^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

British shipping companies (D)

Fred. Drughorn
John Dry Steam Tugs, Ltd.
Ducal Line
T.L.Duff & Co.
J.T. Duncan & Company
John Duncan Son & Co.
Duncan Dunbar
Dundee & Newcastle Steam Shipping Co., Ltd
Dundee Fishing Co., Ltd.
Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co., Ltd.
Dundee Steam Trawling Co., Ltd.
Thos. Dunlop & Sons (Queen Line)
Charles G. Dunn & Co., Ltd.

See also:

Fred. Drughorn

image by Ivan Sache, 11 April 2008

Lloyds Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Fred. Drughorn, Ltd." (#268, p. 49), a company based in London, as horizontally divided green-white-green with the black letters "FD" in the middle of the white stripe.
Ivan Sache, 11 April 2008

Sir John Frederick Dughorn Baronet (1862-1943) was a Dutch-born British shipowner and benefactor. He was a director of Fred Drughorn, Ltd, the Anglo-Brazilian Line, Ltd, and the British and Continental Estates, Ltd. He was created a baronet, of Ifield Hall in the County of Sussex, in 1922.
After the war had started, his father, John Drughorn's Swedish operations still shipped iron ore to Holland whose final destination was Germany. He helped organise this but apparently considered that trading between two neutral countries was outside the scope of the laws against trading with the enemy. He was charged with trading with the enemy and on 19th January 1915 was brought to trial at the Old Bailey. The prosecution proved that he had had actual dealings in Holland with arranging the transhipment of the iron ore to Germany. The defence argued that actions in a neutral country were outside the court's jurisdiction. The defence produced good character witnesses from eminent business figures. Nevertheless he was convicted of trading with the enemy.
His elevation to Baronet by David Lloyd-George in 1922 caused a scandal leading to a re-evaluation of the honours system. One source indicates that William Drughorn served under the name of William Frederick Henderson which may have been to distance himself from this incident. When he died, he had no - surviving sons and the baronetcy died with him.

https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/33774400/john-frederick-drughorn
Find A Grave
Ivan Sache, 22 April 2021

John Dry Steam Tugs, Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 26 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of John Dry Steam Tugs, Ltd. (#679, p. 69), a North Shields-based company, as red with a blue "D".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/34/
Ivan Sache, 26 April 2021

Ducal Line

image by Eugene Ipavec, 27 August 2008

Ducal Line. Trading name for Eastern Steamship Co. Ltd. formed 1871, also known as Duke Line with ships named after sundry Dukes. Flag as shown by sundry late 19th Century sources of Lloyds 1882, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce charts 1881 and 1901, Griffin 1895 and Reed 1891 and 1901 and Flags of the World 1915, being a double pennant, the 1st being a horizontal biband of blue over yellow and the 2nd a vertical biband of yellow to the hoist and blue to the fly [see gb~d333a.gif attached]. This agrees with the flags flown at the main mast of "Duke of Devonshire". The 2nd flag flown from the mizzen is unknown. The Ducal Line was eventually owned by J.B. Westray it seems, though some sources state British India bought it. Several of their ships were chartered to BISN at various times so perhaps control and ownership at the end have been confused.
Neale Rosanoski, 26 August 2008

T.L.Duff & Co.

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 24 October 2010

T.L.Duff & Co.
It was an 11-striped flag divided by alternating horizontal red and white stripes. In the canton was the flag of Scotland, a white saltire in a blue field. The company was probably located in Glasgow.
Source: Campbell and Evans (1953); plate V, flag no.5
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 October 2010

My grandfather was TL Duff and his Glasgow based shipping company was TL Duff & Co. I have one of the flags, and I’m sure the stripes were there because of TL Duff’s connections with the USA and transatlantic shipping. TL Duff started the company himself and he died 1930.
Malcolm Duff, 9 March 2018

The same house flag is shown (# 1511, p. 108) in Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912). The company was based in Glasgow.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#73
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

J.T. Duncan & Company

image by Ivan Sache, 22 April 2021

Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels [Wedge 1926]

J.T. Duncan & Company, Cardiff - blue burgee, red cross, in the center white "D".
Jarig Bakker, 31 January 2005

J.T. Duncan & Co. I have found 5 variations for the positioning of the letter so far. The version shown is supported by Lloyds 1912 and most of the Brown editions between Wedge 1926 and Wedge (1958) although notes to the latter 1958 edition state that the "D" goes over the vertical arm and under the horizontal arm of the cross after displaying it as shown here. The 1951 edition of Brown (Wedge, 1951) has the letter wholly over the cross as do the early editions of Stewart (1953), whereas as Talbot-Booth (1936) has the cross wholly over the letter. Reed 1912 shows the "D" mainly on top with only the bottom of the "D" going under the bottom vertical arm of the cross. Finally a drawing from a maritime collection has the "D" over the cross but within the "D" only the vertical cross arm shows, the horizontal arms do not, just the blue field. The company itself ceased shipping around the late 1950s early 1960s [sources vary] but continued as a shipbroker until 1978 [or so a source says].
Neale Rosanoski, 23 March 2005

