1874-1884

General trading.

1884-1967

UK - Australia & New Zealand

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Commodore Master

Turnbull, Martin & Company / Scottish Shire Line

1874

Turnbull, Martin and Co was set up in Glasgow by James Turnbull. He transferred his ship Sandringham into the new company

The first 2 ships built for the company were Ayrshire and Buteshire.

1884

The partners in Turnbull, Martin joined with other Glasgow investors to set up the Elderslie Steam Ship Co Ltd to enter the New Zealand trade, managed by Turnbull and Martin

1893

The name Shire Line was first used on sailings on the Glasgow/Liverpool/Manchester/London – Cape Town – Australia – New Zealand route.

1897

Turnbull and Martin had phased out their 6 tramp steamers and ceased to own vessels directly.

1904

The joint Federal-Houlder-Shire Line was formed.

1909

The combined fleet consisted of 7 Shire, 4 Houlder and 11 Federal ships plus 2 ships chartered from British India.

1910

Clan Line acquired a controlling interest in Shire Line.  

Elderslie was taken over by a new company, Scottish Shire Line Ltd. Cayzer, Irvine and Co Ltd acquired a controlling interest in the new company, the balance of the shares being held by ex-Elderslie shareholders. Turnbull, Martin became the managers.

1912

Federal was taken over by New Zealand Shipping Co. Houlder withdrew from the combined group; the service became Federal & Shire Line, until it was cancelled on the outbreak of WW1.

1917

Cayzer, Irvine and Co purchased Turnbull, Martin and the balance of the shares in Shire.

By 1918

The Shire Line was operating as part of the Clan Line, although their ships retained their own naming system and livery.

Transfers between the companies were common and in 1956. the British & Commonwealth Shipping Co. was formed by the merger of the Clan and Union-Castle groups (see Clan Line history).

By 1967 the company had disappeared as a separate entity.

Refrigerated Cargo Ships