"B" Names for ships

[VAW]

I asked this question of a captain on the Black Watch a few years ago and he was unable to answer - why do all the names of the ships begin with the letter "B"?

[Nathan Philpot]

Thanks for your question. Way back in 1896, Fred. Olsen (the second one) placed an order for a steamship, the 1,000-tonne Bayard, named after one of the vessels from the start of his ship-owning career. Since then, it has become a family custom that the ships have names beginning with the letter 'B'. It is suggested that this is because the letter ‘B’ comes high up in the Lloyd’s Register, the ‘bible’ for those choosing a shipping line with whom to book their cargo, thereby giving Fred. Olsen a commercial advantage.