The Larrinaga Steamship Company Limited – Liverpool’s Spanish Connections By Geoff Walker Although considered to be one of the founding Steamship companies in Liverpool, the Larrinaga Steamship Co. Ltd., never lost its Spanish heritage and Iberian connections. Tradition has it, that the company House Flag showing three red clasped hands, stems back to the 3 principal partners in the enterprise, shaking hands on their joint decision to build their first steamship. The flag remained in use for well over 100 years, right up to the time of the company’s demise 1n 1974. In the early months of 1861, a young Basque Master Mariner arrived in Liverpool. His name was Ramón de Larrinaga, aged 28, from the small Vizcayan fishing port of Mundaka, on the Urdaibai estuary. In the summer of 1862, Ramón dissolved a short-lived sail making partnership he had established and by August of the same year, he had joined his brother-in-law, also a sea captain and fellow Mundakan, José Bautista de Longa, in a new venture. The business association between Ramón and José would become one of the most distinguished Anglo- Spanish shipping enterprises of the late nineteenth century: Olano, Larrinaga & Company. Founded together with their fellow Basque, a ship’s chandler, José Antonio de Olano, the company began life as a commission agency, merchants’ office, and ship chandlery. Within a year of the company’s incorporation, in September 1863, the partners took delivery of their first sailing ship, the 48 ton, Belfast-built clipper Olano, captained initially by Longa and later by Ramón’s brother Florentino de Larrinaga. It would soon be joined by the Felix in 1864, Trinidad in 1866, and Cosmopolita during 1869. These ships, sailing under the Spanish flag, traversed the sea routes between Liverpool and Manila (with occasional voyages to Havana), carrying cargoes of Gum Mastic (a resin from the Mastic tree), Hemp, Coffee, Sapan wood (used for dyeing purposes), Tobacco, and other high revenue commodities. The company’s fortunes were transformed with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, which dramatically reduced sailing times to Manila. Beginning with the Buena Ventura and Emiliano in 1871, the company invested in a fleet of large, modern steamships, crewed largely by Basque, and Filipino sailors. The Buena Ventura, captained by Florentino de Larrinaga, made its maiden passage under the Suez Canal pilotage of the canal’s architect Ferdinand de Lesseps himself, and over the following two years, she and her six sister ships transited the canal on more than 80 occasions – more than any other Spanish company. In the meantime, their sailing vessels were transferred to the Cuba and Gulf of Mexico routes
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The Larrinaga Steamship Company Limited – Liverpool’s Spanish Connections
By Geoff Walker
Although considered to be one of the founding Steamship companies in Liverpool,
the Larrinaga Steamship Co. Ltd., never lost its Spanish heritage and Iberian
connections. Tradition has it, that the company House Flag showing three red
clasped hands, stems back to the 3 principal partners in the enterprise, shaking
hands on their joint decision to build their first steamship. The flag remained in
use for well over 100 years, right up to the time of the company’s demise 1n 1974.
In the early months of 1861, a young Basque Master Mariner arrived in Liverpool. His name was Ramón
de Larrinaga, aged 28, from the small Vizcayan fishing port of Mundaka, on the Urdaibai estuary. In the
summer of 1862, Ramón dissolved a short-lived sail making partnership he had established and by
August of the same year, he had joined his brother-in-law, also a sea captain and fellow Mundakan, José
Bautista de Longa, in a new venture.
The business association between Ramón and José would become one of the most distinguished Anglo-
Spanish shipping enterprises of the late nineteenth century: Olano, Larrinaga & Company. Founded
together with their fellow Basque, a ship’s chandler, José Antonio de Olano, the company began life as a
commission agency, merchants’ office, and ship chandlery. Within a year of the company’s
incorporation, in September 1863, the partners took delivery of their first sailing ship, the 48 ton,
Belfast-built clipper Olano, captained initially by Longa and later by Ramón’s brother Florentino de
Larrinaga. It would soon be joined by the Felix in 1864, Trinidad in 1866, and Cosmopolita during 1869.
These ships, sailing under the Spanish flag, traversed the sea routes between Liverpool and Manila (with
occasional voyages to Havana), carrying cargoes of Gum Mastic (a resin from the Mastic tree), Hemp,
Coffee, Sapan wood (used for dyeing purposes), Tobacco, and other high revenue commodities.
The company’s fortunes were transformed with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, which
dramatically reduced sailing times to Manila. Beginning with the Buena Ventura and Emiliano in 1871,
the company invested in a fleet of large, modern steamships, crewed largely by Basque, and Filipino
sailors. The Buena Ventura, captained by Florentino de Larrinaga, made its maiden passage under the
Suez Canal pilotage of the canal’s architect Ferdinand de Lesseps himself, and over the following two
years, she and her six sister ships transited the canal on more than 80 occasions – more than any other
Spanish company. In the meantime, their sailing vessels were transferred to the Cuba and Gulf of
Mexico routes
Within a decade, the Larrinaga, Olano, and Longa families were the focal of a thriving Hispanic
community in Liverpool, made up mainly with those from the Basque Country, as well as the Philippines,
and above all from the fishing ports lining the Urdaibai estuary close to the Larrinaga’s hometown of
Mundaka. Many of these immigrants, worked for the Olano, Larrinaga & Co., both on their ships as
sailors and in a variety of other related activities ashore.
April 1871, the first steamer entered service from the Sunderland yard of Oswald & Company as Buena
Ventura of 1,763 Grt, was powered by a compound two Cylinder steam engine, manufactured by the
ship builders, giving a service speed of 11 knots. She became the first steamer under the Spanish flag to
pass through the Suez Canal, but this is disputed in some quarters with claims that the first Spanish
vessel to transit the new Suez Canal was in fact the Ebro. Buena Ventura also became famous for her
capture in April 1898 by a warship of an American battle squadron as the first hostile act in the Spanish –
American War of 1898.
