Eastern and Australasian Steam Ship Co
1873 the Eastern and Australian Mail Steamship Company Ltd was formed to carry out a mail contract between Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, Queensland and Sydney.
1880 the mail contract was not renewed and the original company was wound up.
A new company was formed, The Eastern and Australian Steamship Company Ltd, which focussed on the Australia to Hong Kong route.
1918 Taken over by Lord Inchcape. Despite Lord Inchcape's position as P&O Chairman, and the publication of the company's details in some P&O handbooks, Eastern and Australian continued as an independent entity until 1946 when P&O and two of its subsidiaries acquired three quarters of its shares.
WWII Lost its remaining ships
Postwar - replaced some ships and also used ships from P&O
1966 P&O fully acquired the company.
1975 Remaining ships sold.
See Also
Sources of Information
- P&O Heritage [1]