THE BROMPORT STEAMSHIP COMPANY

To ensure the supply of raw materials for his manufacturing business based on the Wirral, 1916 saw William Lever make the decision to enter the world of ship owning. To that end he bought a Manchester based shipping concern, H. Watson and Company, which owned a small, modern fleet of eight ships. The name Bromport Steamship Company Ltd., which was derived from the docks that were close to the Lever Bros Port Sunlight factory.

Name

Colemere

Delamere

Eskmere

Redesmere

Flaxmere

Rabymere

Oakmere

Linmere

Year Built

1915

1915

1916

1911

1915

1917

1910

1913

Gross Tons

2,120

1,525

2,293

2,123

1,525

1,776*

1,251

1,579

* At the time of the company being purchased Rabymere was being built.

There is no question that it was a very risky time to buy Watsons, Britain was at war with Germany and had been for two years, the next two years saw the fleet decimated after submarine activity had become unrestricted. Four vessels became victim, Colemere, Eskmere, Redesmere and Delamere all being sunk by torpedo. In total 53 lives were lost during the conflict.

When hostilities ended the remaining Bromport ships were joined by a ship owned by Levers’ Pacific plantations. The Kulambanga, a twin screw vessel, was also the last vessel to become part of the fleet.

Lever’s acquisition of the Niger Company, with all the assets and influence it had was not quite the deal that Lever expected because the company was not as financially sound as he had expected. The trading situation in West Africa deteriorated and the recently established West African Conference meant other Lines were more successful. The Bromport ships were no longer competitive. 1923 saw Lever’s first foray into ship-owning come to a close.