William Leslie Comyn
Encyclopedia
William Leslie Comyn was a Californian businessman, shipbuilder and builder of one of the first large Concrete ship
s.
Comyn was the second son of Charles Comyn an English civil servant and was born at Shepherd's Bush
, London
. His great-uncle Stephen George Comyn
had been naval chaplain to the English Admiral Lord Nelson
. He was educated at Merchant Taylor's School
, and Dulwich College
and subsequently founded his own shipping company - Comyn Singleton and Dunn of Gracechurch Street London EC1. Through this business he went to California where he settled and became a businessman in San Francisco. His father in law William Emil Gerber of Sacramento, California
was a merchant and financier, and may have supported his enterprises. One of the ships he built was a five master sailing ship named Ann Comyn after his wife.
During World War I
Leslie Comyn, tried to persuade the United States Shipping Board
(USSB) that they should build concrete ships. They were not convinced so in 1917, he founded the San Francisco Shipbuilding Company at Oakland, California
. In January 1918 he started, on speculation, to build the first ship, called appropriately "FAITH" designed by Alan MacDonald and Victor Poss. The ship was an 8000 ton freighter, and, at the time, the largest concrete vessel with a sea-going capability in the world. The ship was launched successfully in March 1918. Following this, on April 12, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson
approved the Emergency Fleet Corporation program which oversaw the construction of 24 ferrocement ships for the war.
In May 1918, Faith left San Francisco on her maiden voyage, with 4300 tons of salt and copper ore, bound for Vancouver, followed by other voyages to Honolulu, Balboa, Callao, Valparaiso and New York. In 1919 Comyn's shipbuilding company sold the ship to the French-American SS Lines.
Comyn was founder President of the "W L Comyn & Co" shipping company and had an interest in other companies (for example Snow's Import Export). The company is widely quoted in shipping law from the case "Dampskibsselskabet Dannebrog V. Signal Oil & Gas Co. of, 310 U.S. 268 (1940)". The question concerned is whether the Standard Oil
were entitled to maritime liens
for fuel oil delivered to Dannebrog's vessels. Dannebrog had chartered two ships - the 'Stjerneborg' and the 'Brand' - to W. L. Comyn & Sons in May 1933. Standard Oil had previously modified a contract with Anglo Canadian Shipping to include the fuel oil requirements of vessels owned, chartered or operated by W. L. Comyn & Sons.
Comyn married Ann Gerber, daughter of William Gerber, and had three children. His brother Hugh Comyn was a Wimbledon singles entrant in 1906
and 1907
and badminton champion in 1908 an 1909. His sister Cicely Vaughan Wilkes, with her husband, founded and ran the influential St Cyprian's School
in Eastbourne
, England.
Concrete ship
Concrete ships are ships built of steel and ferrocement instead of more traditional materials, such as steel or wood. The advantage of ferrocement construction is that materials are cheap and readily available, while the disadvantages are that construction labor costs are high, as are operating...
s.
Comyn was the second son of Charles Comyn an English civil servant and was born at Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His great-uncle Stephen George Comyn
Stephen George Comyn
Stephen George Comyn was an English naval chaplain who served with Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and Battle of Copenhagen. He was a close friend of Nelson and is said to have been his favourite chaplain. -Early life:...
had been naval chaplain to the English Admiral Lord Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
. He was educated at Merchant Taylor's School
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
, and Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
and subsequently founded his own shipping company - Comyn Singleton and Dunn of Gracechurch Street London EC1. Through this business he went to California where he settled and became a businessman in San Francisco. His father in law William Emil Gerber of Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
was a merchant and financier, and may have supported his enterprises. One of the ships he built was a five master sailing ship named Ann Comyn after his wife.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Leslie Comyn, tried to persuade the United States Shipping Board
United States Shipping Board
The United States Shipping Board was established as an emergency agency by the Shipping Act , 7 September 1916. It was formally organized 30 January 1917. It was sometimes referred to as the War Shipping Board.http://www.gwpda.org/wwi-www/Hurley/bridgeTC.htm | The Bridge To France by Edward N....
(USSB) that they should build concrete ships. They were not convinced so in 1917, he founded the San Francisco Shipbuilding Company at Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. In January 1918 he started, on speculation, to build the first ship, called appropriately "FAITH" designed by Alan MacDonald and Victor Poss. The ship was an 8000 ton freighter, and, at the time, the largest concrete vessel with a sea-going capability in the world. The ship was launched successfully in March 1918. Following this, on April 12, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
approved the Emergency Fleet Corporation program which oversaw the construction of 24 ferrocement ships for the war.
In May 1918, Faith left San Francisco on her maiden voyage, with 4300 tons of salt and copper ore, bound for Vancouver, followed by other voyages to Honolulu, Balboa, Callao, Valparaiso and New York. In 1919 Comyn's shipbuilding company sold the ship to the French-American SS Lines.
Comyn was founder President of the "W L Comyn & Co" shipping company and had an interest in other companies (for example Snow's Import Export). The company is widely quoted in shipping law from the case "Dampskibsselskabet Dannebrog V. Signal Oil & Gas Co. of, 310 U.S. 268 (1940)". The question concerned is whether the Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
were entitled to maritime liens
Lien
In law, a lien is a form of security interest granted over an item of property to secure the payment of a debt or performance of some other obligation...
for fuel oil delivered to Dannebrog's vessels. Dannebrog had chartered two ships - the 'Stjerneborg' and the 'Brand' - to W. L. Comyn & Sons in May 1933. Standard Oil had previously modified a contract with Anglo Canadian Shipping to include the fuel oil requirements of vessels owned, chartered or operated by W. L. Comyn & Sons.
Comyn married Ann Gerber, daughter of William Gerber, and had three children. His brother Hugh Comyn was a Wimbledon singles entrant in 1906
1906 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles
Laurence Doherty defeated Frank Riseley 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-3 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1906 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Key:* Q = Qualifier* WC = Wild Card...
and 1907
1907 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles
The champion of 1906 Laurence Doherty didn't defend his title.Norman Brookes defeated Arthur Gore 6-4 6-2 6-2 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1907 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Key:* Q = Qualifier* WC = Wild Card...
and badminton champion in 1908 an 1909. His sister Cicely Vaughan Wilkes, with her husband, founded and ran the influential St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, England.