The Clan Line was a passenger and cargo shipping company that operated in one incarnation or another from the late nineteenth century and into the twentieth century.
History Foundation and early years The company that would become the Clan Line was first founded as C. W. Cayzer & Company in Liverpool in 1877 by Charles Cayzer (see Cayzer baronets). It was set up to operate passenger routes between Britain and Bombay, India via the Suez Canal. The next year, Captain William Irvine joined the company and it was renamed Cayzer, Irvine & Company.
In 1881 the company was joined by an influential Glasgow businessman and his firm of Thomas Dunlop & Sons, and the Clan Line Association of Steamers was established. The company opened a new head office at 109 Hope Street, Glasgow. Cayzer, Irvine built and managed ships for the association and Cayzer himself retained ownership of the original six Clan ships. At the same time, they expanded their operations to South Africa. In 1890 the company became The Clan Line of Steamers Limited with Cayzer holding the majority interest. The company again expanded its operations with the purchase of the Persian Gulf Steam Ship Company in 1894, bringing four more ships into the company. They used these new assets to expand their routes into the Persian Gulf and to North America, and to begin to carry cargo.
The company was incorporated in 1907 as Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Limited, with the Cayzer family retaining control. Charles Cayzer died in 1916, with his sons continuing to run the company. In 1918 they acquired and incorporated the assets of the Scottish Shire Line. Despite suffering losses in the First World War, the company had recovered by the 1930s to become the largest cargo carrying concern in the world.
The Clan Line at war and after Clan Line saw a large number of its ships either requisitioned by the British government, or otherwise used to ship vital supplies to Britain during the First and Second World Wars. Their ubiquitousness led to them being called the 'Scots Navy' (due to their officers' sleeve rings being identical to those of the Royal Navy) and they were often in dangerous environments, at risk from mines, air attacks or German U-boats.
During the Second World War, for example, three of the Line's Cameron class steamers were requisitioned in 1942 by the Royal Navy whilst still under construction at Greenock Dockyard and commissioned as (aircraft transporter), (aircraft transporter) and (submarine depot ship for X-craft). The Clan Line lost a total of 30 ships in the 1939-45 war.
After the end of the war, the Clan Line commissioned six vessels of the Clan MacLaren class (commonly known as the MacL's) to replace war losses and resume a level of pre-war services. Construction started in 1946 and all six had entered service by 1949. Meanwhile, the immediate shortage was alleviated by the acquisition of a number of wartime standard construction ships, such as the American Liberty ships. Most of these would continue to serve with the Clan Line fleet until 1962, by which time the first vessels of the Clan MacIver class were entering service. Meanwhile, management attempted to further alleviate the shortfall with the purchase of the Thompson Steam Shipping Co. in 1952 and the conversion to motor ships throughout the 1950s.
Post war restructuring In 1956, under the impetus of Nicholas Cayzer the Clan Line joined with the Union-Castle Line, King Line and Bullard King & Company to form British & Commonwealth Shipping Limited. A number of transfers then took place between the component companies. They formed the Springbok Shipping Company in 1959 to take over the operations of their South African services, and several of the Clan Lines' ships were transferred to it. In 1961 the Springbok Shipping Company became part of Safmarine.
Shipping The ships of the Clan Line were usually distinguishable by their names, the vast majority of which had the prefix 'Clan'. Their funnel markings were black with two red bands divided by narrow black band, and they flew the house flag, which was a rectangular red flag bearing a white diamond with a red rampant lion in the centre.
