▁a ▁group ▁of ▁five ▁passenger ▁and ▁cargo ▁ocean ▁lin ers ▁built ▁by ▁Har land ▁and ▁Wol ff ▁at ▁B elf ast , ▁for ▁the ▁White ▁Star ▁Line , ▁specifically ▁for ▁the ▁White ▁Star ▁Line ' s ▁service ▁from ▁the ▁UK ▁to ▁Australia ▁on ▁the ▁Liverpool – C ape ▁Town – S yd ney ▁route . ▁The ▁five ▁ships ▁in ▁order ▁of ▁the ▁dates ▁they ▁entered ▁service ▁were : ▁▁ ▁( 1 8 9 9 ) ▁▁ ▁( 1 8 9 9 ) ▁▁ ▁( 1 8 9 9 ) ▁▁ ▁( 1 9 0 1 ) ▁▁ ▁( 1 9 0 1 ) ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁White ▁Star ▁Line ▁had ▁originally ▁been ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁Australian ▁trade . ▁Thomas ▁Is may ▁had ▁purchased ▁the ▁house flag ▁of ▁the ▁Pil k ington ▁and ▁Wilson ' s ▁White ▁Star ▁Line ▁which ▁had ▁prosper ed ▁during ▁the ▁Australian ▁gold ▁r ush es ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁the ▁company ▁decided ▁to ▁restart ▁an ▁Australian ▁service , ▁and ▁ordered ▁five ▁new ▁steam ships ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁service , ▁these ▁were ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" J ub ile e ▁class " ▁as ▁their ▁commission ing ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁the ▁Diam ond ▁J ub ile e ▁of ▁Queen ▁Victoria . ▁ ▁The ▁ships ▁were ▁built ▁in ▁two ▁groups , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁three ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁class ▁( A fr ic , ▁Medic ▁and ▁Pers ic ) ▁entering ▁service ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9