Walter Runciman, was born in 1847 and during his long career was made a baronet in 1906 and 1933 was raised to the peerage as the first Baron Runciman
of Shoreston. Rather confusingly his son, also Walter Runciman was a prominent Liberal Member of Parliament was also raised to the peerage in 1937
as Viscount Runciman of Doxford. A few months the elder Lord Runciman died and Viscount Runciman inherited his shipping business.
Runciman bought his first ship in 1885 and formed the South Shields Steam Shipping Co Ltd in 1889. As business expanded the company head office
moved to Newcastle upon Tyne. They had 20 steamers by the time he changed the name of the company to Moor Line Ltd in April 1897.
By the beginning of WW1, the Runciman group (including Moor Line) had 40 vessels but lost 21 to enemy action. Runciman was astute enough
to foresee a slump in business and in 1919, at the age of 72 sold his shipping interests, including 13 ships, to Western Counties Shipping
Co Ltd for £1,800,000. He kept his office staff together however, managing a small shipping company. In 1920 he formed a new Moor Line Ltd
and in 1922 when Western Counties collapsed he bought 8 of his ships for £175,000!
In 1935, at the age of 88 he bought Anchor Line out of liquidation. (See the notes on Anchor Line for
the history of that company’s acquisition, disposal and re-acquisition)
When WW2 broke out the Runciman part of the group (excluding Anchor) owned 17 ships.
In 1968, Moor Line Ltd changed its name to Walter Runciman & Co Ltd and transferred the ownership of the entire fleet to Anchor Line
Ship Management Ltd, a newly created company.
Doxford 2SA 4 cylinder oil engine with cylinders of bore 600mm and stroke 2,320mm
Engine Builder
N/K
Engine Builder Works
N/K
Engine Builder Country
N/K
Boiler Details
N/K
Propulsion Type
Single Screw
Power
N/K
Maximum Speed
12.5
Career Highlights
Date
Event
10 December 1946
Launched
May 1947
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
Wrecked
Service History Information
Change of name to Ratna Shobhana and owner to Ratnakar Sg Co Ltd 1962. The vessel was wrecked off Muna Khali,
8 miles off Garden Reach, Calcutta on 5 June 1966 as a result of a steering gear failure whilst en route from Rangoon to Calcutta
with a cargo of bagged rice.
The vessel was sunk on 31 March 1942 by German submarine U-71 at approximate position 37° 33' N, 68° 18' W whilst en route
from Savannah to the UK with a general cargo. Details of those that lost their lives can be found on the Benjidog Tower Hill Memorial website
HERE.
2SA, Doxford type, with 4 cylinders of bore 600mm and stroke 2320mm
Engine Builder
R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd
Engine Builder Works
Hebburn
Engine Builder Country
N/K
Boiler Details
N/K
Propulsion Type
Single Screw
Power
N/K
Maximum Speed
12.5
Career Highlights
Date
Event
22 September 1953
Launched
March 1954
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 Anchor Line Ltd 1968, change of name to Freddie I and owner to Hesperus Nav Corp 1978.
Taken to Gadani Beach for breaking by Zulfiqar Metals Ltd - beached 6 October 1978.
Change of name to Kelsomead and owner to Western Counties Sg Co Ltd 1920, change of name to Kelsomoor
and owner to Moor Line Ltd 1922, change of name to Hai Yu and owner to Yih Zeu Fong & Sung Weh Kuei 1937,
change of name to Gemlock and owner to G.E. Marden 1938, change of owner to British Government 1945. The vessel was
scuttled on 11 July 1946 with a cargo of defective munitions at approximate position 31° 44' N, 30° 25' E - about 45 North-East of Alexandria.
2SCSA oil engine with 3 cylinders of bore 20 1/2" and stroke 81 7/8"
Engine Builder
William Doxford & Sons Ltd.
Engine Builder Works
Sunderland
Engine Builder Country
UK
Boiler Details
2 double-ended boilers operating at 120 psi
Propulsion Type
Single Screw
Power
388 NHP
Maximum Speed
11
Additional Construction Information
1 deck and shelter deck
Cruiser stern
Career Highlights
Date
Event
4 April 1935
Launched
May 1935
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
Wrecked
Service History Information
Change of owner to Runciman Sg Co Ltd 1938, change of owner to Walter Runciman & Co Ltd 1947, change of owner to Moor Line Ltd 1950,
change of name to Transic and owner to Rederi A/B Nordic 1955, change of name to Kalliopi D. Lemos and owner
to Valviosa Cia Naviera SA 1961, change of name to E. Myrtidiotissa 1965. The vessel was wrecked on 1 October 1965 at
position 64° 41' 12" N, 39° 47' E whilst en route from Cardiff to Archangel in ballast.
2SCSA oil engine with 3 cylinders of bore 21 1/4" and stroke 85"
Engine Builder
William Doxford & Sons Ltd.
Engine Builder Works
Sunderland
Engine Builder Country
UK
Boiler Details
2 double-ended boilers operating at 120 psi
Propulsion Type
Single Screw
Power
417 NHP
Maximum Speed
10.5
Additional Construction Information
1 deck and shelter deck
Cruiser stern
Career Highlights
Date
Event
29 October 1928
Launched
November 1928d
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 (Act of War)
Service History Information
The vessel was sunk on 17 May 1943 by torpedoes fired by German submarine U-198 at position 28° 27' S, 32° 43' E.
Details of those that lost their lives can be found on the Benjidog Tower Hill Memorial website
HERE.
She had been en route from Lourenco Marques to Buenos Aires with a cargo of coal.
The vessel was sunk on 31 May 1940 by a torpedo fired by German submarine U-101 at position 49° 43' N, 03° 23' W.
She was en route from Bona to the Tyne with a cargo of 8,150 tons of iron ore. Details of those that lost their lives can be found on the
Benjidog Tower Hill Website HERE.
Note that the panel on the Tower Hill memorial incorrectly records the name of the ship as Orange Moor.
