The Allen Collection|Hughes Line

History

Richard Hughes of Flintshire was a coastal ship owner based in Liverpool; because of its size, the fleet was sometimes referred to as 'The Welsh Navy'.

Hughes started up a number of single ship companies with funding from a small number of contributors, though later he owned ships himself. All of the ships had the suffix 'Rose'. The first company was the Primrose Steamship Company founded in 1885. The fleet was gradually built up with a mixture of old and new ships. Transport of china clay was the major trade though they also carried coal and probably iron ore. Coastal trade around the UK was later expanded to France and the fleet continued to grow during WW1 - ships still being named Rose but with patriotic names e.g. those of French generals. Hughes had 14 ships at the beginning of the war, and most were brought into government service - though only one was lost. Hughes got out of the business in 1920 just in time to avoid a major loss of trade. The company he sold to went into liquidation and Hughes bought many of the ships back and had increased the fleet to 20 ships by around 1925 and 28 by 1932. This last period of expansion coincided with an economic depression and Hughes went into receivership.

The fleet was kept largely together under new management and a new company called Richard Hughes and Co. (Liverpool) Ltd. was formed - Hughes name was still considered to be of value. Despite the setbacks, the company had 25 ships at the outbreak of WW2 but lost 8 ships to enemy action.

In 1952 after further sales a new company called Hughes Holden Shipping Ltd was formed. After that the ships were sold off piecemeal over time with the last one being disposed of in 1961.

I had looked for an image showing a flag for this group of companies for many years without success, but in April 2025 I received an email from Sarah Moar who believes the founder was the twin brother of her great grandfather. She has a vesta case that belonged to him which has a picture of the house flag on it. The image below shows the vesta case and I have extracted the house flag from it for the top of the page.

Vesta Case — Vesta case showing the Hughes house flag

Ships

Blush Rose (1913)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	R. Hughes & Co
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	De Merwede S & M
Shipyard	Hardinxveld
Country where built	Netherlands
Yard Number	104
Official Number	135482
Call Sign	MDYS
Classification Society	Lloyds Register
Gross Tonnage	645
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	281
Length	178 Ft 4"
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	28 Ft 1"
Depth	11 Ft 1"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 15", 25", 40" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	Earles's Co Ltd
Engine Builder Works	Hull
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	2 single-ended boilers operating at 150 psi
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	82 RHP
Maximum Speed	N/K

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
7 May 1913	Launched
15 July 1913	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Sunk/foundered (Peacetime)
Service History Information	The vessel sank following a collision with Glaucus at position 53° 26' 30" N, 5° 05' W on 2 August 1945 whilst en route from Dublin to Preston in ballast.

Brier Rose (1892)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	Brier Rose SS Co Ltd
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	John Shearer & Son
Shipyard	Front Yard Glasgow
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	7
Official Number	99394
Call Sign	MPCW
Classification Society	Lloyds Register
Gross Tonnage	503
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	196
Length	165 Ft
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	25 Ft 2"
Depth	11 Ft 5"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Compound Engine
Engine Details	2-cylinder compound engine with cylinders of bore 19" and 44" and stroke 80"
Engine Builder	Hutson & Corbett
Engine Builder Works	Glasgow
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	1 single-ended boiler operating at 120 psi
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	104 NHP
Maximum Speed	11

Additional Construction Information

1 iron deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
19 March 1892	Launched
8 April 1892	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Unknown
Service History Information	Change of owner to R. Hughes & Co 1918, change of owner to Owen H.Donelly & Robert Leeson 1920, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co 1921, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co (Liverpool) Ltd 1934. The vessel went missing in the Irish Sea having sailed from Belfast on 25 March 1941 to take a cargo of steel billets to Cardiff. Those lost are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial and details can be found on the Benjido Tower Hill website HERE.

