Norway Heritage logo
The Allan Line Main Page >>
Allan Line trade card, steamship Parisian
Allan Line advertising card showing the S/S parisian
Information & advice for emigrants issued by the Allan Line in 1883. The line was then under contract with the Canadian Government for conveyance of Assisted Passengers.
THE "ALLAN" STEAMSHIP CO., IS UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF ASSISTED PASSENGERS. EMIGRATION TO CANADA. The Dominion of Canada comprises a Territory of 3,528,705 Square Miles. The Population numbers about 4,000,000 souls. The Climate is particularly healthy, the proportion of deaths to the population, according to a recent return, being only 1 in 98, as compared with 1 in 74 in the United States, 1 in 46 in England, 1 in 42 in France, and 1 in 40 in Germany. Nearly 6,000 miles of Railway are already in operation, and 2,000 miles are in course of construction. Extensive additional Canal Works are also in course of construction, affording the prospect of a large demand for
NAVVIES, MECHANICS, and LABOURERS.
THE ROUTE FROM Great Britain to Canada, Manitoba, AND THE GREAT NORTH-WEST.
Passengers bound to any part of CANADA or the GREAT CANADIAN NORTH-WEST should, in the first place, take care to secure their Passage in a Steamer bound direct for QUEBEC or HALIFAX.
ALLAN STEAMSHIP COMPANY is under Contract with the Government of Canada for conveyance of the Mails between the two Countries.
The splendid Steamers of this Line LEAVE LIVERPOOL TWICE A-WEEK, and afford most eligible conveyance for all classes of Passengers at as Low Rates as by any first-class Line crossing the Atlantic. The voyage to Quebec has distinguished recommendations. From land to land the average passage is not more than six days. Once within the Straits of Belle Isle, ocean travelling is over, and for hundreds of miles the steamer proceeds, first through the Gulf, and then through the magnificent River St. Lawrence. This is an immense advantage.
The Quickest Passage on record from Liverpool to Quebec was made in June, 1879, by the "SARDINIAN" of this Line, and is quite an event in the annals of the Atlantic steamship trade. She left Moville at 5 15 P.M. on June 6th, and landed her Mails at Rimouski at noon on the 13th, being 6 days 23 hours and 30 minutes, allowing for difference of time. The passage from Moville to Belle Isle was accomplished in 5 days 20 minutes, and land was only lost sight of for 4 days 19 hours. Every person who has crossed the Atlantic knows how welcome the sight of land is to passengers, even on a voyage of eight or nine days. The journey to any part of the West is easily accomplished by this route, and the traveller can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the River St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario with its famous Thousand Islands, and the Falls of Niagara by the way.
The Allan Line was founded in 1854 as the "Montreal Ocean Steamship Company". The company was later known as the Allan Line after one of its founders, Hugh Allan. In 1891 the company absorbed the State Line (founded 1872). After this the company was often referred to as the Allan & State Line.

Allan Line newspaper announcement 1869

The announcement above was printed in a Trondheim newspaper by the Line's agent in 1869. It reads: The steamship Norway and Sweden will maintain a weekly service between this place and England, in the way that Norway will sail from here to Liverpool May 14th and Sweden May 21st, Norway to Newcastle (from Trondheim) on May 28th, and Sweden on June 4th, where after the route will continue in the same order, twice for Liverpool and twice for Newcastle, calling at Bergen to take on passengers.

The Allan Line (Montreal Ocean Steamship Company) opened a route between Norwegian ports and Britain in 1869. For this service they had purchased the S/S Norway and the S/S Sweden. The service was intended as a feeder service for the company's ocean liners departing from Liverpool and Glasgow. The S/S Damascus was also used in the service. The Norwegian route had it's ending point in Trondheim, and the ships took on pyrites from the mines at Ytterøy a little further in the fjord. This was a lucrative trade combined with the transportation of passengers. The company also conveyed passengers of other lines from norway to UK, but this was not always a smooth cooperation. In 1870 there was quite a newspaper campaign between the agent of the Anchor Line and the Allan Line. The company discontinued it's feeder service in 1872, due to the decreasing number of emigrants.

Allan Line announcemant 1883
Allan Line announcement 1883:

"The steamers of this line are commanded by navigators of acknowledged ability, who have by long and faithful service proved themselves worthy of the confidence and esteem of their employers, and they are assisted in the navigation of the ships by throughly trained and experienced officers."

Trondheim - Christiansund - Aalesund - Bergen - Newcastle route 1869
Trondheim - Christiansund - Aalesund - Bergen - Leith route 1870
Christiania - Christiansand - Leith route 1870
Trondheim - Christiansund - Aalesund - Bergen - Newcastle route 1871
Trondheim - Christiansund - Aalesund - Bergen - Newcastle route 1872


The picture of the Allan Line office shown to the left was taken in 1903. It showns the exterior of the office of the Allan Line agent in Trondhjem, Richard Solem. This office was located in Søndre gate 25, near the railway station and the Trondheim harbor. Richard Solem was the head agent for the Allan Line in the North of Dovre regions of Norway (and Jemtland in Sweden) from August 1893 till the line was absorbed by CPR in 1917.
The Allan Line was one of the first transatlantic steamship companies to establish a network of agents in Norway. For many years it had a leading position in the transportation of emigrants from Norway to America. Most of the Norwegian emigrants crossing on the Allan Line ships went from Liverpool to Quebec, but there were also a number of Norwegians going on the Glasgow - Boston and New York routes. The company also maintained other routes, but the above mentioned were the most used routes for Norwegians. You will find more information about the routes and agents by searching our Lines and Agents database.