Never a large firm, J.T. Duncan & Co. operated a number of small steamers in the trades to the Bay of Biscay and on charter to the Admiralty as fleet colliers.

https://museum.wales/collections/online/object/2bcc66d7-589e-3bde-aff6-d07438cd7052/SS-J-DUNCAN-glass-negative/
National Museum Wales

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the same house flag (#235, p. 48).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#13
Ivan Sache, 22 April 2021

John Duncan Son & Co.

image by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of John Duncan Son & Co. (#1070, p. 87), a Liverpool-based company, as diagonally divided yellow-red from upper hoist to lower fly charged with a yellow "L" in lower hoist and a red "D" at upper fly, a blue border all around.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/52/
Ivan Sache, 28 April 2021

Duncan Dunbar

image from Port Cities located by Jan Mertens

Duncan Dunbar established a business in London, and with his son built up a sailing-ship empire which traded all over the world from Dunbar Wharf, Limehouse.
Jan Mertens, 7 February 2005

Duncan Dunbar. According to Loughran (1979) the fleet commodore flew a swallow-tailed version whilst the commodore either before or after this version may have flown a true pennant charged with a dog's head superior to the houseflag, but further details of such a flag have not been found.
Neale Rosanoski, 23 March 2005

Dundee & Newcastle Steam Shipping Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

The Dundee & Newcastle Steam Shipping Co. was taken over in 1917 by the Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co.,

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of the Dundee & Newcastle Steam Shipping Co., Ltd. (#1188, p. 93) as blue with a white saltire.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#58
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2021

Dundee Fishing Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Dundee Fishing Co., Ltd. (#1465, p. 106) as triangular, white with the a red star skewed to the hoist and charged with a white "C".
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#71
Ivan Sache, 30 April 2021

Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co., Ltd.

image by Phil Nelson, 11 April 2000

from Stewart and Styring's Flags, Funnels and Hull Colors 1963

DP&L is a direct descendant of an amalgamation of The Dundee & Perth Shipping Company and The Dundee & Perth Union Shipping Company who were fierce rivals on the important Dundee to London route. The new company had a total of 23 vessels, 13 of which were principally employed on the London sailings whilst the others traded to Glasgow via Grangemouth, and the Forth & Clyde Canal, to Leith and to Liverpool.
The company's earliest venture into steamship ownership came in 1830 when delivery was taken of the wooden paddle tug "Sir William Wallace" and in 1833 orders were placed for two wooden paddle steamers from the famous Clydeside engineer, Robert Napier.[...]
Gradually the era of paddle steamers gave way to that of screw steamers and the company took delivery of its first, another "London," iron built and engineered by Napier in 1854. Its successor, a larger "London," built in the Dundee yard of Gourlay Brothers proved to be one of the most successful vessels to fly the company flag, remaining with the fleet for 53 years and serving not only on the London run but also to St. Petersburg.[...]
This was a period of expansion for the company and the old established Dundee & Hull Shipping Company was acquired in 1857.[...] The last two paddle steamers were replaced in 1861.
The latter years of the 19th century proved to be a period of consolidation for the company with modernisation of the fleet continually taking place.[...]
During the war years of 1914 – 1918 many of the company's ships were requisitioned, primarily as armed boarding steamers and convoy escort vessels. [...] When the war finished in November 1918 the company found itself with no vessels to maintain its sailings although with war loss compensation they were eventually able to obtain the release of four vessels from the Ministry of Shipping.
A further period of acquisition followed the first war with the purchase of the Dundee & Newcastle Steam Shipping Company and the Kirkcaldy Steamship Company Limited. Furthermore, the goodwill of Thomas Cowan's sailings from Leith and Dundee to Southampton and Treport was acquired. An attempt the by company to acquire the Aberdeen Steam Navigation Company failed in early 1920 after negotiations had been underway for 18 months. This would have given DP&L a virtual monopoly of the sailings between north east Scotland and London. [...] The long established Aberdeen, Newcastle & Hull Steam Company was acquired in 1929.[...]
The outbreak of war in 1939 brought to an end the London passenger sailings which had been maintained uninterrupted in peace time since the inception of the company. Five vessels were requisitioned and it was not possible to maintain normal services. [...] Only one ship was lost during the war. [...]
DP&L eventually became part of the Coalite Group which itself was taken over by the fuel distribution group Anglo United plc in 1981. In April 1993 the company returned to local ownership when Cortachy Holdings acquired the company and so again became part of the local business community.