Item

Value

Status

Unknown

Service History Information

Change of owner to R. Hughes & Co 1918, change of owner to Owen H.Donelly & Robert Leeson 1920, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co 1921, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co (Liverpool) Ltd 1934. The vessel went missing in the Irish Sea having sailed from Belfast on 25 March 1941 to take a cargo of steel billets to Cardiff. Those lost are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial and details can be found on the Benjido Tower Hill website HERE.

Gronant Rose (1924)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	R. Hughes & Co
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	Fullerton & Co
Shipyard	Paisley - Merksworth Works
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	272
Official Number	147286
Call Sign	N/K
Classification Society	N/K
Gross Tonnage	1,110
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	639
Length	220 Ft 5"
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	34 Ft 2"
Depth	13 Ft 2"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 17", 27", 45" and stroke 33"
Engine Builder	Bow, McLachlan & Co. Ltd
Engine Builder Works	Paisley
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	N/K
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	169NHP
Maximum Speed	10

Career Highlights

Date	Event
16 September 1924	Launched
16 October 1924	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Sunk/foundered (Peacetime)
Service History Information	The vessel foundered off Pierres Vertes, South Ushant on 27 September 1929 whilst en route from Cardiff to Brest with a cargo of coal

Guelder Rose (1913)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	R. Hughes & Co
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	De Merwede S & M
Shipyard	Hardinxveld
Country where built	Netherlands
Yard Number	117
Official Number	135512
Call Sign	MDZW
Classification Society	Lloyds Register
Gross Tonnage	700
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	302
Length	180 Ft
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	28 Ft 1"
Depth	12 Ft 2"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 15", 25", 40" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	Earle's Co Ltd
Engine Builder Works	Hull
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	2 single-ended boilers operating at 180 psi
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	82 RHP
Maximum Speed	N/K

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
N/K	Launched
30 November 1913	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Broken Up
Service History Information	Change of owner to Williamstown Sg Co Ltd 1941, Change of owner to N.W.Spratt Ltd 1942, change of owner to F.G. Browne 1943, change of name to Riversider 1947, change of name to Akenside and owner to Connell & Grace Ltd 1951. Taken to Grangemouth 28 September 1954 for breaking by G.W.Brunton.

Pink Rose (1898)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	R. Hughes & Co
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	Grangemouth Dockyard Company
Shipyard	Grangemouth
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	191
Official Number	109433
Call Sign	MCJM
Classification Society	N/K
Gross Tonnage	596
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	270
Length	175 Ft
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	26 Ft 3"
Depth	11 Ft 6"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 13", 21 1/2", 34" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	Muir & Houston Ltd
Engine Builder Works	Glasgow
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	1 single-ended boiler
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	60 RHP
Maximum Speed	N/K

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
7 May 1898	Launched
June 1898	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item

Value

Status

Sunk/foundered (Peacetime)

Service History Information

Completed for R. Hughes & Co as Pansy. Change of owner to Alexander Hutson 1905, change of owner to R. Hughes & Co 1909, change of owner to Owen H.Donnelly & Robert Leeson 1920, change of owner to R. Hughes & Co 1921, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co (Liverpool) Ltd 1934, change of name to Pink Rose 1937. The vessel sank on 4 May 1941 after colliding with Georgios P. approximately 10 miles North of Sough Bishop whilst en route from Swansea to Dublin with a cargo of coal.

Primrose (1910)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	Richard Hughes & Co
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	Fullerton & Co
Shipyard	Merksworth Works Paisley
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	215
Official Number	Grangemouth Dockyard Company
Call Sign	MDPZ
Classification Society	N/K
Gross Tonnage	611
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	256
Length	175 Ft
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	28 Ft 1"
Depth	10 Ft 5"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 14 7/8", 24", 40" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	Ross & Duncan
Engine Builder Works	Glasgow
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	1 single-ended boiler
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	90 RHP
Maximum Speed	10

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
31 March 1910	Launched
26 April 1910	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Sunk/foundered (Peacetime)
Service History Information	Change of owner to Owen H.Donnelly & Robert Leeson 1920, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co 1921, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co (Liverpool) Ltd 1934. The vessel capsized and sank approximately 4 miles SE of the Daunt Light Vessel on 30 January 1941 whilst en route from Dublin to Cork with a cargo of maize.

