I’ve written previously here about the ‘other’ Tom Mortons, but a strange thing happened today at the excellent Brae Sunday Teas (and car boot sale – fundraising for Martha’s school trip to…somewhere).

I was speaking to someone who had been reading a book about the Salvesen shipping line. Salvesens of Leith was hugely important to the economy of Shetland right up until the 1960s, as they employed many islanders in the South Atlantic (Antarctic) whaling.

Anyway, I was told today that Salvesens had a ship called, wait for it, the Tom Morton. At first I thought this was a joke, but no, a bit of checking revealed that in the early years of the Salvesen company, they bought a ship built in Leith by the engineers and shipbuilders S&H Morton and Co, owned by one H Morton and yes, called the Tom Morton.

Here’s the only reference I can find to the vessel online:

Tom Morton 1872 S. & H. Morton & Co., Leith Ex Tom Morton built for H. Morton, Leith, 1884 purchased not renamed, 1886. Went missing at sea. 1,402 tonnes.

Slightly worrying fate. I’ll need to be careful in my kayak…