.png)
The
Beginning
George Thompson, who was only 21 years old at the time, established his shipping enterprise in 1825. Over the course of a century, it became one of the most reputable shipping companies in Britain. Initially, it operated on various trade routes, including the UK coastal Baltic, North American, South American, Chinese, and Antipodean routes, before in 1856 establishing itself in its own right on the Australian trade under the banner of the Aberdeen Line (or Aberdeen White Star Line) ultimately becoming the longest-serving line on the Australian trade by the Cape.
​
Pictured is the Thermopylae leaving Foochow to deliver tea to London.
The
Shipyard
The Walter Hood Shipyard in Aberdeen was renowned for its innovative shipbuilding techniques in the 19th century. In 1868, the shipyard built the Thermopylae, an extreme clipper ship that was designed by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping’s senior surveyor, Bernard Waymouth along composite lines - iron skeleton and wooden external planking, specifically to establish the Aberdeen Line as the leading player in the China tea trade.
The skilled workforce at the shipyard, together with the neighbouring Hall and Duthie shipyards ensured that the Thermopylae was built to the highest standards of quality and efficiency. The Walter Hood Shipyard's reputation for producing fast and reliable vessels helped establish Aberdeen as a major center for shipbuilding during this time.
The Clipper Ship Transformation
The Aberdeen Line, a prominent player in maritime trade, enjoyed its peak years from 1860 to 1869. Known for its fleet of over 50 clipper ships, the Aberdeen Line helped revolutionise the global supply chain.
The fine lines of the clipper ships, designed as they were for speed, facilitated faster and more efficient passages compared with the full-form ships which preceded them. These ships were pivotal in reducing travel times for goods, especially on the vital routes between Britain and Australia, establishing the Aberdeen Line as a key contributor to international trade during the mid-19th century.
Image Source: Twinings
Gold
In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia. Hordes of emigrants set sail from Scotland and other parts of Europe to seek their fortune near Melbourne, Victoria. Shipowners busily bought and chartered ships to accommodate the enormous numbers of prospectors, and many new ships were built in North America. George Thompson Jnr sent ships to Hobson's Bay, the nearest port to the gold fields, as well as Port Jackson (Sydney). His ships carried both gold seekers and supplies. GTJ’s ships would anchor in the marshy bay near Melbourne and the colonial settlers would board, brandishing bank notes and handfuls of gold.
​
On 3rd February 1852, 83 days after departing the Port of Sydney, the Aberdeen Line’s 'Phoenician' arrived in Plymouth with the first gold from Australia. The arrival of £81,000 (£9.5m in 2024) worth of gold generated much excitement. ​
Pictured: The Aberdeen Line's Phoenician.
Australia
The initial flurry of gold-seeking led to the rapid development of the city of Melbourne as well as towns further inland. From 1852-7, Melbourne’s population rose: from 76,000 to 364,000. In 1859, the excitement had subsided but there were still six magnificent Aberdeen Line ships loading or discharging in Port Jackson (Sydney).
During this time, the Aberdeen Line ships also traded to India, China, Quebec, New Zealand, the West Coast of South America and South Africa chasing cargoes, often after an outward line voyage to Australia with no prospect of return cargoes from the fledgling colonies.
Pictured: Melbourne, 1861
The Decline
of Sail
However, the fortunes of the Aberdeen Line and the other tea clipper operators on the China trade began to wane after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and with the technological advances made in steam propulsion, the magnificent clipper ships were progressively squeezed out of the China Tea Trade, to find temporary continuing employment in the Australian wool trade homewards. 'Thermopylae' made her last tea voyage in 1881, to be replaced the following season by George Thompson’s first steamer, the 'S.S. Aberdeen'.
By 1881, the impact was pronounced as steamships, which could traverse the canal more effectively, began to overshadow the clipper ships. This technological shift and the strategic advantage of the Suez Canal marked the beginning of the decline for the Aberdeen Line.
Painting By David Bray
S.S. Aberdeen at Foochow
Steamships
The first of the Aberdeen Line’s steamships, the 'SS Aberdeen', was built by Napier & Sons in Glasgow and launched in 1881. She was the first ocean-going steamship to be fitted with triple-expansion engines, designed by Dr Alexander Kirk. This innovation was an improvement on a failed attempt by John Elder in 1874.
