North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company
Encyclopedia
The North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company, which was more usually known as The North Company, its full name rarely being used, was a British
shipping
company based in Aberdeen
, originally formed in 1875 from a merger of older Scottish shipping companies. The company operated most of the ferries from mainland Scotland to Orkney and Shetland, latterly as P&O Scottish Ferries
until 2002, when it was replaced by NorthLink Ferries
.
and the Clyde
, round the north of Scotland and possibly calling at Orkney.
In 1820 this company joined with the Aberdeen, Dundee & Leith Shipping Company to form the Aberdeen, Leith, Clyde & Tay Shipping Company. A fleet of sailing vessels initially served towns, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Rotterdam (until c.1843) and Liverpool (until 1830). The far flung routes ceased, and most effort was placed on the routes within Scotland. Their first steamer, Velocity (1821), was built to compete with the steamer Tourist which operated between Leith and Aberdeen. Services were extended to Wick (by 1833), Kirkwall and Lerwick (in 1836).
In 1875 the Aberdeen, Leith & Clyde Shipping Co became the North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company. The new company further expanded the fleet and introduced Norwegian cruising in 1886.
and "some of the principal fjords and places of interest on the west coast of Norway". This was perhaps the first purposely planned cruise
ship voyage and proved so popular with the public that the company quickly advertised a follow-up cruise which was also popular, leading to a further three cruises being arranged for the summer season.
The Company realised that its short duration and relatively affordable cruises were a profitable new venture and the directors quickly ordered a new purpose-built ship, the St. Sunniva
, from Hall Russell
of Aberdeen, to be delivered in time for the 1887 season. The St. Sunniva was the world's first purpose-built cruise ship
and was a great success, so much so the St. Rognvald was obliged to carry out two cruises to accommodate the overflow of bookings.
A more ambitious cruise programme was arranged for 1888, involving the St. Rognvald carrying out a 21-day cruise to the North Cape
followed by St. Sunniva to the Baltic
. It was also decided to extend the cruising season with an around-Britain cruise. The St. Sunniva was also chartered for cruises in the Mediterranean during the winter.
The great commercial success of the North Company's cruises had meanwhile attracted the attentions of rival companies. Wilson Line of Hull
began Norwegian cruises immediately after St. Rognvald's first voyage, but the St. Sunniva far outstripped Wilsons' vessels in quality. More seriously, the Orient Steam Navigation Company
entered the market in summer 1889 using two of their large Australian Mail Service ships, Chimborazo and Garonne.
During the winter of 1900, St. Rognvald was wrecked on Burgh Head, Stronsay
, Orkney while carrying out one of her usual winter ferry voyages. A new vessel was ordered to replace her, omitting cruise facilities altogether as the growing quality and quantity of competition in the cruise market was becoming too great for the North Company to survive.
In 1907 - 1908, the North Company reduced the St. Sunniva's cruises and finally withdrew entirely from the market at the end of August 1908. The St. Sunniva was converted into a ferry and began operation as a mail steamer. She operated a weekly service from Leith
and Aberdeen to Lerwick
, Shetland, with an additional Aberdeen service during the summer months.
Services continued until the outbreak of World War I
, when Norwegian cruising was withdrawn. The fleet was updated throughout this period as well. The company suffered requisitions through both World Wars.
In 1961 the company was taken over by Coast Lines
and in 1975 P&O and in 1975, renamed as P&O Ferries (Orkney & Shetland Services). In 1989 it became P&O Scottish Ferries
and continued to operate until 2002, when the services were taken over by NorthLink Ferries
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
company based in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, originally formed in 1875 from a merger of older Scottish shipping companies. The company operated most of the ferries from mainland Scotland to Orkney and Shetland, latterly as P&O Scottish Ferries
P&O Scottish Ferries
P&O Scottish Ferries ran ferry services between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland.-History:P&O took over the routes from the long-established North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company in 1971...
until 2002, when it was replaced by NorthLink Ferries
Northlink Ferries
NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Government.-History:...
.
Early history
In 1790, the Leith & Clyde Shipping Company operated sailing vessels between the ForthFirth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
and the Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, round the north of Scotland and possibly calling at Orkney.
In 1820 this company joined with the Aberdeen, Dundee & Leith Shipping Company to form the Aberdeen, Leith, Clyde & Tay Shipping Company. A fleet of sailing vessels initially served towns, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Rotterdam (until c.1843) and Liverpool (until 1830). The far flung routes ceased, and most effort was placed on the routes within Scotland. Their first steamer, Velocity (1821), was built to compete with the steamer Tourist which operated between Leith and Aberdeen. Services were extended to Wick (by 1833), Kirkwall and Lerwick (in 1836).
In 1875 the Aberdeen, Leith & Clyde Shipping Co became the North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company. The new company further expanded the fleet and introduced Norwegian cruising in 1886.
Norwegian cruises
In 1886 the St. Rognvald was advertised to make a special trip to BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and "some of the principal fjords and places of interest on the west coast of Norway". This was perhaps the first purposely planned cruise
Cruising (maritime)
Cruising by boat is a lifestyle that involves living for extended time on a boat while traveling from place to place for pleasure. Cruising generally refers to trips of a few days or more, and can extend to round-the-world voyages.- History :...
ship voyage and proved so popular with the public that the company quickly advertised a follow-up cruise which was also popular, leading to a further three cruises being arranged for the summer season.
