Union-Castle liners, with their distinctive lavender hulls, gleaming white superstructure and blacktopped red funnels, were once a familiar sight in the harbours of Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban.
Donald Currie, who started what would become the UnionCastle Mail Steamship Company, was born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1825. His parents moved to Belfast in 1826, and he went to school at the Belfast Academy and at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, where he excelled.
As a boy, Currie was fascinated by the sea, and at the age of 18, he joined the Cunard Steamship Company, Liverpool, which ran the only regular line of steamers sailing between Europe and the US. In due course, he was promoted to head of the company’s cargo department.
Impressed by his diligence, the owners sent him to establish offices in Paris and Le Havre, Normandy. In a short while, Cunard had a steamer running between Le Havre, Liverpool and then on to New York. Currie also established branch offices at Bremen and Antwerp.
THE BEAUTIFUL CUP WAS HANDED OVER TO THE GRIQUALAND WEST TEAM
His experience with Cunard made him determined to establish his own shipping line. In 1862, he did exactly that, launching the Castle Shipping Company, which started off by plying the route between Liverpool and Calcutta via the Cape.
Three years later, he changed the port of departure for his vessels from Liverpool to London and took up residence there. The line rapidly grew due to its efficiency and value for money.
SOUTH AFRICA
Denne historien er fra November 22, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra November 22, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
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Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