All the emigrants traveling on the Allan Line ships had to travel via UK, the majority via Hull on the Wilson Line ships and from Hull by train to Liverpool. In 1917 the Allan Line was absorbed by the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The Allan Line ships from then of were integrated with the Canadian Pacific Line.
emigrants gathered outside the office of my great-great-grandfather Richard Solem on the day of departure. He was the head agent for the Allan & State Line in the northern regions of Norway and parts of Sweden
Emigrants gathered outside the office of the Allan & State Line on the day of departure from Trondhjem, Norway. The emigrants on this picture were to board a ship from Trondhjem (Trondheim) to Hull in England, and to go by train from Hull to Liverpool where they boarded the transatlantic steamship. Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy

Allan liner embarking emigrants at Liverpool
Allan liner embarking emigrants at Liverpool
Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy


Allan Line picture gallery

Fleet list:
 TypeName of ship  SortYear Built   SortConstruction Shipyard   SortTonnage (burthen)   Sort
  S/SHuronian    
  S/SSweden1869 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 908 gross 
  S/SNorway1868 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 967 gross 
  S/SDiamant1854 Alexander Stephen & Sons 1 101 gross 
  S/SSaint Patrick1854 Alexander Stephen & Sons 1 101 gross 
  S/SJohn Bell1854 Alexander Stephen & Sons 1 213 gross 
  S/SDamascus1856 William Denny & Co. 1 213 gross 
  S/SSaint Andrew1861 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 1 432 gross 
  S/SSaint George1861 Robert Steele & Co. 1 468 gross 
  S/SSaint David1864 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 1 516 gross 
  S/SCorinthian (1)1856 William Denny & Co. 1 517 gross 
  S/SNorth American1856 William Denny & Co. 1 715 gross 
  S/SAnglo-Saxon1856 William Denny & Co. 1 715 gross 
  S/SCaspian1870 London & Glasgow Co. Ltd. 1 728 gross 
  S/SIndian1854 William Denny & Co. 1 764 gross 
  S/SOttawa1865 Laird Bros 1 810 gross 
  S/SCanadian (1)1854 William Denny & Co. 1 873 gross 
  S/SHibernian (1)1861 William Denny & Co. 1 888 gross 
  S/SNorwegian (1)1861 William Denny & Co. 1 888 gross 
  S/SLucerne1878 Laird Bros 1 925 gross 
  S/SCanadian (2)1859 Robert Steele & Co. 1 926 gross 
  S/SBohemian1859 William Denny & Co. 2 108 gross 
  S/SNova Scotian1858 William Denny & Co. 2 108 gross 
  S/SNorth Briton1858 William Denny & Co. 2 187 gross 
  S/SHungarian (1)1858 William Denny & Co. 2 200 gross 
  S/SJura1853 J. & G. Thomson & Co. 2 241 gross 
  S/SWaldensian1861 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 2 256 gross 
  S/SBelgian1855 Caird & Co. 2 259 gross 
  S/SPhoenician1864 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 2 356 gross 
  S/SAustrian1867 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 2 458 gross 
  S/SNestorian1866 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 2 466 gross 
  S/SState of Pennsylvania1873 London & Glasgow Co. Ltd. 2 472 gross 
  S/SMoravian1864 Robert Steele & Co. 2 481 gross 
  S/SState of Nevada1874 London & Glasgow Co. Ltd. 2 488 gross 
  S/SState of Georgia1873 London & Glasgow Co. Ltd. 2 490 gross 
  S/SState of Indiana1874 Thomas Wingate & Co. 2 528 gross 
  S/SPeruvian1863 Robert Steele & Co. 2 549 gross 
  S/SEuropean1866 Malcolmson & Co. 2 629 gross 
  S/SPrussian1868 A. & J. Inglis 2 794 gross 
  S/SScandinavian (1)1869 Robert Steele & Co. 2 840 gross 
  S/SAustralasian (1)1857 J. & G. Thomson & Co. 2 902 gross 
  S/SCanadian (3)1872 Thos. Royden & Co 2 911 gross 
  S/SManitoban1865 Laird Bros 2 975 gross 
  S/SMonte Videan1887 D. & W. Henderson Ltd. 3 076 gross 
  S/SRosarian1887 D. & W. Henderson Ltd. 3 077 gross 
  S/SBrazilian1890 D. & W. Henderson Ltd. 3 204 gross 
  S/SCircassian1872 Robert Steele & Co. 3 211 gross 
  S/SGermany1866 Pearse & Lockwood 3 244 gross 
  S/SCorean1881 William Doxford & Sons 3 488 gross 
  S/SHanoverian1882 William Doxford & Sons 3 503 gross 
  S/SNorwegian (2)1865 Tod & McGregor 3 523 gross 
  S/SOrcadian1893 Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. 3 546 gross 
  S/SGrecian1879 William Doxford & Sons 3 613 gross 
  S/SSarmatian1871 Robert Steele & Co. 3 647 gross 
  S/SSiberian1884 Govan Shipbuilding Co. 3 904 gross 
  S/SAssyrian (2)1880 Earle‘s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. 3 970 gross 
  S/SPolynesian1872 Robert Steele & Co. 3 983 gross 
  S/SState of Nebraska1880 London & Glasgow Co. Ltd. 3 986 gross 
  S/SBuenos Ayrean1879 William Denny & Co. 4 005 gross 
  S/STower Hill1880 Dobie & Co. 4 021 gross 
  S/STuranian1881 Dobie & Co. 4 021 gross 
  S/SLivonian1881 Dobie & Co. 4 162 gross 
  S/SRoumanian1882 Murray & Co 4 225 gross 
  S/SState of California1891 Alexander Stephen & Sons 4 244 gross 
  S/SCalifornian1891 Alexander Stephen & Sons 4 244 gross 
  S/SPomeranian1882 Earle‘s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. 4 364 gross 
  S/SSardinian1874 Robert Steele & Co. 4 399 gross 
  S/SCarthaginian1884 Govan Shipbuilding Co. 4 444 gross 
  S/SLaurentian1872 Robert Steele & Co. 4 522 gross 
  S/SGallia1878 J. & G. Thomson & Co. 4 809 gross 
  S/SNumidian1891 D. & W. Henderson Ltd. 4 836 gross 
  S/SMongolian1890 D. & W. Henderson Ltd. 4 838 gross 
  S/STainui1884 William Denny & Co. 5 086 gross 
  S/SParisian1880 Robert Napier & Sons 5 359 gross 
  S/SSicilian1899 Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. 6 224 gross 
  S/SCorinthian (2)1900 Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. 6 227 gross 
  S/SPretorian1901 Furness, Withy & Co. 6 948 gross 
  S/SCastilian1899 Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. 7 441 gross 
  S/SAustralasian (2)1901 William Denny & Co. 7 801 gross 
  S/SIonian1901 Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. 8 268 gross 
  S/SGrampian1907 Alexander Stephen & Sons 10 187 gross 
  S/SScotian1898 Harland & Wolff 10 322 gross 
  S/SBavarian1899 William Denny & Co. 10 376 gross 
  S/STunisian1900 Alexander Stephen & Sons 10 576 gross 
  S/SVictorian1904 Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. 10 635 gross 
  S/SVirginian1904 Alexander Stephen & Sons 10 757 gross 
  S/SHesperian1907 Alexander Stephen & Sons 10 920 gross 
  S/SCorsican1907 Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. 11 419 gross 
  S/SScandinavian (2)1898 Harland & Wolff 12 099 gross 
  S/SCalgarian1913 Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co. Ltd. 17 515 gross 
  S/SAlsatian1913 William Beardmore & Co. 18 481 gross 

