Sir Robert Ropner and Co

1919 Ropner Shipping Co was incorporated as a Public company under the control of Sir R. Ropner and Co.

1929 SS Swiftpool built by William Gray and Co of West Hartlepool, the engines and boilers being constructed and installed at The Central Marine Engine Works, West Hartlepool. Its pulverised fuel system, installed by The Brand Powdered Fuel System, York Mansion, Petty France, S.W.1. The two pulverisers were made by W. Asquith (1920) Ltd. 'It is hardly necessary to point out that considerable courage was demanded from the shipowner willing to take such a step, and a tribute is accordingly due to Messrs. Sir R. Ropner and Company, Limited, for their decision to equip their new cargo vessel Swiftpool with the Brand system of pulverised-fuel burning on all furnaces. It is certainly a little unfortunate that the order for the vessel was placed, and construction commenced, before it was decided to install the system, as work on the boilers was too far advanced to permit their proportions to be altered to those considered best for powdered fuel. The boilers were, in fact, designed for assisted-draught operation, and have tubes 3 1/4in. in diameter, a dimension somewhat too large for the best results to be obtained with pulverised-fuel firing. In addition, the space in the stokehold was none too great for the installation of the pulverisers, subsidiary bunkers, and other plant, but in other respects it has been possible to lay out the plant to the best advantage. The installation as a whole therefore represents an advance on previous adaptations of the system employed, and will undoubtedly afford valuable information as to the performance to be expected from a vessel- designed ab initio for pulverised-fuel burning. ....'

1935 Sir Robert Ropner and Co ordered a sister ship to the "Clearpool" from William Gray and Co; double reduction geared turbines to be provided by Central Marine Engine Works

1949 Ropner Holdings Ltd was incorporated with the aim of amalgamating Ropner Shipping Co and Pool Shipping Co. Both companies held shares in Chartair Ltd, an air transport company with interests in repair and maintenance of engines and machines

1970 Ropner Holdings acquired its management company, Sir R Ropner and Co, from the Ropner family

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