Ships of the Clan Line ShipBuiltGRTNotesSS Argyllshire 1956 9,299 1960 transferred to Scottish Shire Line.1975 sold to Gulf East Marine Ltd and renamed Schivago 1977 scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan.SS Ayrshire19569,3601960 transferred to Scottish Shire Line.1965 wrecked off Socotra.19427,043ex-Empire Forest 1946 purchased from MOWT, renamed Clan Allen 1958 transferred to Bullard King & Co., renamed Umtali 1959 reverted to Clan Allen 1961 sold to Hong Kong, renamed ArdsirodSS Clan Alpine18782,1121899 sold to Dene Steam Shipping Co, Newcastle, renamed Elmdene18993,5871917 torpedoed and sunk off Shetland Islands by , with the loss of 8 lives19185,48513 March 1943 sunk by escort ship after being torpedoed by German submarine off Cape Finisterre; loss of 28 lives19427,103ex-Empire Barrie 1945 purchased from MOWT, renamed Clan Alpine 1957 transferred to Bullard King & Co., renamed Umvoti 1959 reverted to Clan Alpine, 1960 scrappedMV Clan Alpine19678,7131981 sold to Liberia, renamed African DiamondSS Clan Angus19427,030ex-Empire Prince 1945 purchased from MOWT, renamed Clan Angus 1956 transferred to Bullard King & Co., renamed Umkuzi 1959 reverted to Clan Angus 1962 scrappedSS Clan Brodie19407,473Completed for Admiralty as HMS Athene 1946 returned to Clan Line, renamed Clan Brodie 1963 scrappedSS Clan Buchanan18822,9681904 sold to Bombay owners, renamed Shah AllumSS Clan Buchanan19075,2121933 scrappedSS Clan Buchanan19377,2661941 sunk by German raider Pinguin off the Maldives after the crew had been taken prisoner, with the loss of 91 lives. 10 days later when intercepted and sank Pinguin, 107 Clan Buchanan crew members were killed.SS Clan Buchanan19419,909Completed for Admiralty as HMS Engadine 1946 returned to Clan Line, renamed Clan Buchanan 1962 scrappedSS Clan Cameron18822,4481900 sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co, Glasgow, renamed MaravalSS Clan Cameron19003,5951917 torpedoed and sunk by off Portland Bill; no loss of lifeSS Clan Cameron19377,2431959 scrappedSS Clan Campbell18822,43422 September 1882 She ran aground and was wrecked at Baie du Cap, MauritiusSS Clan Campbell18942,6151914 sold to AdelaideSS Co., renamed CamiraSS Clan Campbell19145,9881916 torpedoed, shelled and sunk off Tunisia19377,25523 March 1942 bombed by Italian naval aircraft and sunk off Malta, with the loss of 7 livesSS Clan Campbell19439,5451961 transferred to King Line and scrappedSS Clan Chattan19023,9381930 scrappedSS Clan Chattan19377,26214 February 1942 bombed and caught fire while part of convoy MW 9A. She was eventually sunk by Convoy Escort off Crete. All 358 crew were saved.SS Clan Chattan19439,5851962 transferred to King Line and scrappedSS Clan Chisholm18962,6471925 sold to Japan, renamed Fukko Maru19377,25617 October 1939 torpedoed and sunk by off Cape Finisterre, with the loss of 4 livesSS Clan Chisholm19449,5811962 transferred to King Line and scrappedSS Clan Colquhoun18995,8561925 sold to Italy, renamed NascoSS Clan Colquhoun19187,912ex-Gallic 1933 purchased from White Star Line, renamed Clan Colquhoun 1947 sold to Panama, renamed Ioannis LivanosSS Clan Cumming18994,8081917 torpedoed and damaged by SW of Lizard Point 1925 sold to Italy, renamed EttoreSS Clan Cumming19377,26414 April 1941 she struck a mine and sunk off the Greek island of AeginaSS Clan Cumming19467,8121962 scrappedSS Clan Davidson19115,0581917 torpedoed and sunk off Scilly Isles by (); loss of 14 livesSS Clan Davidson19438,067Completed for Admiralty as HMS Bonaventure 1948 returned to Clan Line, renamed Clan Davidson 1961 scrappedSS Clan Drummond18822,9221898 foundered in heavy weather in Bay of