I think there were two Gem lines, at Dundee Peter M Duncan and at Glasgow William Robertson, both using gem names. In the clip site's Merchantile Navy lists there are two Sapphires for 1880 and 1900 and in 1900 there are two Diamonds, one to each owner. Duncan seems to have sailed ships as the Dundee Gem Line SS Co Ltd as early as 1888 while Robertson only adopted the name in 1950. Peter

Peter, With the prompt you give I have verified from the Gem Line book I previously mentioned that the Gem Line Ltd. was founded in 1952 and ownership of the Robertson ships tranferred to it. Hitherto their ships had traded under the title simply of W. Robertson, or variations thereof. Robertson owned ships from 1852 (sail) and steamers from 1865. They, of course, were registered at Glasgow. The ownership of the ships managed by Peter Miller Duncan was, certainly by 1897, listed as Dundee Gem Line, of Dundee. As they ceased trading circa 1910 I suppose a gap of 40 years is an acceptable period before the other Gem Line name actually came on the scene. The confusion for us "youngsters", however great our vintage, is that we knew only the Robertson ships as being of the Gem Line within our lifetime! Ron Mapplebeck (UK) **** On 10/08/2011 20:54, Peter Kirsopp wrote: > I think there were two Gem lines, at Dundee Peter M Duncan and at Glasgow William Robertson, both using gem names. In the clip site's Merchantile Navy lists there are two Sapphires for 1880 and 1900 and in 1900 there are two Diamonds, one to each owner. Duncan seems to have sailed ships as the Dundee Gem Line SS Co Ltd as early as 1888 while Robertson only adopted the name in 1950. > Peter > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >