deemore | 1930 | tug, 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1958 transferred to Alexandra Towing Co, Liverpool renamed Margam. | 186 |
| Digby | 1913 | 1914 commissioned as armed merchant cruiser HMS Digby, 1916 renamed Artois, 1918 reverted to Digby, 1925 transferred to Bermuda & West Indies SS Co renamed Dominica, 1934 sold to United Baltic Co renamed Baltrover, 1939-1944 chartered from United Baltic Co, 1944 returned to owners. | 3,966 |
| Dromore | 1920 | 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1955 sold to Costa Rica renamed Mictric. | 4,096 |
| Fort Victoria | 1912 | 1920 transferred from Bermuda & West Indies SS Co for 4 voyages. | 7,784 |
| Foylemore | 1958 | tug, 1969 sold to Rea Towing Co, Liverpool renamed Foylegarth. | 208 |
| Heathmore | 1945 | ex- Hickory Mount , 1948 purchased from US Maritime Commission renamed Heathmore, 1961 sold to Greece renamed Grecian Med. | 3,825 |
| Hoosac | 1918 | ex- Trojan Prince , 1923 transferred from Prince Line renamed Hoosac, 1930 sold to Yugoslavia renamed Nemanja. | 5,226 |
| Incemore | 1920 | 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1940 wrecked on Anticosti Island. | 4,098 |
| Iowa (1) | 1879 | 1891 damaged in ice field and abandoned. | 4,329 |
| Iowa (2) | 1902 | 1913 sold to HAPAG renamed Bohemia. | 8,370 |
| Jessmore (1) | 1921 | 1934 transferred from Johnston Line, 1941 sank after collision with s/s BARON HAIG. | 4,099 |
| Jessmore (2) | 1941 | ex- Empire Faith , 1946 purchased from MOWT renamed Jessmore, 1958 sold to Panama renamed Antiope. | 7,061 |
| Kansas | 1882 | 1906 scrapped. | 3,455 |
| Kenmore | 1923 | 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1937 sold to France renamed Lorrain. | 3,616 |
| Kilmore | 1958 | tug, 1969 sold to Rea Towing Co, Liverpool renamed Kilgarth. | 208 |
| London Exchange | 1921 | 1934 transferred from Neptune S.N. Co, 1938 sold to Ben Line (Wm. Thomson) renamed Benrinnes. | 5,415 |
| Massachusetts | 1866 | ex- Manhattan , 1875 purchased from Guion Line renamed Massachusetts, 1881 sold to Thistle Line renamed City of Lincoln. | 2,869 |
| Michigan | 1887 | 1914 converted to dummy battleship HMS Collingwood, 1915 beached at Dardanelles and later scrapped due to shellfire damage. | 4,982 |
| Minnesota | 1867 | 1875 purchased from Guion Line, 1882 sold to Spain renamed Vinuelas. | 3,008 |
| Missouri | 1881 | 1886 wrecked in Caernarvon Bay, Wales; no loss of life. | 5,146 |
| Mystic | 1959 | 1975 sold to Liberia renamed Sea Swallow. | 6,656 |
| Newfoundland (1) | 1925 | 1940 converted to hospital ship, 1943 bombed and sunk off Salerno; loss of 38 lives. | 6,791 |
| Newfoundland (2) | 1947 | 1962 sold to Domonion Nav. Co, Melbourne renamed George Anson as emigrant ship, 1971 scrapped. | 7,437 |
| Newfoundland (3) | 1964 | 1973 chartered to Shaw Savill & Albion renamed Cufic, 1974 reverted to Newfoundland, 1976 renamed Cufic, 1978 sold to Panama renamed Gaiety. | 6,660 |
| Nova Scotia (1) | 1926 | 1941 converted to troopship, 1942 torpedoed and sunk in the Indian Ocean SE of Lourenco Marques, while carrying Italian prisoners; loss of 858 lives. | 6,796 |
| Nova Scotia (2) | 1947 | 1962 sold to Dominion Nav. Co, Melbourne renamed Francis Drake as emigrant ship, 1971 scrapped. | 7,438 |
| Nova Scotia (3) | 1975 | 1973 chartered to Shaw Savill & Albion renamed Tropic, 1974 reverted to Nova Scotia, 1976 renamed Tropic, 1978 sold to Booker Line renamed Booker Valient. | 6,660 |
| Oakmore | 1939 | ex- Levante (Atlas Levante Line, Bremen), 1946 purchased from MOWT renamed Oakmore, 1967 scrapped. | 4,735 |
| Pinemore | 1955 | 1965 transferred to Prince Line renamed African Prince. | 3,597 |
| Quernmore | 1923 | 1935 transferred from Johnston Line, 1937 sold to France renamed Alsacien. | 3,787 |
| Rhode Island | 1918 | 1927 sold to West Hartlepool S.N. Co renamed Polamhall. | 5,655 |