Biscay, with the loss of 37 livesSS Clan Farquhar18995,8581917 torpedoed and sunk off Benghazi by , with the loss of 49 lives19188,006ex-Delphic 1933 purchased from White Star Line, renamed Clan Farquhar 1948 scrappedMV Clan Farquharson19629,2921968 sold to Iran, renamed Arya SepSS Clan Ferguson18984,8081917 torpedoed and sunk by NW of Cap Spartel, Morocco (); loss of 10 livesSS Clan Ferguson19387,34712 August 1942 both bombed by German Ju 88 aircraft and torpedoed by the , sank N of Zembra Island. She was taking part in Operation Pedestal.MV Clan Fergusson19619,2421965 sold to Scindia Steam Navigation Company, Bombay, renamed JalapankhiMV Clan Finlay19629,2921968 sold to Iran, renamed Arya FarSS Clan Forbes18822,4611903 sold to Furness, Withy & Co., renamed London City (3)SS Clan Forbes19033,9461918 torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean by (), with the loss of 2 lives19387,5291959 scrappedMV Clan Forbes19619,2921968 sold to Iran, renamed Arya ManSS Clan Fraser18782,0921895 sold to Dene Steamship Co, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, renamed OakdeneSS Clan Fraser19003,5881919 sold to Greece, renamed Aghia Paraskevi19387,5291941 bombed at Piraeus while unloading ammunition and explodedMV Clan Fraser19619,2921965 sold to Scindia Steam Navigation Company, Bombay, renamed JalapalakaSS Clan Gordon18792,0911897 wrecked MozambiqueSS Clan Gordon19003,5891919 capsized and sank off Cape Hatteras, with no loss of lifeSS Clan Graham18822,9261905 sold to Bombay & Persia Steam Navigation Company, renamed MajdiSS Clan Graham19075,2131918 Badly damaged in an attack by German submarine SSE of Cape Sidero 1921 sold for scrap after collision and fire in River ScheldtSS Clan Graham19125,785ex-Cambrian Princess 1929 purchased from William Thomas Shipping Company, Cardiff, renamed Clan Graham 1935 transferred to Houston Line 1938 sold to Neil & Pandelis, London, renamed MaritimaMV Clan Graham19629,3081971 transferred to King Line 1977 reverted to Clan Line 1981 sold to Panama, renamed CandelariaSS Clan Grant18833,5801900 sold to Russia and became whaling supply ship MichailSS Clan Grant19023,94816 October 1914 captured and sunk by German raider Emden off the MaldivesSS Clan Grant19125,817ex-Cambrian Marchioness 1929 purchased from R.J. Thomas, Cardiff, renamed Clan Grant 1935 transferred to Houston Line 1939 sold to Stanhope Shipping Co., London, renamed StangrantMV Clan Grant19629,3221971 transferred to King Line 1977 reverted to Clan Line 1981 sold to Panama, renamed EnriquetaSS Clan Keith19144,306ex-Etonian 1918 purchased from Cambrian Steam Navigation Company, renamed Clan Keith 1920 transferred to Houston Line, renamed Hilarius 1924 reverted to Clan Line renamed Clan Keith 1937 sold to Minster Steamship Company, London, renamed OrminsterSS Clan Keith19427,129ex-Ocean Verity 1948 purchased from MOWT, renamed Clan Keith 1961 exploded and sank off Tunisia, with the loss of 62 livesSS Clan Kennedy19075,086ex-Ardgaroch 1918 purchased from Lang & Fulton, Greenock, renamed Clan Kennedy 1924 grounded off Suffolk, total lossSS Clan Kennedy19427,143ex-Ocean Viscount 1948 purchased from MOWT, renamed Clan Kennedy 1959 sold to China, renamed KellySS Clan Kenneth19095,100ex-Ardgryfe 1918 purchased from Lang & Fulton, Greenock, renamed Clan Kenneth 1934 scrappedSS Clan Kenneth19427,132ex-Ocean Viceroy 1948 purchased from MOWT, renamed Clan Kenneth 1958 sold to Greece, renamed Omonia IISS Clan Lamont18792,0913 May 1891 wrecked Vindiloas Point, Batticaloa, CeylonSS Clan Lamont19003,5941928 scrappedSS Clan Lamont19397,6731940–48 used by Admiralty as Landing ship and later as troop ferry