Previously, steam was uneconomical for long-haul freight due to inefficient engines that limited cargo capacity and drove up fuel and labor costs. Although the benefits of triple-expansion steam were known, it required advancements in high-pressure steam delivery, durable boiler construction, and effective condensers. Kirk’s engine package, installed in Aberdeen, combined these factors successfully, revolutionizing steam propulsion for long-haul freight and establishing Thompson as a leader in steam technology.
​
The 'SS Aberdeen' was a beautiful vessel built to echo her clipper ship heritage. Her design incorporated the ‘Aberdeen bow’. She burnt 44 tons of coal per day (about half of other steamships) and sailed at 13½ knots. Her cutting-edge technology exemplified Thompson’s courage and innovation.
Pictured is SS Aberdeen.
Image credit: State Library of Victoria
Almost Modern Ships
Due in part to the success of 'SS Aberdeen', development in ship-building was rapid: steel replaced iron; triple-expansion engines were replaced by quadruple which in turn were replaced by turbines and geared turbines, and then internal combustion engines which later (an now) use diesel for greater efficiency.
​​
GTJ’s fleet was upgraded with steamships that sailed at greater speed, had refrigeration (1893) as well as increased cargo and passenger capacity. Steamships were large and reliable, which enabled advances in global trade and commerce.
​
Advances in communication gave rise to changes: trading became less speculative as importers could place orders and exporters could specify the nature of cargo to be shipped rather than relying on ships’ captains to conduct this business themselves. International trade increased, becoming both more complex and more highly specialised.
Pictured: The Aberdeen Line's Marathon. Circa. 1915-1918.
Image credit: Green Collection - State Library of Victoria
From 1908 - 1922, six steamers were built for the Aberdeen Line by shipbuilders Harland and Wolff (known for building 'Titanic').
Passenger
Transport
In 1903, 229 third-class passengers travelled to Australia via the Aberdeen Line. In 1912, the number had swelled to 12,954.
​
During the First World War, the Aberdeen Line’s ships were used for trooping duties: Militiades and Euripides took Australian troops to Gallipoli; in 1917 both these ships and Thermistocles, Demosthenes and Marathon were also used to bring US servicemen to Europe. The Aberdeen Line ships were subsequently used for repatriation then rereleased to commercial service in 1919.
​
Following the war, the ships needed a refit so it was 1921 before the fortnightly service to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane resumed. A century ago, in 1925, 6-7,000 passengers were making the journey each year, with similar numbers travelling to South Africa.
​
Pictured: Passengers boarding the
S.S. Euripides. Circa. 1921.
Image Credit: John G. Sayers
Final Commercial Takeover
With the introduction of the triple-expansion engine, Thompson had demonstrated brilliant technical innovation. Unfortunately, extreme financial conservatism prevented Thompsons from capitalising upon the technical advantages it had gained. This factor coupled with the cripplingly poor government charter rates enjoyed by the company during and after WW1 when its fleet was taken up from trade, unreal competition from the Australian government subsidised Australian National Line and the British seamen's’ strike of 1925 which preluded the Great Trade Depression, inevitably led to the company’s financial downfall. After various adjustment to trading patterns, the company was brought to its knees by the Kylsant Royal Mail scandal, which impacted one quarter of the British Merchant Navy.
​
The legacy of George Thompson’s shipping enterprise and the Aberdeen Line, with it innovative clipper ship and pioneer long-haul freight steamers remains a chapter
in the evolution of global maritime trade.
​
Pictured is the Aberdeen Bowed steamship City of New York (owned by the Oceanic Steam Company).
Image credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
The Legacy
The Aberdeen Line, operating from 1825, is a cornerstone of Scotland's maritime heritage, renowned for its swift, beautifully crafted clipper ships like the Thermopylae, which linked Britain to distant lands, especially Australia, during the golden age of sail. Known for its innovative ship design and exceptional service, the Aberdeen Line later transitioned to steamships, carrying its legacy of quality and resilience well into the 20th century.
Today, 200 years on, we celebrate this legacy with special events and exhibitions. Aberdeen's Maritime Museum hosts displays of ship models and artifacts, while Aberdeen Harbour recreates historic docking ceremonies and vessel tours. These events will culminate with the Tall Ships Race 2025, honoring Aberdeen’s lasting contribution to global seafaring and shipbuilding.
​
We are a small part of this, aiming to bring awareness to the importance of the Aberdeen Line in Aberdeen's maritime heritage.