Sturdee Rose (1922)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	R.Hughes & Co
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	Hansen Ship Building & Ship Repair Co. Ltd.
Shipyard	Bideford
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	4
Official Number	145983
Call Sign	MLDS
Classification Society	Lloyds Register
Gross Tonnage	873
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	443
Length	190 Ft
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	30 Ft 1"
Depth	12 Ft 5"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 15", 25", 41" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	Lytham SB & E. Co Ltd
Engine Builder Works	Lytham
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	2 single-ended boilers operating at 180 psi
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	84 RHP
Maximum Speed	9.5

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
27 May 1922	Launched
21 October 1922	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Other
Service History Information	The vessel capsized off Trevose Head on 16 November 1945 with the loss of 8 lives. She was en route from Garston to Plymouth with a cargo of coal.

Welsh Rose (1922)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	Thomas Rose
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd.
Shipyard	Goole
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	241
Official Number	144860
Call Sign	MLDV
Classification Society	Lloyds Register
Gross Tonnage	581
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	252
Length	175 Ft2"
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	27 Ft
Depth	10 Ft 5"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 13", 21 1/2", 35" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	W. Beardmore & Co ltd
Engine Builder Works	Glasgow
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	1 single-ended boiler operating at 180 psi
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	85 RHP
Maximum Speed	8.5

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
23 September 1922	Launched
October 1922	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Broken Up
Service History Information	Completed for Thomas Rose as Brookside. Change of name to Welsh Rose and owner to R. Hughes & Co 1929, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co (Liverpool) Ltd 1934, change of name to Sussex Birch and owner to Geo.W.Grace & Co 1946, change of name to Holdernile and owner to Holderness SS Co Ltd 1953. Taken to Gateshead 15 November 1955 for breaking by C.W.Dorkin & Co.

Wild Rose (1921)

Basic Data

Item	Value
Type	Cargo Ship
Original Owners and Managers	Hansen Sg Co Ltd
Country First Registered	UK
Shipbuilder	Fullerton & Co
Shipyard	Merksworth Works Paisley
Country where built	UK
Yard Number	2
Official Number	145179
Call Sign	MXPX
Classification Society	Lloyds Register
Gross Tonnage	873
Deadweight (DWT)	N/K
Net Tonnage	431
Length	190 Ft
Overall Length	N/K
Breadth or Beam	30 Ft 1"
Depth	12 Ft 5"
Draught	N/K
Engine Type	Triple-expansion Steam Engine
Engine Details	Cylinders of bore 15", 25", 41" and stroke 27"
Engine Builder	Lytham SB & E. Co Ltd
Engine Builder Works	Lytham
Engine Builder Country	UK
Boiler Details	2 single-ended boilers operating at 180 pse
Propulsion Type	Single Screw
Power	51 RHP
Maximum Speed	8.5

Additional Construction Information

1 steel deck - well deck
Machinery aft

Career Highlights

Date	Event
February 1921	Launched
April 1921	Completed

Crew and Capacity Information

Item	Value
Crew	N/K
Passengers	N/K
Cargo Capacity	N/K

Status and Service History Information

Item	Value
Status	Broken Up
Service History Information	Completed for Hansen Sg Co Ltd as Monkstone. Change of name to Wild Rose and owner to R. Hughes & Co 1922, change of owner to Richard Hughes & Co (Liverpool) Ltd 1934, change of name to Sussex Elm and owner to George W.Grace & Co Ltd 1951, change of name to Holdernene and owner to Holderness SS Co Ltd 1953. Taken to Dublin 19 February 1958 for breaking by Hammond Lane Foundry.