Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line

(Est. 1825)

Set up in 1825 by George Thompson of Aberdeen to run sailing ships to the St. Lawrence with a few passengers and returning with timber. By 1837 he was running a fleet of 12 sailing vessels and trading to South America, the Pacific, West Indies and the Mediterranean and in 1842 commenced regular London - Australia sailings. In 1882 a regular steamship service was introduced between London and Australia and in 1899 all ships of the line were fitted to carry frozen produce.

In 1905 the company came under the joint control of White Star Line and Shaw, Savill & Albion Line, but retained it's own identity. White Star Line purchased the Australian Government owned Australian Commonwealth Line and it's fleet in 1928, but in 1931 the Kylsant shipping group which owned White Star Line, collapsed.

In 1932, the Aberdeen Line was purchased by Shaw, Savill & Albion and in 1933 the fleet of the former Australian Commonwealth Line which had not been fully paid for, was also acquired and the Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line formed. In 1936 Furness Withy & Co. took control of Shaw Savill & Albion, in 1938 the Aberdeen name was dropped from the title and in 1957 the last of their ships was scrapped and the company disappeared.