Collection GB 0064 NOU - James Nourse Limited

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0064 NOU

Title

James Nourse Limited

Date(s)

  • [1867-1967] (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

I box

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

After serving as master in a number of ships in the East Indies and Australia trade, James Nourse (d.1897) had his own ship built in 1861. In 1865 he settled on shore to own and operate more ships. He built up a fleet of sailing vessels with which he specialized in carrying contract labour between India and Guiana, the West Indies, Natal and Fiji. This trade was carefully regulated by the British and colonial governments. The ships were well-found with a reputation for healthy voyages, and sailing ships were employed at a time when many other trades had turned to steam. Cargo was a secondary consideration, but iron rails and salt were carried from England to India, rice and gunny bags from Calcutta and rice from Rangoon, sugar from the West Indies and Cuba and general cargo from the United States to Europe. After Nourse's death, the fleet was operated by his executors until 1903 when a limited liability company was formed under the title of James Nourse Limited. The sailing ships were gradually disposed of and replaced by six steamships. In 1917 the shares of the Company were acquired by P&O. During the inter-war years the older ships were replaced by new larger steamers, but the carriage of Indian labour to the West Indies was not resumed despite the demand there in the early 1920s for extra labour. There were, however, return voyages for those people who wished to be repatriated to India. Cargo became more important and regular monthly sailings were maintained from Calcutta and Rangoon to the West Indies and Cuba via the Cape. The India-Caribbean trade was discontinued in 1959 and the company engaged in world-wide tramping. In 1964 the management merged with that of the Ham Steamship Co Ltd and traded as Hain-Nourse Ltd until the reorganization of the P&0 Group in 1971.

Archival history

GB 0064 NOU [1867-1967] Collection I box James Nourse Limited

After serving as master in a number of ships in the East Indies and Australia trade, James Nourse (d.1897) had his own ship built in 1861. In 1865 he settled on shore to own and operate more ships. He built up a fleet of sailing vessels with which he specialized in carrying contract labour between India and Guiana, the West Indies, Natal and Fiji. This trade was carefully regulated by the British and colonial governments. The ships were well-found with a reputation for healthy voyages, and sailing ships were employed at a time when many other trades had turned to steam. Cargo was a secondary consideration, but iron rails and salt were carried from England to India, rice and gunny bags from Calcutta and rice from Rangoon, sugar from the West Indies and Cuba and general cargo from the United States to Europe. After Nourse's death, the fleet was operated by his executors until 1903 when a limited liability company was formed under the title of James Nourse Limited. The sailing ships were gradually disposed of and replaced by six steamships. In 1917 the shares of the Company were acquired by P&O. During the inter-war years the older ships were replaced by new larger steamers, but the carriage of Indian labour to the West Indies was not resumed despite the demand there in the early 1920s for extra labour. There were, however, return voyages for those people who wished to be repatriated to India. Cargo became more important and regular monthly sailings were maintained from Calcutta and Rangoon to the West Indies and Cuba via the Cape. The India-Caribbean trade was discontinued in 1959 and the company engaged in world-wide tramping. In 1964 the management merged with that of the Ham Steamship Co Ltd and traded as Hain-Nourse Ltd until the reorganization of the P&0 Group in 1971.

The records were deposited on loan by P&O between 1971 and 1977.

Papers of James Nourse Limited. They include: minutes, 1903 to 1929; Directors' reports and balance sheets, 1903 to 1946; registers of shareholders, 1955 to 1967; a small number of letters and Bills of Lading, 1867 to 1868; a rough notebook, 1875 to 1893; average adjustments, 1899 to 1964; freight fixtures, 1904 to 1964; movements, 1906 to 1914; copy letterbook, Calcutta to London, 1900 to 1906; personnel records, 1890 to 1963; and a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, 1920 to 1950. (Section 3: NOU/: 3ft: 91cm) Ships' Plans: arrangement and capacity plans, as well as a number of others, of a dozen steam and motor ships built mainly on the Clyde between 1930 and the 1940s.

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Please contact the Archive for further information.

English

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Edited by Sarah Drewery, Sep 2011.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

2010-08-26 Transport Vehicles Ships India South Asia

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The records were deposited on loan by P&O between 1971 and 1977.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of James Nourse Limited. They include: minutes, 1903 to 1929; Directors' reports and balance sheets, 1903 to 1946; registers of shareholders, 1955 to 1967; a small number of letters and Bills of Lading, 1867 to 1868; a rough notebook, 1875 to 1893; average adjustments, 1899 to 1964; freight fixtures, 1904 to 1964; movements, 1906 to 1914; copy letterbook, Calcutta to London, 1900 to 1906; personnel records, 1890 to 1963; and a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, 1920 to 1950. (Section 3: NOU/: 3ft: 91cm) Ships' Plans: arrangement and capacity plans, as well as a number of others, of a dozen steam and motor ships built mainly on the Clyde between 1930 and the 1940s.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

National Maritime Museum

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area