The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

jrah60

William Robertson & Co Ltd was founded in 1852 by William Robertson (1832-1919).

His first venture as a ship owner was the purchase of the scow or barge, 'Ellen', which was purchased for the sum of 'ten pounds and repairs extra' and plied on the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Clyde Estuary. This was followed by the lighter, 'Gem' in 1854, the 'Ruby' in 1855 and the 'Pearl' in 1859. The 'Jasper' 1865 was their first steamer or puffer and the first sea-going steamer, 'Agate' was purchased in 1878. The first diesel powered vessel, the 'Sapphire' was purchased in 1935. The names of the Gem Line ships were derived from minerals, precious and semiprecious stones. The company concentrated on coastal tramp ships, trading commodities such as coal and limestone among the ports of Great Britain, Ireland, France, the Netherlands and the Baltic. They owned a large part of a Norwegian shipping line, Thor Thoresen Linje. A number of ships were lost to enemy action during World Wars I and II. Robertsons diversified into other activities, limestone quarrying at Kneeshaw Lupton in Wales, geological research and consultancy (Robertson Research Group) and even curling stones (Ailsa Craig Quarrying Co Ltd). The business was restructured in 1949 as William Robertson Ship-owners Ltd and Gem Line Ltd was formed in 1952 as a holding company for ownership of the ships. The company invested in new and larger ships in the 1950s and 1960s, but by 1970 the coastal trade had declined, with the advent of vast containers using large, deep water ports. Robertsons' shipping and quarrying interests merged with Powell Duffryn Ltd in 1970 and later with Stephenson Clarke. The company name ceased to be used in 1980 and Stephenson Clarke moved its operations to Newcastle and London in 1982. Mr Frank Robertson, Chair of the Gem Line represented the Glasgow and Clyde Ship Owners on the Board of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow for many years, and was the first Chairman of Court of the newly formed University of Strathclyde from 1964-1968, steering the University through its formative years. http://www.strath.ac.uk/archives/ourcollections/othercolls/t-gemint

The following photographs are reproduced by permission of Strathclyde University Archives.

I would like to thank Ann Cameron, Archivist, for all her assistance.

John Houston