Distinct absence of any Elder Dempster Liners. Any reason for this?

[Graham the pipe]

ED's liners may have been on a shorter 'bus route' than most but before the demise of the 'liner age', they were the West Africa, 'Royal Mail' boats. The Aureol, Accra and Apapa, out of Liverpool, the Calabar and Winneba out of Tilbury, carrying, amongst other dignatories of the times, all those responsible for running the, then, British Colonies prior to their independance.

One 'fact' stays in my mind, that being that their UK leave commenced when they arrived in the UK, not when they left the Colony. This meant that they enjoyed a two week 'cruise' without sacrificing part of their leave by so doing. Once this was officially changed, to their leave commencing when they actually left West Africa, they all chose to fly home, thus creating the demise of the West African, liner trade.

Can only guess that, with the rapid progress of the airlines of the world in the 1950s and 60s, this was effectively the 'end' for passenger liners in general, irrespective of their, particular 'bus route'.

Would be interested to read any feedback on my comment, as I know there are at least three, 'Elders of Elders' contributing to this site, one of whom 'introduced' me in the first place.

GTP (Smoke)

[Ian6]

Hi
Not sure what you mean by 'abscence of ED liners' as there are more than a dozen pictures of the beautiful Aureol alone in the Gallery and 68 threads under Elder Dempster in the Forum.
My own connection with ED is slight, my Dad sailed in Erika at the end of WW1. She was a war prize captured from the Germans and managed by ED. I was also in Scotts yard in 1956 when Egori was launched !
Hopefully you'll find someone who you actually sailed with.
Regards
Ian

[Graham the pipe]

Thanks, Ian, for 'pointing me in the right direction'! Obviously, as a newcomer, I haven't been pressing the right buttons! Will attempt that now.

Kindest regards to you and yours.

GTP (Smoke)

[purserjuk]

Ian6. Can you let me have more details of "Erika"? I have no record of her as being managed by EDs.
Thanks for any help.
John

[Ian6]

John
I traced Erika's details through the Miramar Index in the golden days when it was free to access. My Dad's Discharge Book shows Erika as Reg Ton 1682 and the voyage starting in London on 25/4/1919 and ending in Cardiff on 14/8/1919. The Description of Voyage is River Plate, which was hardly E.D. country and a long way for a ship of only 1682 tons. I guess I only believe it was managed by E.D. because he said so. All the other details he spoke of, going to Montevideo and the ship being a war prize are borne out by Miramar. Erika was built in 1906 and returned to the Germans after WW1 but sunk by the RAF in WW2!
It was a long time ago and no one involved is going to be alive now, I guess. Perhaps even my slight contact with E.D. is false - except I definitely was in Scotts Yard
on 12/6/56 when Egori was launched.
Ian

[purserjuk]

Ian,
Many thanks for the info. I will look further into her association with ED's later. In passing I sailed as Writer on "Egori" from Sept 15 to Nov 29 1957. Very different from the other two "E's" Eboe" and "Ebani" though!
John

[michael charters]

Does any one remember George Cornmell (engineer) Elder Dempster. He went on to form his own shipping company Mell Marine Shipping??????