# J & C Harrison of London



## Coopermalcolm (Jan 10, 2009)

I am in the process of completing a history of this prominent London tramp company, which was in business between 1888 and 1979, when it sold its last two vessels, the bulkers HARFLEET and HARFLEUR. I would very much like to hear from anybody who served with the Harrison fleet, particularly those who might have records and photos from their time with the company.

Please note, this is not the Harrison Line of Liverpool. J & C Harrison operated tramps, all with names starting HAR-.

Hope to hear from lots of you soon

Malcolm Cooper


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## Mjroots (Mar 10, 2009)

Can't give much info, but for a start there's Bharatkhand and Fort La Monte.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Empire_ships_-_G#Empire_Gulliver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Fort_La_Monte


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Malcolm, I sailed on the Hartismere in 1949,there should be a picture in the gallery of this ship.

John.


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## Mackinlay (May 23, 2009)

Malcolm

Just in case you happen to get a picture of the Bharatkhand, my Dad sailed on it and has been trying to get a picture of it for years but with no luck. I understand it started life at the Empire Gulliver.

If you don't mind, if you ever come across a picture, would love to give him a copy.

Jeremy Mackinlay


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## doriss49 (Feb 19, 2012)

Mackinlay said:


> Malcolm
> 
> Just in case you happen to get a picture of the Bharatkhand, my Dad sailed on it and has been trying to get a picture of it for years but with no luck. I understand it started life at the Empire Gulliver.
> 
> ...


Hi Jeremy,
I hope you re still around! Have just stumbled across this thread. My dad was on the Bharatkhand too, and has proudly hung a watercolour of her above his front door for the past 50 odd years. I would be happy to make a copy if you re still interested.

Sue


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## Mackinlay (May 23, 2009)

doriss49 said:


> Hi Jeremy,
> I hope you re still around! Have just stumbled across this thread. My dad was on the Bharatkhand too, and has proudly hung a watercolour of her above his front door for the past 50 odd years. I would be happy to make a copy if you re still interested.
> 
> Sue


Hi Sue

Gosh. Just seen your message which you posted so long ago. I would love to have a copy if that is OK. My email address is [email protected]

What was your Dad's name?

Thanks so much for replying

Jeremy


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## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

Strangly BHARATKHAND(ex.EMPIRE GULLIVER)is missing from M.Coopers book of the history of J&C Harrison.She tookon the charters ships name soon after being bought by Harrisons as the EMPIRE GULLIER and was sold to the charterer.


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## cyp greeky (Sep 1, 2012)

4th engineer on harflure last trip to pusan for hand over to greeks loved the ship great company i actauly repaired standby compressor that had been broken down for years it was a rare roterry engine plenty of parts but nobody knew how to repair it my wife saild with me on this ship great time had in canada and japan


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## poppyjazz (Feb 12, 2014)

*Harrison's of london*

Hello Malcolm, I am looking into my family tree and my great grand father was frederick angier harrison, one of the brothers who set up the shipping business. John and Charles were the main partners but frederick was very part of the firm. I found references to the Harcalo. Any information about the company would be very gratefully received. Regards Poppy


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Poppy,

there is a book called - Travels of the Tramps - Twenty tramp fleets Vol1 that has a lot of information about J & C Harrison with a full list of the fleet. The author Norman L Middlemiss. I do not think the book is still in print so you would have to either buy it or maybe search it out in a Library.
The vessel you named Harcalo:
Built 1895
Owned 1896-1898
2401 Gross tons.

Sold to Spain and renamed Canecogorta.

There were a further two vessels by this name in the fleet Harcalo 2 built 1904,
and 3 -1933 which became a war loss on 6.6.1940.

Hawkey01


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## Coopermalcolm (Jan 10, 2009)

*Frederick Angier Harrison*



poppyjazz said:


> Hello Malcolm, I am looking into my family tree and my great grand father was frederick angier harrison, one of the brothers who set up the shipping business. John and Charles were the main partners but frederick was very part of the firm. I found references to the Harcalo. Any information about the company would be very gratefully received. Regards Poppy


Hello Poppy

I published a new history of J & C Harrison in 1912 in which I covered the involvement of your great grandfather in some detail. If you are interested in acquiring a copy, you can get one direct from the publishers, Ships in Focus.

Regards Malcolm


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## Robert Durrant (Nov 3, 2007)

Malcolm,
Congratulations on your book,bought it last month.Enjoyable read.


