Donaldson Line
Anchor-Donaldson Line
Donaldson Atlantic Line
 
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards of passenger liners of the Donaldson Line. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. Below this are official postcards of the fleet in chronological order.
 
The Donaldson Line began running services from Glasgow to South America with sailing ships in 1858, and steamships entered the fleet in 1870. In 1874, regular services to Canada started. True passenger services began in 1905, with the conversion of Athenia (1) to carry 130 First Class and 400 Third-Class. She was joined by Cassandra in 1906, the first purpose-built liner, and similar sisters Saturnia and Letitia (1) in 1910/12. These four ships allowed a weekly passenger service to be operated from the Clyde to Canada.
 
In 1916, a new company Anchor-Donaldson Line was formed to operate the passenger service to Canada, owned 50% by each company. Anchor Line had been owned by Cunard line since 1912. All the ships came from Donaldson Line, and they integrated into Anchor Line's own Clyde-Canada services. Two of the fleet, Athenia (1) and Letitia (1) were lost in 1917, so two 13000grt replacements were delivered in 1923/24, becoming Athenia (2) and Letitia (2). These ships were similar to Cunard's 13000grt A-Class. Cunard had to introduce capital of £300,000 to ensure the completion of Letitia (2). In 1935, Anchor Line went into voluntary liquidation, and Donaldson acquired their half of Anchor-Donaldson. The passenger route was renamed the Donaldson Atlantic Line.
 
Athenia (2) was lost during the Second World War, being the first British merchant ship to be sunk by a U-Boat on 1st September 1939. Letitia (2) served as a troopship during the war, under Donaldson Line management, and was afterwards used as the emigrant carrier to Australia and New Zealand as the Captain Cook. In 1946, the company acquired two US "Victory" ships, which were used to restart passenger services as the Lismoria and Laurentia. The passenger services ceased at the end of summer 1966, and all remaining cargo ships were sold in 1967, ending the history of Donaldson Line.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Athenia (1)
Athenia (2) - 1923-39
Captain Cook - 1951-60
Cassandra
Empire Brent - 1946-51
Laurentia
Letitia (1)
Letitia (2) - 1923-46
Lismoria
Saturnia
 
Associated Pages:-
Cunard Line
Ocean Liner Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
 
 
 
Donaldson Fleet List
 
 
Athenia (1) (1904-17)
 
Athenia (1) was built as a cargo ship for the Clyde-Canada service in 1904. At 7835grt, she proved to be too large for the service, and was converted into the first Donaldson Line passenger ship in 1905, carrying 50 1st and 450 3rd class passengers. Athenia (1) transferred to Anchor-Donaldson in 1916, but was lost to a U-boat in 1917.
 
 
Postcard of Athenia (1).
 
Postcard of Athenia (1).
 
 
 
 
 
Cassandra - Carmia (1906-29)
 
Cassandra was the first purpose-built passenger liner of Donaldson Line. She was completed in 1906, was 8135grt and carried 250 cabin and 950 steerage passengers. Cassandra was transferred to Anchor-Donaldson Line in 1916. In 1924 she was converted to a cargo-only configuration and renamed Carmia. She was sold in 1929, and scrapped in 1934.
 
 
Postcard of Cassandra.
 
Postcard of Cassandra.
 
 
 
 
 
Saturnia (1910-28)
 
Saturnia was a development of the Cassandra design, and was completed in 1910. She was 8611grt, 456ft long and carried 250 2nd and 950 3rd class passengers. She was withdrawn in 1925, old in 1928, but scrapped in 1929. Letitia (1) was a slightly larger sister to Saturnia.
 
 
This postcard of Athenia (1) has been overprinted as Saturnia.
Presumably they had excess stocks, but the two ships are very different.
 
 
A postcard of Saturnia in use as a wartime transport.
 
A post-war card of Saturnia with Anchor-Donaldson Line.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Letitia (1) (1912-17)
 
Letitia (1) was a slightly larger "sister" to Saturnia. She was completed two years later, and was 8911grt, 470ft long, compared to 456ft for Saturnia, the extra length being at the foremast where the lifeboat is in the postcard below as a hospital ship. Letitia (1) was wrecked in 1917 near Halifax whilst in service as a hospital ship.
 
 
Letitia (1) as a hospital ship.
 
 
 
 
Athenia (2) (1923-39)
 
Two 13000grt replacements for war losses were delivered in 1923/24, becoming Athenia (2) and Letitia (2). These ships were similar to Cunard's 13000grt A-Class. In 1935, Anchor Line went into voluntary liquidation, and Donaldson acquired their half of Anchor-Donaldson. The passenger route was renamed the Donaldson Atlantic Line. Athenia (2) was lost during the Second World War, being the first British merchant ship to be sunk by a U-Boat on 1st September 1939.
 
 
Anchor-Donaldson postcard of Athenia (2).
 
Donaldson Atlantic Line postcard of Athenia (2).
The same card was issued as Letitia (2).
 
 
 
 
 
 
Letitia (2) (1925-46)
Empire Brent (1946-51)
Captain Cook (1951-60)
 
The Letitia (2) was the second of two 13000grt replacements for war losses, delivered in 1924. In 1935, Anchor Line went into voluntary liquidation, and Donaldson acquired their half of Anchor-Donaldson. The passenger route was renamed the Donaldson Atlantic Line. She was used first as an armed merchant cruiser, the a hospital ship, in the Second World War. In 1946 she was sold to the British Government for use as an emigrant carrier to Australia. She was renamed Empire Brent, and retained Donaldson as managers. In 1951 she was renamed Captain Cook and used on the New Zealand service, still retaining Donaldson as managers. She was scrapped in 1960.
 
 
Anchor-Donaldson postcard of Athenia (2).
 
The same painting of Athenia (2) as the card above, issued as Donaldson Atlantic Line.
 
Donaldson Atlantic Line postcard of Letitia (2).
The same card was issued as Athenia (2).
 
 
Photographic postcard of Letitia (2).
 
Photographic postcard of Letitia (2).
 
Official postcard of Captain Cook with black hull.
 
Official postcard of Captain Cook with later white hull.
 
 
 
 
 
Lismoria (1947-67)
 
In 1946, the company acquired two US "Victory" ships, which were used to restart passenger services as the Lismoria and Laurentia. The passenger services ceased at the end of summer 1966, the two sisters being scrapped the following year.
 
 
Donaldson Line postcard of Lismoria.
 
 
 
 
 
Laurentia (1947-67)
 
Donaldson Atlantic Line postcard of Laurentia.
 
 
 
 
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