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Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co. Ltd.
The Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co. was formed in 1826 when the Dundee & Perth Union Shipping Co. amalgamated with the Dundee & Perth Shipping Co., initially to provide cargo and passenger services between the Tay and London, Glasgow (via the Forth & Clyde Canal) and Liverpool. voyages were also made to the Baltic and White Seas for flax and timber. In 1849 the company abandoned the Glasgow and Liverpool trades due to railway competition and increased canal dues.
Their first steamship was the wooden paddle tug SIR WILLIAM WALLACE, built in 1830, used to tow lighters between Dundee and Perth and also carried passengers. In 1834 the company started using steamships on the Dundee to London service, in 1857 the fleet of the Dundee and Hull Shipping Co. was taken over and in 1859 ships were first used in the fruit trade from Greece and Spain.
The fleets of the Dundee & Newcastle Steam Shipping Co. were taken over in 1917, the Kirkcaldy Steamship Co. in 1918, Thomas Cowan & Co. in 1919 and Henry & MacGregor, Leith the same year. By 1926 the company operated a network of services between the Tay and London, Newcastle, Hull, Southampton and Northern France. In 1929 the Aberdeen, Newcastle & Hull Steam Co. was acquired. During World War II, five of the company's ships were requisitioned and several ships were managed for the Ministry of War Transport. In 1946 a return to deep sea tramping was made with voyages to the Mediterranean and later worldwide. Voyages to the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes started in 1951. In 1961 a minority share was purchased in Channel Shipping Co, Jersey.
Coastal sailings declined in the 1950s and by 1960 the company was trading at a loss and the Dundee - London service was terminated. The last ship was sold in 1967 and the company retired from shipowning.
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