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## poppyjazz (Feb 12, 2014)

*J&C Harrison's*



Coopermalcolm said:


> Hello Poppy
> 
> I published a new history of J & C Harrison in 1912 in which I covered the involvement of your great grandfather in some detail. If you are interested in acquiring a copy, you can get one direct from the publishers, Ships in Focus.
> 
> Regards Malcolm


Hello Malcolm, just ordered my copy, looking forward to having a good read this weekend. regards
Poppy


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## Ivor Lloyd (Jul 18, 2005)

What was the name of the Harrison ship that was wrecked in South America in 1938 
I was Radio Officer on the Harmattan 1945
Ivor


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## Coopermalcolm (Jan 10, 2009)

HARMANTEH was wrecked on Zealous Island, Messier Channel in the Gulf of Penas, Chile on 22.5.1938 while on a voyage from Santos to San Francisco in ballast.

Regards

Malcolm


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## Ivor Lloyd (Jul 18, 2005)

Malcolm
Many thanks for the Info.
Regards

Ivor


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## Qu1ckn1ck (Aug 1, 2014)

My father, Richard Young, was Second Mate on Harmatris from 21/08/41 to 04/10/42. While part of convoy PQ8 she was torpedoed off the Kola Inlet, towed into Murmansk and took 8 months to repair. My father was awarded a King's Commendation and received a cash award from J & C Harrison for which I have the do***entation.

Subsequently he sailed as Second Mate on Harlesden from 05/03/43 to 18/01/44. She was the third ship of this name and was launched in 1943.

I am anxious to obtain a photograph of Harlesden taken during the two years she was owned by J & C Harrison, she was subsequently renamed Trewidden, Ankobra River and finally Eland.


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## Coopermalcolm (Jan 10, 2009)

*Harlesden*

There is a photograph of the Harlesden in my history of J & C Harrison, published in 2012 by Ships in Focus. She appears to be fresh from the dockyard so there is a high probability that the photo was taken before her sale to Hain.

Malcolm Cooper


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## Qu1ckn1ck (Aug 1, 2014)

Coopermalcolm said:


> There is a photograph of the Harlesden in my history of J & C Harrison, published in 2012 by Ships in Focus. She appears to be fresh from the dockyard so there is a high probability that the photo was taken before her sale to Hain.
> 
> Malcolm Cooper


Many thanks, my copy of your book is on order.

Is there any method of ordering prints of the photos appearing in your book, should I approach the publishers ?


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## Coopermalcolm (Jan 10, 2009)

The photograph comes from a private collection, but the publishers should be able to put you in touch with him, and if you just want the photo for personal reasons, you should have a reasonable chance of success.

Malcolm


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## Qu1ckn1ck (Aug 1, 2014)

Coopermalcolm said:


> The photograph comes from a private collection, but the publishers should be able to put you in touch with him, and if you just want the photo for personal reasons, you should have a reasonable chance of success.
> 
> Malcolm


Thanks Malcolm. Have just received your book.


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## Clifford Cocker (Jan 21, 2008)

*J&C Harrison*

Just come across your thread, sailed as 5th Engineer on the Harpalion 2 August 1952 to 2 December 1952, trip from Welsh ports with full cargo of steam coal to BA, then Soya expellors from various ports to Continent and UK. Clean well run ship, good crowd.


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## John A. Aikenhead (Sep 8, 2009)

Good day all posters;
I have been searching many sites looking for a photo of S/S Harpagus built at Bartrams Shyd Sunderland in 1940. My uncle 
Mr Alexander Aikenhead (fireman/trimmer) was lost aged only 20yrs when she was torpedoed N.Atlantic in 1941, I was born in 1942 and was bestowed with the middle name Alexander in memory of him.
I have seen his name and brass plate scroll in the honour rolls at the Mission to Seamen (Mill Dam) South Shields and also in the M.N. honour roll in London. No one ever had a photo of him or the Harpagus while I was growing up in South Shields and have still not been able to find anything in this age of Internet access etc.
Harpagus was also carrying many survivors from another vessel named S/S Norman Monarch as the Harpagus had been designated as "rescue ship for convoy H126 and was trying to catch up again with the convoy after rescuing these survivors when she was torpedoed for a 2nd time and sunk by Submarine U109.

*Below is an extract taken from the website "Wrecksite" giving some details of the cir***stances of the loss of the Harpagus. 

Harpagus SS was a British Cargo Steamer of 5,173 tons built in 1940. On the 20th May 1941 when on route from Baltimore - Halifax - Barry Roads carryng a cargo of 8,250 tons of grain and in Convoy HX-126 as a straggler she was torpedoed and damaged by German submarine U-94.

Harpagus was torpedoed again and sunk by U-109, 250 miles south-southeast of Cape Farewell. 25 crew members, four gunners, three passengers and 26 survivors were lost. The master, 17 crew members and 22 survivors were picked up by HMS Burnham (H 82) (Cdr J. Bostock) and landed at Reykjavik.

Any assistance in obtaining a photo of Harpagus or any other information relative to the ship or her crew would be gratefully appreciated; 
Yours truly; John Alexander Aikenhead.


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