Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 165,112 pages of information and 246,466 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Moss Hutchison Line

From Graces Guide

Specialists in Mediterranean shipping trade based in Liverpool.

1815 James Moss, a Liverpool ship chandler, had an interest in trading with Mediterranean ports. He was joined in partnership by Thomas Hampson and the company was named Moss and Hampson.

1833 the partnership was dissolved; Moss and his nephew, William Moss, and Richard Spencer formed a new company James Moss and Co.

1849 William Denny built the firm's first steamship, the Nile of 500 tons and 120 horsepower.

Following the death of James Moss's nephew, the surviving partners registered the Moss Steamship Co Ltd, with James Moss & Co continuing the management of the steamers.

By the mid-1860s, Moss had a dozen steamers.

1916 Both companies were taken over by the Royal Mail group

WWI Lost all but 2 ships

1919 Acquired J. and P. Hutchison Ltd, an old established line in the Scotland/Ireland/France trade

1934 After the liquidation of the Royal Mail group, Moss Hutchison was formed.

1935 Acquired by General Steam Navigation Co, which was owned by Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

1972 Moss Hutchison became part of P&O General Cargo Division but retained its traditional livery.

As patterns of trade in the Mediterranean changed radically, the change-over to containerisation made conventional cargo ships non-viable. Moss Hutchison's fleet ceased to exist by 1979

See Also

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Sources of Information

  • General Steam Navigation Co [1]
  • P&O Heritage [2]