Henry Threlfall Wilson - co founder of the White Star Line

The White Star Line was originally founded in Liverpool in 1845 by John Pilkington and Henry Wilson. The company's initial focus was on the Australian gold mine trade. In the early 1850's if you had sound ships and ran the Australian route, it would almost be difficult to not succeed. In one month of 1853, no less than 32,000 "get rich quick" hopefuls left port in Liverpool bound or Australia to strike their fortunes in gold. Australia's colony population jumped from 430,000 to 1.7 million in just 3 years after gold was discovered.

Pilkington and Wilson's initial business plan for the White Star Line included leasing and chartering as opposed to purchasing vessels. As business increased and capital was established, they would purchase vessels . The first ship purchased under the White Star Line name was the 879-ton clipper ship Iowa, of the barque class. In 1853, Henry Wilson's daughter married a man a young man named James Chambers. Chambers had proved his capabilities in the shipping business working for his father and it was just as matter of time until he became a partner in the White Star Line.