P Henderson & Company
Encyclopedia
P Henderson & Company, also known as Paddy Henderson, was a ship
owning and management company based in Glasgow
, Scotland
and operating to Burma. Patrick Henderson started business in Glasgow as a merchant
at the age of 25 in 1834. He had three brothers - two were merchants working for an agent in the Italian port
of Leghorn (now known as Livorno
); and the third was a sea-captain with his own boat.
The brothers together invested in the first boat - the “Peter Senn“ and the business grew from there. Patrick died in 1841, and the business was taken over by his brother George, the sea-captain.
In 1848, George took into partnership a young man
of outstanding abilities, James Galbraith, who expanded the business from merchants, to ship owners and ship managers.
The Company started trading to New Zealand
(NZ) in 1854 with sailing ships taking Scottish Emigrants, and the Royal Mail
, out to the new world.
, several new partners came in to form the Albion Shipping Company Ltd as ship owners, the vessels being managed by P. Henderson & Co.
The Albion Shipping Company became the dominant British company in the New Zealand Trade, and holders of the mail contract.
1869 saw the opening of the Suez Canal
making coal
more economic on the Glasgow to Burma route, and in 1870 P. Henderson & Co. started a steamboat
service between Glasgow, Liverpool
and Burma. No mail contract was available on this route as all mail went via India
.
In 1874, The British and Burmese Steam Navigation Company Ltd, was formed to increase the capital and spread the risk of the Burmese side of the business as it grew from the era of sailing ships into more expensive and much larger steam ships. BBSN took over the fleet of steamers on the Burma run. P. Henderson and Co were appointed as Managing Agents. Most of the shares
in the new company were taken up by P Henderson partners and their associates. Ship’s Masters
were encouraged to take shares. Peter Denny
took about a fifth of the capital.
1882 saw P. Henderson and Co. pioneer the first frozen meat shipment from New Zealand to London - still in sailing ships as the distance involved was too far for coal-fired vessels - the coal required for such a long trip took up too much valuable cargo space, and there were as yet no bunkering facilities.
, P. Henderson & Co remained as Managers and loading Brokers for the new company in Glasgow.
James Galbraith, the driving force of P. Henderson & Company, died in 1884. His death marked the end of an era of private capital, of pioneering and of expansion into unknown countries and technologies.
P. Henderson & Company remained to the forefront of Glasgow Shipping and Ship Management Companies well into the 1960s. In 1965 Ocean Steamship Co acquired control of the companies. During the Six Day War the Suez Canal was closed which subsequenly led to the Burmese route stopping.
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
owning and management company based in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and operating to Burma. Patrick Henderson started business in Glasgow as a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
at the age of 25 in 1834. He had three brothers - two were merchants working for an agent in the Italian port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
of Leghorn (now known as Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
); and the third was a sea-captain with his own boat.
The brothers together invested in the first boat - the “Peter Senn“ and the business grew from there. Patrick died in 1841, and the business was taken over by his brother George, the sea-captain.
In 1848, George took into partnership a young man
Man
The term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...
of outstanding abilities, James Galbraith, who expanded the business from merchants, to ship owners and ship managers.
The Company started trading to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(NZ) in 1854 with sailing ships taking Scottish Emigrants, and the Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
, out to the new world.
Albion Shipping Company
In 1860, there being little cargo home to Scotland from NZ, P Henderson & Co started to call at Burma with a regular service, this trade grew so fast that in order to obtain further capitalCapital (economics)
In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process...
, several new partners came in to form the Albion Shipping Company Ltd as ship owners, the vessels being managed by P. Henderson & Co.
The Albion Shipping Company became the dominant British company in the New Zealand Trade, and holders of the mail contract.
1869 saw the opening of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
making coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
more economic on the Glasgow to Burma route, and in 1870 P. Henderson & Co. started a steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
service between Glasgow, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Burma. No mail contract was available on this route as all mail went via India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
In 1874, The British and Burmese Steam Navigation Company Ltd, was formed to increase the capital and spread the risk of the Burmese side of the business as it grew from the era of sailing ships into more expensive and much larger steam ships. BBSN took over the fleet of steamers on the Burma run. P. Henderson and Co were appointed as Managing Agents. Most of the shares
Share (finance)
A joint stock company divides its capital into units of equal denomination. Each unit is called a share. These units are offered for sale to raise capital. This is termed as issuing shares. A person who buys share/shares of the company is called a shareholder, and by acquiring share or shares in...
in the new company were taken up by P Henderson partners and their associates. Ship’s Masters
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
were encouraged to take shares. Peter Denny
Peter Denny
-Career:Denny was a Director of William Denny and Brothers Limited, British & Burmese Steam Navigation Company, the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company and others.-References:...
took about a fifth of the capital.
1882 saw P. Henderson and Co. pioneer the first frozen meat shipment from New Zealand to London - still in sailing ships as the distance involved was too far for coal-fired vessels - the coal required for such a long trip took up too much valuable cargo space, and there were as yet no bunkering facilities.
Shaw, Savill & Albion Line
However the new technologies opened up immediate trading possibilities and capital requirements that were beyond the capabilities of P. Henderson or the Albion Shipping Company to fulfil on their own, and so in 1882, the Albion Shipping Company amalgamated with Shaw Savill Line to form The Shaw, Savill & Albion Company Ltd. Following the amalgamationConsolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
, P. Henderson & Co remained as Managers and loading Brokers for the new company in Glasgow.
James Galbraith, the driving force of P. Henderson & Company, died in 1884. His death marked the end of an era of private capital, of pioneering and of expansion into unknown countries and technologies.
P. Henderson & Company remained to the forefront of Glasgow Shipping and Ship Management Companies well into the 1960s. In 1965 Ocean Steamship Co acquired control of the companies. During the Six Day War the Suez Canal was closed which subsequenly led to the Burmese route stopping.
Elder Dempster
By 1970 all stock had been transferred to Elder Dempster and the Henderson name vanished from the shipping industry.See also
- Irrawaddy Flotilla CompanyIrrawaddy Flotilla CompanyThe Irrawaddy Flotilla Company was a passenger and cargo ferry company, which operated services on the Irrawaddy River in Burma, now Myanmar. The IFC was Scottish-owned, and was managed by P Henderson & Company from Glasgow. The IFC operated from 1865 until the late 1940s...
- SR Merchant Navy Class 35009 Shaw SavillSR Merchant Navy Class 35009 Shaw SavillSR Merchant Navy Class No.35009 Shaw Savill is a 're-built' SR Merchant Navy Class 'Pacific' steam locomotive, named after the Shaw Savill Line, a British merchant shipping company. The locomotive was built at Eastleigh Works in June 1942 in its original air-smoothed form, and given the number 21C9...
– Steam locomotive named after the shipping company