Larrinaga lost the Manila mail contract in 1880 and in 1883 Olana sold his share in the company to the
Larrinaga family who renamed the company Larrinaga & Co. Routes were re-organized, and a New York
- Boston - Puerto Rico service was introduced. In 1898 a new company, Miguel de Larrinaga Steamship
Co. was registered in Liverpool and services to Montevideo and the River Plate commenced in 1900. The
two companies merged in 1931 to form the Larrinaga Steamship Co. Ltd., and continued to be based in
Liverpool.
(Unknown)
The 5,943grt Anselma de Larrinaga, built in 1914 by Short Bros. at Pallion, Sunderland, as the Moorish
Prince for Prince Line. She became Anselma de Larrinaga in 1927. After being laid up for four years. She
was sent for demolition at Port Glasgow in April 1934.
(Unknown)
Niceto De Larrinaga - a cargo steamship of 5,591 tons, built in 1916 by Russell & Co., Glagow. Whilst on
a voyage from Lagos - Freetown - London with a cargo of 3866 tons palm kernels, 2000 tons manganese
ore, 2482 tons groundnuts and 622 tons general cargo, she was torpedoed by submarine U-103 on 22
September 1941. U-103 fired four bow torpedoes at convoy SL-87, southwest of the Canary Islands, then
turned around and fired two stern torpedoes. The Niceto de Larrinaga was hit by two torpedoes and
sunk. One passenger, a Distressed British Seaman (DBS) from the Niceto de Larrinaga was lost. The
Master, 41 crew members, five gunners and three passengers also DBS, were rescued, but one crew
member and one gunner died of injuries.
The Maria De Larrinaga built 1929 by Robert Duncan & Co. Ltd, Glasgow with a 3 Cylinder tripple
inverted expansion steam engine producing 2200 IHP and a service speed of 10.5 knots. Tradgically, she
was lost with all hands in 1939. The following extract from the BOT enquiry, summarizes the tradgedy:-
“The voyage of the Maria de Larrinaga after leaving Houston appears to have been uneventful for some
15 days and the first indication that all was not well with the vessel was an S.O.S. in the following terms
sent out at 17.10 G.M.T. on the 8th February and picked up by the steamship "Clintonia" and other
vessels:- "´Maria de Larrinaga´ 42° 30´ N., 46° W. requires immediate assistance-hatch No. 1 stove in."
This message was followed at 17.38 G.M.T. by a further S.O.S. from the distressed vessel giving a new
position of 42° 15´ N. and 48° 50´ W. "Please proceed to my assistance-urgent-sinking". This message
was subsequently repeated to other vessels. At 20.28 G.M.T. the "Maria de Larrinaga" wirelessed to all
stations as follows:- "No. 1 hatch coaming gone others intact to present sea mountainous". Soon after
this time the "Clintonia´s" log-book records that it was blowing a hurricane from the north-westward
with mountainous seas. The "Maria de Larrinaga" thereafter continued to send out distress signals until
00.09 G.M.T. on the 9th February after which no further signal was heard from her. On the afternoon of
the 9th February numerous pieces of wreckage were sighted by the "Veendam" and the "Aurania"
between latitude 42° 13´ and 42° 27´ N. and longitude 45° 40´ and 45° 48´ West. Upon the facts set out
above, it seems reasonably certain that the "Maria de Larrinaga" foundered with all hands probably
soon after the dispatch of her last wireless message.”
(Unknown)
MV Ramon De Larrinaga of the Larrinaga Steamship Co. Ltd., displaying her fine lines. Built by Wm.
Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Southwick in 1954, she had a GRT of 5818 tons. Fitted with a 6 Cylinder 4 S.C.S.A.
diesel of Harland-B&W design developing 3635 BHP. Sold in 1969 to Greek Cypriot interests and
renamed Marianna and resold again in 1972 becoming Marian.
This vessel was the first of a newbuilding program for the company commencing in 1954, with ships
designed to be competitive, to the established liner companies, being a tween decker fitted with deep
tanks for the carriage of limited quantities of liquid cargoes, as well as a good spread of 10ton SWL
derricks, and one heavy lift rated at a SWL of 25tons. The ship traded worldwide and one of her claims
to fame was to be the first seagoing vessel to berth at Duluth, Lake Superior, after the opening of the St
Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
A wonderful image of the
Ramon De Larrinaga seen
maneuvering at Preston
Docks in 1962.
(Unknown)
She finally met her demise
when under Greek Cypriot
ownership when she
foundered in 1976 off the
Cascais, in approx. 38 42N
9 25W.
The Marian had been on a voyage from Lisbon to Piraeus, when she grounded, off Lisbon. The next day,
Marian was taken in tow, but due to the severity of damage, she started leaking badly and eventually foundered off the Cascais.
(Unknown)
The final ship believed to have been built for the Larrinaga Steamship Company and to bear the name
Ramon De Larrinaga, was the 1972 built SD 14, seen in this image as Jade Bay. Built in 1972 by Austin
and Pickersgill Ltd, at Sunderland she had a Grt of 9181tons, and was fitted with a 5 Cylinder 2 S.C.S.A.
Hawthorn-Sulzer type diesel engine developing 7500 BHP. Her Larrinaga branding was of a short tenure
as she was sold in December the same year, to become Jade Bay, being resold again in 1994. She
grounded heavily during 1994 off Cochin, India, sustaining considerable bottom damage. She was taken
to Alang, for demolition.
Larrinaga Fleet Summary - Steam and Motor ships
Vessel Built Years in Service and Brief History
Anselma de Larrinaga (1) 1898 1915 - 1919 GRT 4,090 tons military transport, 1924 sold to