{{Short description|Shipping line in the late 19th and early 20th century}} thumb|House flag of the Falls Line.|155x155px{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} The '''Falls Line'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrecksite.eu/ownerBuilderView.aspx?5004|title=Falls Line - Wright, Graham & Co. - Wright & Breakenridge |website=Wrecksite.eu|access-date=25 May 2022}}</ref> was a Scottish shipping line in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The line operated ships of two companies; Wright, Breakenridge & Co. (from 1878 up to 1892) and Wright and Graham & Co. (from 1892). Both companies' ships used the same flag.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/1010.html|title=House flag, Falls Line - National Maritime Museum|website=Collections.rmg.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-13|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227155211/http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/1010.html|archive-date=2018-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections.html#!csearch;authority=agent-24236;agentFacetLetter=G;browseBy=person|title=Collections - National Maritime Museum|website=Collections.rmg.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-13|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806025721/http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections.html#!csearch;authority=agent-24236;agentFacetLetter=G;browseBy=person|archive-date=2017-08-06}}</ref> The Falls Line does not appear to have operated ships after 1914, although some of the company's ships continued in operation for other owners.
The Falls Line's offices were at 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland.
== Ships of the Falls Line == The Falls Line's ships were distinguished by all being named after Scottish river falls. [[File:StateLibQld 1 142687 Falls Of Afton (ship).jpg|thumb|269x269px|''Falls of Afton'', a four-mast, full-rigged ship.]] [[File:A. J. Jansen - The four-masted barque 'Falls of Halladale' off Antwerp, 1910 5b7b031a-be2f-4c8f-a16c-57eb12b892c3 570.jpg|thumb|268x268px|''Falls of Halladale'', a four-mast barque.]] The Falls Line sailing vessels that were originally operated by Wright, Breakenridge & Co. were: * ''Falls of Clyde'', built in 1878.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19468|shipname=Falls of Clyde|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * ''Falls of Bruar'', built in 1879.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19469|shipname=Falls of Bruar|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * ''Falls of Dee'', built in 1882, sold in 1901 and renamed ''Teie'' in 1910<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19789|shipname=Falls of Dee|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * ''Falls of Afton'', built in 1882.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19469|19788|shipname=Falls of Afton|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * ''Falls of Foyers'', bult in 1883.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19469|19795|shipname=Falls of Foyers|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * ''Falls of Earn'', built in 1884.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19469|19810|shipname=Falls of Earn|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> *''Falls of Halladale'', built in 1886.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19832|shipname=Falls of Halladale|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * ''Falls of Garry'', built in 1886, sold as a wreck in 1898 and repaired, then resold in 1904.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19831|shipname=Falls of Garry|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref>
There was also another sailing vessel that was only ever operated by Wright, Graham & Co. * ''Falls of Ettrick'', built in 1894.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19668|shipname=Falls of Ettrick|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref>
All were similar four-masted, iron-hulled, sailing vessels, and all were built by Russell & Co. Most were full-rigged ships, but three of the vessels were rigged as barques; ''Falls of Halladale'', ''Falls of Garry'', and ''Falls of Ettrick''. [[File:Falls of Orchy berthed at Albina Yard, Portland, Oregon.jpg|thumb|268x268px|''Falls of Orchy'' berthed at the Albina Yard, Portland, Oregon, between 1910 and 1915.]] These steamships—also named for Scottish river falls—operated under the Falls Line flag managed by Wright, Graham & Co..
* s.s. ''Falls of Bracklinn'', built in 1894; the ship went missing after leaving Baltimore in 1897.<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19672|shipname=Falls of Bracklinn|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> * s.s. ''Falls of Keltie'',<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=19745|shipname=Falls of Keltie|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> built in 1898, sold in 1905 and renamed ''Hoyle Bank'', subsequently ''Navarachus Condouriotis'' (1914), ''Taisan Maru'' (1916), and ''Shinsan Maru'' (1917). * s.s. ''Falls of Moness'', built in 1902 originally chartered to the Indra Line<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/royden.shtml|title=Thos. B. Royden & Co.|last=Swiggum|first=Sue|website=Theshipslist.com|access-date=2018-02-13|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218024331/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/royden.shtml|archive-date=2018-02-18}}</ref> as s.s. ''Indradeo'' <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158345929|title=SHIPPING ITEMS.|date=1907-07-08|work=Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (Sydney, NSW : 1891 - 1954)|access-date=2018-02-13|pages=4}}</ref> came off charter in 1908 and was renamed ''Falls of Moness,'' sold in 1914 and renamed s.s ''Teakwood''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mariners-list.com/site_pages.php?section=Shipping+Companies&category=English&page_name=John+I+Jacobs+%26+Co|title=John I. Jacobs & Co, London|website=Mariners List|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref> *s.s. ''Falls of Orchy'',<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=16349|shipname=Falls of Orchy|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> built in 1907, sold in 1914<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159106366|title=FALLS OF ORCHY'S NEW OWNERS.|date=1914-08-18|work=Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (Sydney, NSW : 1891 - 1954)|access-date=2018-02-14|pages=11}}</ref> and resold in 1915,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/newzealand.shtml|title=New Zealand Shipping Co.|last=Swiggum|first=Sue|website=Theshipslist.com|access-date=2018-02-13|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620095041/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/newzealand.shtml|archive-date=2017-06-20}}</ref> when she was renamed s.s. ''Canastota''. * s.s. ''Falls of Nith'',<ref>{{csr|register=C|id=16341|shipname=Falls of Nith|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref> built in 1907, later sold and renamed s.s. ''Benito''.
== Fate of the ships == With only one exception, all the Falls Line ships—both sail and steam—were wrecked, lost without trace, or sank, either during or after the time that the ships were under the Falls Line's flag.
German or Austrian submarine attacks, during World War I, resulted in the sinking of five of the ships (three steamers and two sailing ships); UC-17 sank ''Falls of Afton''; UB-57 sank ''Benito'' (ex-''Falls of Nith''); U-14 sank ''Teakwood'' (ex-''Falls of Moness'');<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicalrfa.org/requisitioned-auxiliaries/177-requisitioned-auxiliaries-t/2161-requisitioned-auxiliary-teakwood|title=Requisitioned Auxiliary - Teakwood|website=Historicalrfa.org|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-02-13|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218210418/http://www.historicalrfa.org/requisitioned-auxiliaries/177-requisitioned-auxiliaries-t/2161-requisitioned-auxiliary-teakwood|archive-date=2018-02-18}}</ref> UB-47 sank ''Shinsan Maru'' (ex-''Falls of Keltie''); and UC-45 sank ''Teie'' (ex-''Falls of Dee'').
The ''Falls of Clyde'', the oldest of the Falls Line ships, was the sole survivor. In time, she became the last surviving iron-hulled, four-masted, fully square-rigged ship. Despite being preserved as a floating museum exhibit, in Honolulu, neglect and lack of funding left her in a non-viable condition. After 146 years afloat, she was towed out to sea and scuttled on 15 October 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Nina |date=2025-10-15 |title=Historic Falls of Clyde towed out to sea to be sunk |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/10/15/breaking-news/historic-falls-of-clyde-towed-out-to-sea-to-be-sunk/ |access-date=2026-01-16 |website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSZxtvz3wOc |title=Falls of Clyde is gone... |date=2025-10-20 |last=History in the Dark |access-date=2026-01-16 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons|position=left}}
Category:19th century in Glasgow Category:20th century in Glasgow Category:Companies based in Glasgow Category:Defunct transport companies of Scotland Category:Shipping companies of Scotland