DP&L corporate website
https://dpandl.co.uk/history/
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows a slightly different house flag (#1587, p. 112), the white "&" being placed on a blue shield.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#77
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

The today's DP&L groups "comprises leisure and business travel agencies, a paint, coatings and lubricants supplier, marquee hire, industrial and commercial supplies, including safety and corporate clothing, and a recruitment company."
The company's headquarters fly a flag similar to the old house flag, but with proportions 1:2 and without the blue shield charged with the "&".
http://www.dpandl.co.uk/
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Dundee Steam Trawling Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

William High was a self-made businessman involved in Dundee's steam trawling industry and manager for Dundee Steam Trawling Co., Ltd. Thomas Leishman Devlin (founder of the business of T. L. Devlin, Trawler Owners) was a Director and shareholder of Dundee Steam Trawling Co.

Wreck Site
http://www.wrecksite.eu/ownerBuilderView.aspx?23497

Thomas Leishman Devlin was born at 5 Annfield, Newhaven, in 1854 [...]. In 1871 he was working as a 'Fish Merchant' with his father. Seven years later, he was working as 'Fish Merchant and Salesman' on his own account.
Thomas acquired the trawler Grace from his father in 1887. He sold it two years later, but went on to buy many more trawlers from the 1890s onwards, beginning with Commodore in 1890. This was the start of the T. L. Devlin, trawler owning business, the largest private fleet of steam trawlers in Britain. In addition to his trawling business, Thomas had an interest in many other businesses. He was a director of many companies, including Dundee Steam Trawling Co., Madelvic Car Factory, Granton, North British Cold Store, Leith, and Scotts Shipyard, Kinghorn.
He became a very successful businessman, and amassed an estate of £429,522: 3s 6d by the time of his death in 1919. He left the ownership of his trawling business to his wife, Grace. Grace retained control of the Devlin business until her own death, in 1941, at the age of 91.

EdinPhoto
http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_d/0_documents_devlin_family_tree_thomas_leishman_1854.htm

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Dundee Steam Trawling Co., Ltd. (#1701, p. 117) as triangular, blue with a white thistle placed near the hoist.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#82
Ivan Sache, 3 May 2021

Thos. Dunlop & Sons (Queen Line)

image by Ivan Sache, 21 April 2021

Based on Wedge 1926 T. Dunlop & Sons, Glasgow - white flag; white diamond bordered red, charged with blue "D".
Jarig Bakker, 13 December 2004

T. Dunlop & Sons. Some early sources such as Griffin 1895 show the diamond frame being throughout the field, whilst the others vary with its size within the field. The company originated in 1851 becoming a ship owner in the early 1870s and ceasing in 1957.
Neale Rosanoski, 23 March 2005

Thomas Dunlop of Glasgow was a provision merchant and later became a grain merchant. He bought his first ship in 1868 and eventually owned 14 sailing ships. In 1883 he purchased his first steamship. Confusion with the ships of Cayzer, Irvine's Clan Line caused Dunlop to change his naming system from Clan to Queen from 1878. The company traded successfully until 1956 when their last ship was sold and the company wound up.

https://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/queen.shtml
The Ships Lists

Sir Thomas Dunlop (1855-1938), was the eldest son of Thomas Dunlop.
From 1881, he was a director of his father's firm, Thomas Dunlop & Sons, grain merchants; shipowners of the Queen Line of steamers and the Clan Line of sailing ships; marine insurance brokers and Lloyd's agents. He was also a director of the Royal Bank of Scotland for 21 years, Bruce Peebles Ltd and the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company.

He held numerous public offices on his way to becoming Lord Provost in 1914, serving on Erskine School Board (Renfrewshire); in 1898, he became Deacon of the Incorporation of Bakers (primary customers for his flour imports); a Clyde Navigation Trustee (supporting free ferries); a Glasgow town councillor from 1901, and from 1905 a baillie (magistrate). He chaired the Corporation Parks and Galleries Committee from 1909 to 1912, and was Glasgow's Deputy Lieutenant.
Sir Thomas was a director of the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, and was said to 'possess a representative collection of pictures of the Glasgow School'. He was also a keen yachtsman and served as an officer with the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers.

In 1914, he became Lord Provost of Glasgow and was created a baronet in 1916 due to this position and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1918. During the First World War he fund-raised tirelessly and visited servicemen on active duty. He was created 1st Baronet of Woodbourne in 1916 and knighted in 1918.

http://www.scotlandswar.co.uk/dunlop_sir_t.html
Scotland's War

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the same house flag (#26, p. 38).
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#3
Ivan Sache, 21 April 2021

Charles G. Dunn & Co., Ltd.

image by Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of Charles G. Dunn & Co., Ltd. (#1563, p. 111), a Liverpool-based shipping company, as horizontally divided red-blue, in the middle a white diamond.
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l011061/l011061-c008/#76
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2021

British Shipping lines: continued