The Fleets

White Star Line / Oceanic Steamship Company / White Star Line of Boston Packets

Founded 1845 and started sailing ship voyages the following year with chartered brig ELIZABETH to Montreal. Purchased their first ship in 1849 - barque IOWA and advertised as the 'White Star Line of Boston Packets'. Commenced steamship sailings 1863. Went into liquidation in 1868 and bought out by Thomas Ismay who formed the Oceanic Steam Nav.Co. in 1869 (known thereafter as the White Star Line). 1926 Oceanic SN Co. taken over by Royal Mail SP Co., 1934 Royal Mail Group collapsed and White Star and Cunard SS Co formed Cunard-White Star Ltd. 1947 Cunard purchased the remainder of Cunard-White Star stock and in 1949 took over all activities but the two remaining White Star ships, GEORGIC and BRITANNIC continued sailing in White Star Line colours until they were scrapped in 1956 and 1960 when the White Star name finally disappeared.

The company sailed from Liverpool via Queenstown to New York. Later, they started sailing through the Suez Canal to Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong and Sydney. White Star also sailed to Japan and China. The sailing time by the fast vessels in the fleet was under 6 days Liverpool to New York. The line also sailed monthly to New Zealand and monthly from San Francisco to Japan and China. The Oceanic, in 1889, made the voyage to Yokohama from San Francisco in 13 days, 14 hours, 4 minutes.

Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide. If you would like to know more about a vessel, visit TheShipsList Ship Descriptions or the Immigrant Ship web site.

Routes: 1872-1960 Liverpool - New York (later with calls at Queenstown (Cobh))

1872-1960 Liverpool - Boston / Philadelphia

1899-1934 Liverpool - Melbourne - Sydney via the Cape

1883-1926 Liverpool - New Zealand via the Cape.

1872-1873 Liverpool - Valparaiso via Cape Horn.

1872-1873 Liverpool - Suez - Calcutta

1875-1883 San Francisco - Yokohama - Hong Kong.

1903-1909 New York - Azores - Gibraltar - Naples - Genoa.

1907-1934 Southampton - Cherbourg - New York.

1909-1939 Liverpool - Belfast / Glasgow - Quebec - Montreal.

1922-1926 Hamburg / Bremen - Quebec - Montreal

1928-1930 London - Havre - Southampton - Quebec - Montreal.

Funnel:

Buff with black top. Charts of Ships period of service Many thanks to Dan Richard for providing the charts Fleet:

White Star Line

From ad dated March 1, 1871.

These steamships have been designed to afford the very best accommodation to all classes of passengers and are expected to accomplish quick and regular passages between this country and America.

The state-rooms, with saloon and smoking-rooms, are placed amidships, and cabin passengers are thus removed from the noise and motion experienced at the after part of the vessel.

Passengers are booked to all parts of the States, Canada, and Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, India, etc., at moderate through rates. A surgeon and stewardess carried on each ship. Drafts issued at New York for sums not exceeding £10, free.

Parcels will be received at the Company's offices until 6 P.M. of the day before sailing.

Bills of lading to be had from Messrs. Benson and Holme, and Mawdsley and Son. Shipping notes at the Company's office. Loading berth, S.W. corner Bramley Moore Dock.

Saloon passage, £18 18s. and £16 16s.; return ticket, 27 guineas. Steerage as low as by any other first-class line.

Rates of freight, etc., may be obtained by applying to J.H. Sparks, at the Company's offices, 19, Broadway, New York; in Belfast, to Samuel Gowan and Co., 4, Corporation Street, or to Ismay, Imrie and Co., 7, East India Avenue, London, E.C., or 10, Water Street, Liverpool

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Last updated: February 13, 2010 and maintained by and M. Kohli