CHAPTER XI

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HOULDER LINE.

The Company was founded by the late Mr. Edwin Savory Houlder in London in 1849, and he was subsequently joined by his brothers Messrs. Alfred and Augustus Houlder. At first the business was confined to sailing-ships, a fleet of Clipper Packets sailing under the firm’s flag between the home ports and Australia being established. As the business increased, the firm became in turn interested in the South African and South American Trades, the development of their steam fleet receiving a large amount of attention, until, at the present time, it includes some of the largest and most successful frozen meat carriers afloat.

The principal services now maintained are between the United Kingdom and South America, between South America and the Cape ports, between Australia and New Zealand and the Cape ports, and from New York to Australia and New Zealand, although many other trades of the world claim the Company’s attention and for these trades a large amount of tonnage is chartered annually.

The Headquarters are in London, with Branches at Liverpool, Glasgow, Sydney, N.S.W., Cape Town and Buenos Aires; also sub-offices at Rosario and La Plata.

With one exception, the steamers of the Fleet are distinguished by the affix GRANGE. The first were the HORNBY GRANGE (3,750 tons burthen) and OVINGDEAN GRANGE (3,520 tons burthen), launched in the opening months of 1890, both vessels being insulated throughout for carrying frozen meat, as are all the other steamers of the Line. They were followed in 1894 by the URMSTON GRANGE, designed to carry 5,420 tons. In 1896 two important additions were made in the shape of the steamers LANGTON GRANGE and DENTON GRANGE, each having a deadweight capacity of 9,200 tons, and like the earlier steamers insulated in the most efficient manner for carrying frozen meat. In the meantime two more steamers were acquired, the ELSTREE GRANGE and the SOUTHERN CROSS, the latter being placed in the Australian trade in company with the LANGTON GRANGE and DENTON GRANGE, whilst the former was taken into the River Plate service which had grown to such an extent as to justify the addition of two further vessels, larger and faster than any of the earlier ships in the trade. These were the ROYSTON GRANGE and BEACON GRANGE, each 6,400 tons burthen, and capable of making the passage between England and the River Plate in twenty-two or twenty-three days.

[Illustration: BEACON GRANGE. Houlder Bros. & Co.]

For the Australian trade the RIPPINGHAM GRANGE, a sister ship to the LANGTON GRANGE, was added in 1898.

At this juncture, the various steamers comprising the fleet were amalgamated into one Company under the name of the Houlder Line, Limited, this step being taken in order to consolidate the business generally, and to ensure more systematic and economical working.

Previous to this, however, the firm of Houlder Bros. & Co. was converted into a Limited Company, the partners in the old firm becoming Managing Directors of the new Company, Mr. Edwin Savory Houlder acting as Chairman until his death in 1901.

To return to our description of the fleet. To replace the DENTON GRANGE (unfortunately lost at Las Palmas) the Company contracted for the DRAYTON GRANGE, a fine four-masted, twin-screw steamer of 10,000 tons burthen, launched in December, 1901, and also for a sister ship, the OSWESTRY GRANGE, launched a few months later. Both of these steamers, and, in fact, the other large vessels of the fleet, did excellent service during the South African War.

[Illustration: HORNBY GRANGE. Houlder Bros. & Co.]

The fleet, at the present time, consists of fourteen steamers, three boats having been added since the launch of the OSWESTRY GRANGE, as the following list will show:—

TONS BURTHEN. Hornby Grange 3,750 Ovingdean Grange 3,520 Urmston Grange 5,420 Langton Grange 9,200 *Drayton Grange 10,000 Elstree Grange 6,000 Royston Grange 6,400 Beacon Grange 6,400 Rippingham Grange 9,200 *Oswestry Grange 10,000 Thorpe Grange 6,350 Haversham Grange 11,200 *Everton Grange 11,000 Southern Cross 7,300 * Twin screw.

giving a total of 105,740 tons.

It is interesting to compare the smallest vessel, the OVINGDEAN GRANGE, with the largest and most recent, the EVERTON GRANGE, the difference being not only in the increased size but also in the great improvements in the propelling machinery, refrigerating machinery, passenger accommodation, appliances for handling cargo and other points too numerous to mention in detail:—

LENGTH. BEAM. DEPTH. TONS. OVINGDEAN GRANGE 309 ft. 40 ft. 21 ft. 4 in. 3,520 EVERTON GRANGE 490 ft. 56 ft. 35 ft. 6 in. 11,000

Special provision has been made for the Company’s passenger service, the boats being provided with every requisite to make a long sea voyage as comfortable as possible.

[Illustration: New Brighton Lighthouse River Mersey]

[Illustration: ROSE S.S. 1363 Tons. Messrs. Alex. A. Laird & Co.]

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