Falls Line

The Falls Line[1] was a Scottish shipping line in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The line operated ships of two companies; Wright, Breakenridge & Co. (from 1878 up to 1892) and Wright and Graham & Co. (from 1892). Both companies' ships used the same flag.[2][3] The Falls Line does not appear to have operated ships after 1914, although some of the company's ships continued in operation for other owners.

House flag of the Falls Line.

The Falls Line's offices were at 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland.

Ships of the Falls Line

The Falls Line's ships were distinguished by all being named after Scottish river falls.

Falls of Afton, a four-mast, full-rigged ship.
Falls of Halladale, a four-mast barque.

The Falls Line sailing vessels that were originally operated by Wright, Breakenridge & Co. were:

  • Falls of Clyde, built in 1878.[4]
  • Falls of Bruar, built in 1879.[5]
  • Falls of Dee, built in 1882, sold in 1901 and renamed Teie in 1910[6]
  • Falls of Afton, built in 1882.[7]
  • Falls of Foyers, bult in 1883.[8]
  • Falls of Earn, built in 1884.[9]
  • Falls of Halladale, built in 1886.[10]
  • Falls of Garry, built in 1886, sold as a wreck in 1898 and repaired, then resold in 1904.[11]

There was also another sailing vessel that was only ever operated by Wright, Graham & Co.

  • Falls of Ettrick, built in 1894.[12]

All were similar four-masted, iron-hulled, sailing vessels, and all were built by Russell & Co. Most were full-rigged ships, but three of the vessels were rigged as barques; Falls of Halladale, Falls of Garry, and Falls of Ettrick.

SS Canastota, formerly Falls of Orchy.

These steamships—also named for Scottish river falls—operated under the Falls Line flag managed by Wright, Graham & Co..

  • s.s. Falls of Bracklinn, built in 1894; the ship went missing after leaving Baltimore in 1897.[13]
  • s.s. Falls of Keltie,[14] built in 1898, sold in 1905 and renamed Hoyle Bank, subsequently Navarachus Condouriotis (1914), Taisan Maru (1916), and Shinsan Maru (1917).
  • s.s. Falls of Moness, built in 1902 originally chartered to the Indra Line[15] as s.s. Indradeo [16] came off charter in 1908 and was renamed Falls of Moness, sold in 1914 and renamed s.s Teakwood.[17]
  • s.s. Falls of Orchy,[18] built in 1907, sold in 1914[19] and resold in 1915,[20] when it was renamed s.s. Canastota.
  • s.s. Falls of Nith,[21] built in 1907, later sold and renamed s.s. Benito.

Fate of the ships

With only one exception, all the Falls Line ships—both sail and steam—were wrecked, lost without trace, or sank, either during or after the time that the ships were under the Falls Line's flag.

German or Austrian submarine attacks, during World War I, resulted in the sinking of five of the ships; UC-17 sank Falls of Afton; UB-57 sank Benito (ex-Falls of Nith); U-14 sank Teakwood (ex-Falls of Moness);[22] UB-47 sank Shinsan Maru (ex-Falls of Keltie); and UC-45 sank Teie (ex-Falls of Dee).

The Falls of Clyde, the oldest of the Falls Line ships, was and still is the sole survivor, although its future remained uncertain in 2023.

References
  1. "Falls Line - Wright, Graham & Co. - Wright & Breakenridge". Wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  2. "House flag, Falls Line - National Maritime Museum". Collections.rmg.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  3. "Collections - National Maritime Museum". Collections.rmg.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  4. "Sailing Vessel FALLS OF CLYDE built by Russell & Co in 1878 for William & John Wright and M Breakenridge (Falls Line) - mng Michael Breakenridge, Glasgow, Cargo". Clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  5. Details of Sailing vessel Falls of Bruar built by Russell & Co in 1879 for Falls Line - Wright & Breakenridge., Cargo at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  6. Details of Sailing Vessel FALLS OF DEE built by Russell & Co in 1882 for Falls Line - Wright & Breakenridge (mng Wm G. Wright), Glasgow. at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  7. Details of Sailing Vessel FALLS OF AFTON built by Russell & Co in 1882 for Falls Line, Michael Breakenridge, Glasgow. at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  8. Details of Sailing Vessel FALLS OF FOYERS built by Russell & Co in 1883 for Falls Line Company Glasgow (Wright & Breakenridge) at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  9. Details of Sailing Vessel FALLS OF EARN built by Russell & Co in 1884 for Falls Line. Ship Co Ltd. at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  10. "Sailing Vessel FALLS OF HALLADALE built by Russell & Co in 1886 for Falls Line Company, Glasgow (Wright & Breakenridge)., Cargo". Clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  11. Details of Sailing Vessel FALLS OF GARRY built by Russell & Co in 1886 for Michael Breakenridge, Glasgow. at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  12. Details of Sailing Vessel FALLS OF ETTRICK built by Russell & Co in 1894 for William G Wright & William E A Graham (Wright, Graham & Co - Falls Line), Glasgow at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  13. "Screw Steamer FALLS OF BRACKLINN built by Russell & Co in 1894 for S.S. "Falls of Bracklinn" Co Ltd - Wright, Graham & Co., Glasgow, Cargo". Clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  14. "Screw Steamer FALLS OF KELTIE built by Russell & Co in 1898 for Falls of Keltie S.S. Co.Ltd.,- Wright, Graham & Co., Glasgow., Cargo". Clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. Swiggum, Sue. "Thos. B. Royden & Co". Theshipslist.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  16. "SHIPPING ITEMS". Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (Sydney, NSW : 1891 - 1954). 8 July 1907. p. 4. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  17. "John I. Jacobs & Co, London". Mariners List. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  18. Details of Screw Steamer FALLS OF ORCHY built by Napier & Miller Ltd in 1907 for Falls Line S.S. Co. Ltd. - Wright, Graham & Co., Glasgow at the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust's database of Scottish built ships.
  19. "FALLS OF ORCHY'S NEW OWNERS". Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (Sydney, NSW : 1891 - 1954). 18 August 1914. p. 11. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  20. Swiggum, Sue. "New Zealand Shipping Co". Theshipslist.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  21. "Screw Steamer FALLS OF NITH built by Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. in 1907 for Falls Line Steamship Co.Ltd (Wright,Graham & Co.Ltd) Glasgow, Cargo". Clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  22. "Requisitioned Auxiliary - Teakwood". Historicalrfa.org. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
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