On 7 July 1854 Captain William Howard Smith arrived in Melbourne from England as skipper of the 177 ton steamer Express in which he held a 50% share along with the ship's engineer, SB Skinner.
On 3 October 1854, the Express began operating the first regular passenger service in Australia from Melbourne to Geelong.
[1][2] In May 1864, Howard returned to Australia with the 672 ton Kief, a former British Army water carrier and entered the interstate coal trade with a service from Melbourne to Sydney and Newcastle.
This attempted takeover and protracted takeover battle was associated with an important legal case and subsequent appeal to the Privy Council, Howard Smith Ltd v Ampol Petroleum Ltd. Howard Smith's shareholding in RW Miller was increased to 67% in 1979 when it acquired Ampol's shareholding and in February 1985 it took 100% ownership.
Howard Smith withdrew from the shipping business in 1996 with the sale of its remaining two vessels.
In June 1987, a 75% share (100% from December 1989) in salvage and ocean towing business North British Marine Group of Hull.
[4] Having held a minority shareholding since 1917 following an unsuccessful attempted takeover, in October 1964 Howard Smith purchased railway rolling stock manufacturer A Goninan & Co.
[4] Howard Smith gradually took over stevedore James Patrick Group, owning 73% by 1980 and 100% by 1990.
In November 1994 Howard Smith exited the stevedoring industry with the sale of National Terminals to Jamieson Equity.
[12][13][14] The bid was successful with the BBC and Hardwarehouse hardware store chains integrated with Wesfarmers' Bunnings Warehouse business.