The house flag of James Nourse Ltd, London. A white flag with a blue saltire overall with a red diamond in the centre. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached.

The company was formed by Captain James Nourse in 1861 at Greenock but transferred to London in 1864. Many of the company’s early voyages were between Calcutta and Australian Ports but Nourse soon entered the India to West Indies trade carrying indentured labour for the plantations. The general route for the fleet was to leave a European port with a cargo of salt or railway iron for Calcutta. From there a cargo of rice and a party of coolies were picked up for the West Indies, followed by a passage to east coast of North America where grain or case oil was loaded for Europe. Other voyages were made from Calcutta to Mauritius or to the Fiji Islands with labour for the sugar plantations. It was not until 1904 that the company took delivery of their first steamship having persevered with sail mainly for economic reasons and the lack of coaling facilities between India and the West Indies. In 1917, P. & O. Line purchased a controlling interest in the company. In 1932 the majority interest passed to British India S.N.C.O, but by 1955 the entire holding passed back to P & O.

The trade between India and the West Indies gradually declined in the 1950s and several of the company’s ships spent long periods on charter to other P & O group fleets. By 1965 the company had diversified into tramp shipping and amalgamated with Hain Line to form Hain-Nourse Ltd.