Have had it pointed out to me by a mate that I was perhaps a wee bit abrupt in my initial response to this thread. Re-reading it, I can see that it does sound rather curt! One of the drawbacks to multitasking - I'm usually writing in multiple forums/lists/emails and switch back and forward. Should have checked it before I posted.
It was a legitimate question Alex - I've heard other folks wonder about the cap badge, and Lowe's service with Elder Dempster is not general knowledge. I don't think it's ever been published, come to think of it, although of course it's been known since he testified in 1912 that he had served on the West African run. Walter Lord, from memory, made an erroneous reference to Lowe 'windjamming' on the African coast. These ships - and I have a record of all the vessels he served on for this period, and official logs and/or agreements for most of them - were, needless to say, all steamers.
