The death of our Chairman in November 1946 was a grievous loss to us, for around him personally had grown the Saint Line “family” tradition: he was constantly looked upon as the Father of The Company and those who were close to him knew that the ships, and those that manned them, were always in his thoughts.

Though he had great responsibilities and wide interests and a head filled with a fund of knowledge upon an amazing number of subjects his heart was always with the ships and during the last ten years it was hard to believe that anything had a greater attraction for him and we are glad and proud to know it.

He knew ships intimately and loved them, having a number of working models and many that he had built himself, so, as might be expected, he took a keen interest in the designs of our new ships and made specific contributions of his own.

Lord Howard’s influence was felt throughout the Company because, apart from any formal decisions which were expressed, all policy measuresuo to what was known, or felt, to meet his views and our standards are what they are because he set them.

Thoughout the war, despite the many difficulties, he maintained regular contact with Saint Line affairs and took a vivid and deep interest in everything that concerned us.

War-time regulations prevented him from realising his desire to sail in the ships during that time, but it was arranged that he should sail in the MV St Merriel last October; his last illness, however, forced him to reluctantly to decide a week before she left that he could not go. It was a great disappointment, because there is no doubt that had he lived all our ships would have come to know him in this way.

Lord Howard was the ideal Head of the Line, knowing ships technically and practically, and, loving them as he did, he desired that the Line should be a credit not only to those who were connected with it, but to our Country.

Thomas E Scott-Ellis

8th Baron Howard de Walden

Obituary - 1946

South American Saint Line
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