CORK STEAM PACKET OFFICE ( 1824 ), ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT
The original St George Steam Packet Company was formed in Autumn of 1821 with their headquarters in Liverpool .
calendar 1824 St . George Steam Packet Company erected premises known as the Packet Office on Penrose Quay ( Penrose House ), which they surmounted with a sculpted piece St George slaying a dragon .
As the reputation of the Cork site was being established , the St George Company extended its operations with rapidity , until steamers were to be found in almost every port in the United Kingdom and in chief ports in Holland , Denmark and Russia .
However , management of the St George Company was not content with the situation and Mr Ebenezer Pike of Bessborough , Blackrock , Co Cork , proposed to form a separate company from the English business and to build a new steamer of 500 to 600 tons burthen and 300 horse-power .
calendar 1843 The title St George was dropped and the City of Cork Steamship Company was established . The name was then shortened to the Cork Steamship Company . Mr William Wilson , founder of the firm of Wilson , Son & Co became the first general manager at Cork and a Mr McTear , became the Liverpool agent .
The first directors were Messrs Ebenezer Pike , John Gould , James Connell , Joseph Hayes , William Lane – all merchants belonging to Cork .
calendar 1843 Their first steamship was built ; Nimrod .
calendar 1843 – 1860 The company built and acquired a number of ships in this period and in 1903 it is recorded that there were 16 vessels on their books .
calendar 1965 The Irish government took over the British and Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd , together with its subsidiary City of Cork Steam Packet Company . calendar 1971
Coast Lines Ltd were taken over by the P & O Line ( formerly Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company ).
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