Thomas Wilson Sons & Co. was a British shipping company, founded in 1840,Greenway (1986), p. 48 It evolved from a joint venture formed by merchants Thomas Wilson, John Beckinton and two unrelated partners named Hudson in 1822.
The company expanded and by the early 20th century operated a relatively large fleet, but in 1906 part of the operation was merged with the North Eastern Railway creating Wilson's & North Eastern Railway Shipping Co. LtdHaws (1993), p. 144 and later in 1916 the remaining company was sold to Sir John Ellerman who created Ellerman's Wilson Line which continued to trade until closed in 1973.
Background 1822–1836 Beckington, Wilson and Company
None of the partners came from shipping background but were quick to see the opportunity of becoming involved in the industry and they acquired their first sailing ship the "Thomas and Ann" in 1825, and a schooner "Swift" in 1831.
1836–1840 Wilson, Hudson and Company
In about 1836 John Beckington dropped out of the partnership and the new company was formed.
History 1840–1850 Thomas Wilson and Company
The two Hudson partners retired in 1840–41 allowing Thomas Wilson to take full control. He brought his eldest son David into the business as his partner.
1850–1916 Thomas Wilson Sons and Company (became a Limited company in 1891)
In 1850 his other sons Charles and Arthur joined and became active partners, the name changing to Thomas Wilson Sons and Company, though usually known as the Wilson Line of Hull.
Thomas died in 1869 and the company was taken over by his sons Charles and Arthur Wilson, with David remaining a silent partner. A few years later the brothers were beginning to question the ability of their own sons to continue running the firm and brought in a non-family member, Oswald Sanderson, to become the new Managing Director.
In 1878 the company purchased the seven ship fleet of Brownlow Marsdin and Co., bringing the Wilson fleet to 52 ships.
In 1903 23 ships were purchased from Bailey & Leetham.Greenway (1986), p. 56
In 1906 part of the operation was merged with the North Eastern Railway creating Wilson's & North Eastern Railway Shipping Co. Ltd.
In 1906 the company purchased the shares in the ailing local firm Earle's Shipbuilding and ordered ships from them.
1916–1973 Ellerman's Wilson Line
The company was sold to Sir John Ellerman in 1916, owner of the successful Ellerman Line and supposedly the richest man in Britain at the time. There can be little doubt that the loss of three of its largest and most prestigious ships to enemy action (Aaro and Calypso sunk; Eskimo captured) in a three-week period in the summer contributed greatly to the Wilson family's decision to sell the company.Greenway (1986), p. 59 Though it kept the Wilson name (Ellerman's Wilson Line of Hull) and continued for several years, it never saw the same success, despite a brief revival in the 1950s, and was eventually closed in 1973 when the Ellerman company turned its focus elsewhere.
Development From a background in iron importing, the focus was on steam shipping, still in its early stages and eventually saw the company become a prominent figure in modern steam shipping. Initially, the firm concentrated on Swedish iron ore importing for the Sheffield iron trades but gradually turned to focus on shipping all over the world, with Hull becoming one of the most significant ports to flourish under the advent of steam. Previously getting out of the Humber Estuary was difficult despite the convenient location of Hull, but with steam, it became easy to reach the sea and navigate around Britain.
Relevance At one time the firm was well on its way to becoming the world's largest private shipowner. The company stands out as one of interest in the maritime and business world of the period, as it provides an example of the changing fortunes of a family business. It has been suggested that Thomas Wilson is a good example of the emergence of specialist shipowners at this time.
Livery Funnels: Red with black top.
Hull: black (Thomas Wilson Sons) or dark green (Ellerman's Wilson) but occasionally white where the vessel had refrigerated capacity.
Passenger vessels of Thomas Wilson Sons & Co. / Ellerman's Wilson Line ShipLaunchedTonnage(GRT)Notes and referencesTasso1852610Built by Denny and launched as Scandinavian but renamed Tasso in 1870. Lost at Bergen in 1885.Greenway (1986), p. 53Hero1861985Hero was x x , , 3-masted screw steamer, launched in March 1861 by Earle's Shipbuilding for the Scandinavia/Baltic service. She was a sold for use by the Confederate States of America, to run the blockade between Nassau and Charleston, until she ran aground on 23 June 1862, near Fort Moultrie. She probably ran the blockade to Charleston again, before Black Ball Line, Liverpool bought her in 1863. She was sold to Bright Bros, arriving at Melbourne, via Cape Town on 18 September 1863, after leaving Liverpool on 22 July, the wheel having been broken and cabins inundated by a cyclone on the way. Her 2 engines used 17 tons of coal a day to run at . Her saloon was described as somewhat superior, very capacious, well ventilated and accommodating about 40 passengers. In 1873 she was sold to Grice, Sumner & Co, Melbourne and in 1878 to the Union Company for the Auckland-Sydney route. She was laid up at Sydney until 1891, when she went to La Societe Le Nickel, Nouméa for use as a hulk. She was wrecked in a hurricane at Kouaoua on 22 January 1901.Hero18661,034The second Hero was x x , schooner rigged, single screw, launched in February 1866 by Earle's Shipbuilding for Wilson Line, with 2 decks, 2 bulkheads and 3 partial bulkheads and 4-cylinder (2 x 27in, 47in, stroke 30in) compound engines from 1873 by C. D. Holmes, Hull. From 1876 to 1881 she ran from Hull to Oslo and Kristiansand, then operated on the Hull–Trondheim service,Greenway (1986), p. 51 with Tasso until 1884. From 1889 she was joined by Cameo. Hero remained on