The Company realised that its short duration and relatively affordable cruises were a profitable new venture and the directors quickly ordered a new purpose-built ship, the St. Sunniva
SS St. Sunniva
SS St. Sunniva was one of the first purpose built cruise ships. Converted into a ferry in 1908, she operated as the Lerwick mail steamer until 10 April 1930, when she ran aground off Shetland and was a complete loss.-History:SS St...
, from Hall Russell
Hall, Russell & Company
Hall, Russell & Company, Limited was a shipbuilder based in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK-History:Brothers James and William Hall, Thomas Russell, a Glasgow engineer, and James Cardno Couper founded the company in 1864 to build steam engines and boilers. In 1867 the company built its first ship, the Kwang...
of Aberdeen, to be delivered in time for the 1887 season. The St. Sunniva was the world's first purpose-built cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
and was a great success, so much so the St. Rognvald was obliged to carry out two cruises to accommodate the overflow of bookings.
A more ambitious cruise programme was arranged for 1888, involving the St. Rognvald carrying out a 21-day cruise to the North Cape
North Cape, Norway
North Cape is a cape on the island of Magerøya in Northern Norway, in the municipality of Nordkapp. Its 307 m high, steep cliff is often referred to as the northernmost point of Europe, located at , 2102.3 km from the North Pole. However, the neighbouring point Knivskjellodden is actually...
followed by St. Sunniva to the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. It was also decided to extend the cruising season with an around-Britain cruise. The St. Sunniva was also chartered for cruises in the Mediterranean during the winter.
The great commercial success of the North Company's cruises had meanwhile attracted the attentions of rival companies. Wilson Line of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
began Norwegian cruises immediately after St. Rognvald's first voyage, but the St. Sunniva far outstripped Wilsons' vessels in quality. More seriously, the Orient Steam Navigation Company
Orient Steam Navigation Company
The Orient Steam Navigation Company, also known as the Orient Line, was a British shipping company with roots going back to the late 18th century...
entered the market in summer 1889 using two of their large Australian Mail Service ships, Chimborazo and Garonne.
During the winter of 1900, St. Rognvald was wrecked on Burgh Head, Stronsay
Stronsay
Stronsay is an island in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland. The main village is Whitehall, home to a heritage centre. It is in size, and at its highest point....
, Orkney while carrying out one of her usual winter ferry voyages. A new vessel was ordered to replace her, omitting cruise facilities altogether as the growing quality and quantity of competition in the cruise market was becoming too great for the North Company to survive.
In 1907 - 1908, the North Company reduced the St. Sunniva's cruises and finally withdrew entirely from the market at the end of August 1908. The St. Sunniva was converted into a ferry and began operation as a mail steamer. She operated a weekly service from Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
and Aberdeen to Lerwick
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
, Shetland, with an additional Aberdeen service during the summer months.
Services continued until the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when Norwegian cruising was withdrawn. The fleet was updated throughout this period as well. The company suffered requisitions through both World Wars.
Passenger services
In 1953 the North Company was reformed, and over the following 20 years, introduced ro-ro services to the North Isles, to satisfy demand for faster, shorter ferry routes, rather than the old mail boats.In 1961 the company was taken over by Coast Lines
Coast Lines
-History:Powell, Bacon and Hough Lines Ltd was formed in 1913 in Liverpool. The name of Coast Lines Limited was adopted in 1917, when the company was purchased by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company at a cost of £800,000...
and in 1975 P&O and in 1975, renamed as P&O Ferries (Orkney & Shetland Services). In 1989 it became P&O Scottish Ferries
P&O Scottish Ferries
P&O Scottish Ferries ran ferry services between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland.-History:P&O took over the routes from the long-established North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company in 1971...
and continued to operate until 2002, when the services were taken over by NorthLink Ferries
Northlink Ferries
NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Government.-History:...
.
Ships
- Beaver (1975 - 1987)
- Earl of Zetland (1877 - 1946)
- Earl of Zetland (1939 - 1975)
- Highlander (1939 - 1940) renamed St. Catherine II 1940
- St. Clair (1937 - 1967) renamed St. Magnus 1960
- St. Clair (1960 - 1977)
- St. Clair (1977 - 1992) renamed St. Clair II 1992
- St. Clair (1992 - 2002)
- St. Clement (1946 - 1976)
- St. Magnus (1924 - 1960)
- St. Magnus (1978 - 1989)
- St. Ninian (1895 - 1948)
- St. Ninian (1950 - 1971)
- St. Nicholas (1871 - 1914)
- St. Ola (1892 - 1951)
- St. Ola (1892 - 1974)
- St. Ola (1951 - 1974)
- St. Ola (1974 - 1992)
- St. Ola (1992 - 2002)
- St. Rognvald (1883 - 1900)
- St. Rognvald (1901 - 1951)
- St. Rognvald (1955 - 1978)
- St. Rognvald (1989 - 2002)
- St. SunnivaSS St. SunnivaSS St. Sunniva was one of the first purpose built cruise ships. Converted into a ferry in 1908, she operated as the Lerwick mail steamer until 10 April 1930, when she ran aground off Shetland and was a complete loss.-History:SS St...
(1887 - 1930) - St. Sunniva (1931 - 1943)
- St. Sunniva (1987 - 2002)