Thomas Royden and Sons
of Liverpool
1859 Thomas Royden took his two sons, Thomas Bland Royden and Joseph Royden, into partnership and the company was renamed Thomas Royden & Sons.[1]
1863 The company made the transition from building wooden to iron-hulled ships, and the same year Sir Thomas Royden retired.[2]
1888 The company began operating its own ships, founding the Indra Line. This came to dominate the company's activities.[3]
1891 Built SS OBIDENSE, 2379 grt, with 423 nhp triple expansion engine by Fawcett, Preston and Co & Co. Ltd., Liverpool. Wrecked 1 January 1915 on a voyage from Rotterdam to New York. [4]
1893 Royden's sold their shipyard to concentrate on shipping operations and management.
1913 It was proposed to amalgamate several shipping lines serving Australasia; this would involve the Tyser Line (8 ships), William Milburn and Co (9 ships), the Australian interests of the India Line of T. B. Royden and 5 vessels of the Star Line (of James P. Corry and Co) as the Commercial and Dominion Line Ltd[5] which later was acquired by Cunard Line.
1915 They sold the Indra Line to Blue Funnel Line
From 1916 they operated the Santa Clara Steam Ship Company on the South American route.
1930 The Santa Clara Company was sold to the Bristol City Line finally bringing Royden's independent shipping operations to a close.[6]