| Rossmore | 1958 | tug, 1969 sold to Rea Towing Co, Liverpool renamed Rossgarth. | 206 |
| Rowanmore | 1956 | 1958 transferred to Brocklebank Line renamed Madulsima, 1961 reverted to Rowanmore, chartered to Pacific Steam Nav. Co, 1973 sold to Cyprus renamed Adrianna I. | 8,492 |
| Sachem | 1893 | 1927 scrapped. | 5,204 |
| Sagamore | 1892 | 1917 torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic; loss of 52 lives. | 5,036 |
| Savannah | 1918 | ex- Grecian Prince , 1923 transferred from Prince Line renamed Savannah, 1927 sold to Yugoslavia renamed Nevesinje. | 5,263 |
| Sycamore | 1950 | 1955 chartered to Watts, Watts & Co, London renamed Walsingham, 1957 reverted to Sycamore, 1965 transferred to Prince Line renamed Merchant Prince. | 3,343 |
| Victoria | 1867 | ex- Nebraska , 1876 purchased from Guion Line renamed Victoria, 1887 scrapped. | 3,985 |
Chartered Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angloman | 1892 | 1892-1896 chartered from British & North Atlantic S.N. Co. | 4,892 |
| Baltrover | see Digby. | ||
| Borderer | 1884 | 1884-1897 chartered. | 4,740 |
| Bosphorus | 1864 | 1865-1867 chartered. | 2,045 |
| Brazilian | 1852 | 1879-1881 chartered from Merchants Trading Co, London. | 3,496 |
| Cambroman | 1892 | 1892-1899 chartered from British & North Atlantic S.N. Co. | 6,059 |
| Canopus | 1870 | 1878-1880 chartered from Moss Line, Liverpool. | 2,802 |
| Chesapeake | 1872 | 1872-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,474 |
| Concordia | 1862 | ex- Caledonia (Anchor Line), 1866 chartered from USA for one voyage. | 1,348 |
| Delaware | 1865 | 1866-1869 chartered. | 2,200 |
| Eastern Prince | 1929 | 1940-1941 chartered from Prince Line for 7 voyages. | 10,926 |
| Ganges | 1867 | 1871-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,410 |
| Glamorgan | 1872 | 1879-1883 chartered from South Wales Atlantic Co, 1883 sank; loss of 7 lives. | 2,411 |
| Java | 1865 | 1877-1878 chartered from Cunard SS Co. 1878 sold to Red Star Line renamed Zeeland. | 2,696 |
| Melita | 1853 | 1867-1868 chartered from Cunard SS Co. 1868 destroyed by fire at sea. | 1,254 |
| Nepthis | 1877 | 1878-1896 chartered from Moss Line, Liverpool. | 2,010 |
| Nerissa | 1926 | 1939 chartered from Bermuda & West Indies SS Co. 1941 torpedoed and sunk off Inistrahull on voyage Halifax - Liverpool; loss of 207 lives. | 5,583 |
| Norseman | 1882 | 1882-1899 chartered from British & North Atlantic S.N. Co, 1899 wrecked near Boston. | 4,386 |
| Northern Prince | 1928 | 1940-1941 chartered from Prince Line for 7 voyages, 1941 bombed and sunk off Greece. | 10,917 |
| Nyanza | 1867 | 1871-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,859 |
| Ottoman | 1890 | 1890-1896 chartered from British & North Atlantic S.N. Co. | 4,843 |
| Palestine | 1858 | 1876-1892 chartered from W. H. Jones, Liverpool. | 2,867 |
| Pembroke | 1873 | 1878-1881 chartered from South Wales Atlantic Co, 1881 sank after collision with s/s GANOS off Boston. | 2,410 |
| Peruvian | 1863 | 1866-1867 chartered from British & American SS Co. | 1,713 |
| Potomac | 1872 | 1872-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,832 |
| Propontis | 1864 | 1865-1868 chartered. | 2,132 |
| Roman | 1884 | 1884-1895 chartered from British & North Atlantic S.N. Co. | 4,491 |
| Shannon | 1871 | 1871-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,210 |
| Sir Francis | 1872 | 1872-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co, 1873 wrecked New Hampshire. | 1,833 |
| Tagus | 1868 | 1871-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,899 |
| Tiber | 1870 | 1871-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,739 |
| Trent | 1870 | 1871-1873 chartered from Mercantile SS Co. | 1,410 |
| Western Prince | 1929 | 1940 chartered from Prince Line, 1940 torpedoed and sunk; loss of 14 lives. | 10,926 |