{"product_id":"early-nourse-line-shipping-line-gilded-brass-button","title":"Early NOURSE LINE (Shipping Line) gilded brass button.","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJames Nourse Ltd (Nourse Line) was a British shipping company founded by Captain James Nourse in 1861 at Greenock, Scotland, and later headquartered in London from 1864. The line’s core business was transporting indentured Indian laborers from Calcutta to colonial plantations in the West Indies, Mauritius, and Fiji, while carrying bulk cargoes like rice, salt, and grain on return voyages.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eIn 1903 a limited liability company was formed under the title James Nourse Limited , after Nourse’s death in 1897.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eIn November 1917, shares in James Nourse Ltd were acquired by P\u0026amp;O , though the line kept operating under its own name for decades after.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBy 1965 the company had diversified into tramp shipping and merged with Hain Line to form Hain-Nourse Ltd.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe house flag design on the button (diagonal cross\/saltire on a burgee-style flag) matches the Nourse Line’s house flag, which is documented separately from the company records.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGiven it’s Firmin-made and gilded brass at 23mm, that size and maker fit typical merchant navy officer’s uniform buttons of the era — likely worn by an officer or crew member on a Nourse Line vessel.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53897348153672,"sku":"10135","price":10.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2075.heic?v=1787617866","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/early-nourse-line-shipping-line-gilded-brass-button","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}