the route until 1892. She was scrapped at Hull after a collision in the English Channel on 22 June 1895, which sank Lamport & Holt's Bessell.Rollo1870Built by Earle's Shipbuilding for Gothenburg service Greenway (1986), p. 49Orlando1870Probably a sister of Rollo built by Earle's for Gothenburg service.Eldorado18733,300Built for Wilson's Indian service.Greenway (1986), p. 50Romeo18801,840Built by Earle's Shipbuilding for Hull–Gothenburg service. Transferred to London–Riga service in about 1904 and operated alongside Bailey & Leetham's Jaffa and Zara until the outbreak of the First World War. Lost along with 26 of her 29 crew, following a torpedo attack by , in the Mull of Galloway on 3 March 1918.Juno18821,302Built by Earle's mainly for Hull–Hamburg service. Sold in 1888 to Tyne Steam Shipping Co., and joined newly amalgamated Tyne Tees Steam Shipping Company in 1904, retaining her name and trading generally to Hamburg. At the outbreak of the First World War she was unlucky to be in Hamburg and was detained by the German authorities. She was abandoned by her owners to the North of England P & I Club. After the war ended in 1918 she was returned to the UK where she was sold to Portuguese interests and renamed Afra followed by Leca. She was sold again to the US Shipping Board and allocated to James R. Armstrong of Colon being renamed El Amigo. After 2 further years she was sold on again to Hammond Oil Co., and registered at Tampico, Mexico. Between 1926 and when finally broken up in 1935 she was renamed Edith F and Cecilia as she changed hands a further three times.Eldorado1885935Built by Earle's for the Hull to Bergen service and exclusively for passengers. Sold after less than a year in 1886 to the Greek government and renamed Sfaktirea and used as a naval auxiliary until returned to commercial service about 20 years later as the Mykali. Changed hands several times within the Greek shipping industry being renamed Mykali Togia before finally being scrapped in Italy after a 49-year career in 1933.Eldorado18861,3821,425Built by Earle's Shipbuilding as a replacement for the earlier vessel of same name on Hull to Stavanger & Bergen route. She undertook occasional cruises during the winter off-season, and in January 1890 her itinerary took her from Hull to Madeira, Nice, Malta, Constantinople and Odessa returning home in early April. She was lengthened in 1895. Transferred to Grimsby–Gothenburg route in 1911, and was withdrawn from service to become a cadet training ship and was moored in Hull's Railway Dock very close to Wilson's head office. Found to be unsound in 1913 she was sold for scrapping in Newport in. A new shore based training school known as RMS Eldorado was established in her memory.Juno18891,080Built by Earle's mainly for use on Hull–Trondheim route with the Hero. Sold in 1899 to Bergen Line who employed her on their Hamburg–Kristiansand–Vadsø service having renamed her Hera. In 1910 she was switched to their coastal service from Bergen to Vadso until March 1931, in her 42nd year of service, when she ran aground and was wrecked in a storm off the Norwegian coast. Six lives were lost but thanks to the extreme gallantry of crewman Einar Ramm, 56 people were saved.Greenway (1986), p. 52Ariosto18892,376Built by Earle's Shipbuilding for the Hull–Gothenburg service and was the largest North Sea passenger vessel of her day. Romeo was her running mate on the service which carried large numbers of emigrants on what was the first leg of the journey to the New World. The Romeo was replaced by the new Calypso in 1904. Ariosto was withdrawn from Wilson service in 1910 after an uneventful career She was sold to Spanish owners La Roda Hermanos of Valencia and renamed Luis Vives. She was lost to a torpedo attack by off the Scilly Islands on 11 September 1916.Tasso18901,328Built by Earle's Shipbuilding for the Trondheim route. Lengthened in 1899 and later switched to Hull–Bergen service. She was badly damaged in a collision in poor visibility with 18,000 ton Hamburg America Line ship President Lincoln in January 1911 and escorted to Dover by the liner. Following repair she was sold to W. Morphy and Son of Hull and changed hands again before the First World War when sold to Greek interests and renamed Elefsis. She was lost on passage between Corsica and Elba on Christmas Day 1920 by which time she was named Photios.Montebello18901,735Built by Richardson, Duck and Company, at Stockton-on-Tees for the Kristiansand and Oslo service. She became surplus to requirements in 1910 and sold to Spain's Compania Valenciana and renamed Barcelo, operating between Spanish ports and the Canary Islands. Her owner was absorbed into Compania Transmediterranea in 1917 and she served this company as Barcelo until scrapped in 1929.Spero18961,132Built by Archibald MacMillan & Co at Dumbarton. She was utilised on various services mainly on the emigrant traffic and made numerous calls to Stettin. Before the First World War worked Hull–Oslo as a supplementary or relief vessel. She was a war loss when sunk by submarine on 2 November 1916. Survivors were rescued by .Greenway (1986), p. 54Zero18961,143Near sister of Spero although built at Earle's in Hull. She served with Spero in the emigrant trade until switched to Copenhagen route before the First World War. Requisitioned as a frozen meat ship but rejected as unsuitable after only a few days. Operated in a 'cargo only' service after the war until 1931 when she was laid up at the end of that year and was broken up at Grangemouth the following year.Salmo18971,721Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Dundee at a time when Earle's were experiencing considerable difficulties. One of seven vessels built by that yard at the time for the Line of which only Salmo was for passenger service. She mainly served Bergen and Stavanger until 1911 when she switched to a secondary Grimsby–Kristiansand / Oslo service.