The White Star Line name would have to be the most well known of all shipping concerns due to the notoriety brought about after the sinking of one of its largest and most luxurious ships the TITANIC in 1912. Hundreds of books and stories (not to mention motion pictures) have been published re-telling the tragedy of the night that the Titanic sank with a heavy loss of life.
The ‘White Star’ name was actually invented in the year of 1852 and registered as the WHITE STAR LINE OF AUSTRALIAN PACKETS. This English line prospered with the advent of the Australian gold rush and brought many emigrants to Australian shores in search of fortune.
The White Star name and houseflag was sold to a Mr. T.H.Ismay in 1867. For the next few years White Star liners were seldom seen in Australian waters.
In 1869 T.H.Ismay formed a company with others and named it the OCEANIC STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. This new company carried the flag of the White Star Line as shown on the items below. The red flag was typical of third class crockery the flowery pattern (referred to as delft) was second class. First class passengers were served with the Oceanic type dinnerware.
About ten of the lines’ ships made regular voyages to Australia. These were the Medic, Afric, Persic,Runic,Suevic, Cufic, Tropic, Gothic, Ceramic and Vedic.
The line dissapeared around the 1930’s.
Ref: North Star To Southern Cross by John Maber
