# Smiths of Cardiff



## Peter Eccleson (Jan 16, 2006)

Hi all! Anyone know whatever happened to Smiths of Cardiff? (Sir Willy Reardon Smiths). Did they go out of business? Thanks in advance.... sure there's a few ex City sailors out there.


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## Bruce Carson (Jun 14, 2005)

Hello Peter:
There's a website with short histories of Cardiff area shipowners.
It has a short piece on Smiths.


http://www.angelfire.com/de/BobSanders/SHIPCO.html

Bruce C.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Peter,​


I am not a City sailor but here is some info on Smiths of Cardiff.​ 
Captain William Reardon Smith established the business of the Reardon Smith Line Ltd. as W.R. Smith and Son Ltd., at 124 Bute Street, Cardiff, and the Instow Steamship Co. Ltd. in 1905 at Cardiff Docks.​ 
The Company had many subsidiary and associated companies. The fleet of ships had grown to 39 ships by 1922. The name changed to Reardon Smith Line Ltd. in 1928.​ 
The Company continued to expand the fleet up to 1977. It also diversified into the chartering business and oil extraction. In 1985 the group ceased trading and went into liquidation.​ 
Rgds​


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## Peter Eccleson (Jan 16, 2006)

*Smiths*

Thanks Hugh & Bruce. Can't actually believe they went broke. They were apparently hugely successful in the 70's. There was some link-up with the Irish Shipping Co which ended in financial disaster I think. Interesting story. Thanks again.


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## peter lewis (Dec 13, 2004)

peter try this web site GENUKI GLAMORGAN it as some very interesting informaition on it (Hippy)


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Peter Eccleson said:


> Thanks Hugh & Bruce. Can't actually believe they went broke. They were apparently hugely successful in the 70's. There was some link-up with the Irish Shipping Co which ended in financial disaster I think. Interesting story. Thanks again.


Peter

They formed into a company called Celtic Bulk Carriers but did not last long


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## cymruman (Jan 15, 2006)

They linked with Ben Line to operate oilrigs, financial disaster, went bust. Excellent company ( served my time with them ) , Link with Irish shipping seemed succesful enough, formed it i believe to carry out contract to ship phosphate from Tampa to india ( Visakhapatnam) then to British Columbia ( light ) for timber for uk/continent.
A few ships in my gallery.


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## Peter Eccleson (Jan 16, 2006)

Thanks everyone for the info!! Appreciated.


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## A.J.McMahon (Oct 21, 2007)

cymruman said:


> They linked with Ben Line to operate oilrigs, financial disaster, went bust. Excellent company ( served my time with them ) , Link with Irish shipping seemed succesful enough, formed it i believe to carry out contract to ship phosphate from Tampa to india ( Visakhapatnam) then to British Columbia ( light ) for timber for uk/continent.
> A few ships in my gallery Hi,Iwounder if you could point me in the right direction, Iam trying to find some infomation,pssible photo of a Smiths ship called Santa Clara Valley.My uncle was the Skipper on her when she went down off Naples I think about 1941,Don Lenny was his name,his only son was a cadet also with Smiths. He was fatality injured on another of Smiths ships


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## timbuctou (Feb 13, 2008)

What happened to the crew of the Reardon Smith ship Fresno City when she was sunk on 12 April 1943?
Was the torpedo from aJapanese sub?
Where was she headed for?


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## Brent Chambers (Apr 30, 2007)

Hi Timbuctou--can only answer one of your questions--she was sunk by U168, 12.4.1943.
Cheers, Brent


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

*Fresno City*

Timbuctu

12 April 1943
Fresno City - 7261 T. Bombay, Cristobal, & New York for Liverpool. Cargo 3000 t. Manganese Ore, 5965 t. General & Mail. Sunk by sub. Crew 48 all saved. Pos'n approx 54 15N. 30 W. Abandoned but at 10 a.m. was reboarded by master and chief engineer. Abandoned again as salvage appeared impossible. At 1045 a.m. was hit by two more torpedoes and sank at 1050 a.m.
Source - Lloyd's War Losses WW2


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## jrg (May 7, 2009)

cymruman said:


> They linked with Ben Line to operate oilrigs, financial disaster, went bust. Excellent company ( served my time with them ) , Link with Irish shipping seemed succesful enough, formed it i believe to carry out contract to ship phosphate from Tampa to india ( Visakhapatnam) then to British Columbia ( light ) for timber for uk/continent.
> A few ships in my gallery.


I worked in the Timor Sea on a rig that had Saunders valves all over the place-Stena Clyde-one of RSLs joint ventures.

JRG


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

A.J.McMahon said:


> Hi,Iwounder if you could point me in the right direction, Iam trying to find some infomation,pssible photo of a Smiths ship called Santa Clara Valley.My uncle was the Skipper on her when she went down off Naples I think about 1941,Don Lenny was his name,his only son was a cadet also with Smiths. He was fatality injured on another of Smiths ships


Hi Here is a photo of EAST LYNN (renamed SANTA CLARA VALLEY in 1931.
Unknown photographer..taken from Reardon Smith Line by P.M. Heaton.
pub by Starling Press 1984.
Best Wishes scorcher.


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## A.J.McMahon (Oct 21, 2007)

*Santa Clara Valley (East Lynn)*

Many Thanks Scorcher, I appreciate your input, I was not aware that she was originally *East Lynn* Best Regards AJM.


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## Jacktar1 (Jul 17, 2005)

*Still Searching & Hoping*

I am still searching and hoping to locate anyone who sailed with Reardon Smith Line between March 1948 and end of 1953. Apart from Captain John Cann & Anthony Johansen I have had no success ! I sailed on board the Leeds City, Orient City, Leeds City, Atlantic City & Devon City. Two persons who I would really like to contact: Bob Nosworthy (London) and Denny Baker (Cardiff).

Cheers.....Glan


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