Note:
You can click the Sort icon icon to sort the table by different parameters.
 
Some companies may have had additional ships in their fleets to those mentioned above. They might not have been included if the ships were not engaged in the conveyance of emigrants. Some ships mentioned in the fleet lists may have been chartered from other companies, see the ship's description and history for more details.

Emigrant Ship databases

Agents & Shipping lines
Shipping lines, Norwegian agents, authorizations, routes and fleets.

Emigrant ship Arrivals
Trond Austheim's database of emigrant ship arrivals around the world, 1870-1894.

Norwegian departures
100 Years of Emigrant Ships from Norway - indexed by year 1825-1925
Passenger lists
Norwegian Emigrants 1825-1875 Pre 1875 Norwegian emigrants, passenger lists
Images
Categories:
  >> Steamships
       arranged by shipping line
  >> Sailing ships
  >> Historic Documents
       & passenger lists
  >> The Voyage
  >> Ports - harbors
  >> Yards & Construction
  >> Miscellaneous
  >> Pioneers & Settlements
 
Images added during the last 14 days
You can add images of ships and other related motives by using the "Upload Image" link within the appropriate category.
Articles
A selection of articles dedicated to help you in your genealogy search for your Norwegian ancestors. Transcripts and pictures of historic documents in connection with the ships and emigration. Also including articles about Pioneers & Norwegian Settlements Around the World
Articles about selected ships ships and special events in their history. Descriptions of some of the great maritime disasters involving emigrant ships, like the wrecking of the steamer Atlantic of the White Star Line, sinking of the ocean liner Empress of Ireland and the Thingvalla line steamer Norge disaster. Check this section if you have an interest in shipwrecks.
This section contains articles describing the transatlantic voyage, the condition of the steerage accommodations and the experience of an ocean travel on an emigrant ship. You will find in-depth studies concerning the emigration process, statistics and facts, and information about the immigration processing centers line Castle Garden and Ellis Island.
Forum
10 last postings: