James Paterson & Company

 This Melbourne-based company was founded by James Paterson, who arrived in Melbourne in 1852, first went to try his luck in the goldfields, -then the following year returned to Melbourne to start trading activity, particularly in coal. The business progressed through ownership of sailing ships to iron steamers as it built its involvement in the coal trade, significantly emanating from Newcastle, New South Wales. In 1961, the Company became part of the McIlwraith McEacharn organization.

At the start of the Second World War, it had two ships:

Ship

Built

Gross Tons

In Service

Wear 1911 1892 1911-1944
Dumosa 1920 3351 1930-1951

Although neither vessel was requisitioned or suffered from enemy action,  Wear was lost after the ship Anatina collided with it off the southern coast of New South Wales on 8 September 1944.