Glen Line was a UK shipping line that was founded in Glasgow in 1867. Its head office was later moved first to London and then to Liverpool.

History

The firm had its roots in the co-operation between the Gow and McGregor families in Glasgow in the 1850s. Alan C Gow was a voyage broker, James McGregor organised the freight to fill the ships and by 1860 they were in partnership. In 1867 Alan Gow had the sailing ship '' Estrella de Chile'' built to ply the route between Glasgow, Liverpool, and Chile via

Cape Horn Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramírez ...

. She was wrecked in 1888. In 1868 the partners bought the

barque A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel with three or more mast (sailing), masts having the fore- and mainmasts Square rig, rigged square and only the mizzen (the aftmost mast) Fore-and-aft rig, rigged fore and aft. Som ...

''Glenavon''. She was the first of their ships to have the Glen- prefix in her name. In 1881 the firm had the iron-hulled steamship '' Glenavon'' built. She was wrecked off the coast of China in 1898, killing 53 people. In 1911, Elder Dempster and Co acquired The Glen Line. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Glen Line lost five ships to

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

attacks, including its first

motor ship A motor ship or motor vessel is a ship propelled by an internal combustion engine, usually a diesel engine. The names of motor ships are often prefixed with MS, M/S, MV or M/V. Engines for motorships were developed during the 1890s, and by th ...

, , in 1918. In 1922, the Glen Line opened its new building on the Bund in Shanghai. The shipping agency occupied the first floor and the upper floors were rented out.The Glen Line Building - built in 1922 (No. 28, The Bund)
Shanghai Eastday The Glen Line was sold to Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel line in 1935. The company lost two further ships to U-boat attacks in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. By 1978 all Glen Line ships had been sold.

References

External links

* * * * 1867 establishments in Scotland Defunct shipping companies of the United Kingdom {{Scotland-stub

History

References

Further reading

External links