The Turkish Fleet

By on Oct 23, 2015 in Alexander Williamson Snr, Glasgow and South Western Railway Co., Kamesburgh, Marquis of Bute, Sultan, Sultana, Turkish Fleet, Viceroy | 6 comments

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In earlier articles the history of Captain Alexander Williamson’s career has been detailed. He and Captain William Buchanan owned the Eagle in the 1850s but the partnership dissolved around 1861 and Captain Williamson struck out on his own in 1862 with the Sultan,a fast river steamer built the previous year. (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/clyde-steamer-ps-sultan-86484)

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Sultan (Williamson)

The Sultan was put on the Rothesay and Kyles of Bute station, sailing from Glasgow with a connection at Greenock with the Glasgow trains.  In the winter she sailed from Kamesburgh or Port Bannatyne as it is better known nowadays but during the season she sailed to Tignabruaich and Ormidale. Her schedule meant an early morning sailing from the Kyles of Bute, connecting with a train at Greenock before sailing to Glasgow.  In the afternoon, the journey was repeated in the opposite direction.

Williamson had the Sultana built by Messrs Robertson & Co. in 1868, with engines made by Messrs W. King & Co. The Sultana proved to be the faster of the two boats.

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Sultana (Williamson)

Captain Williamson had four sons, James, Alexander Jr., John, and Robert, and the first three commanded ships for their father. In the hands of Captain James, the Sultana developed a reputation for speed and agile handling at the piers along her route. All three sons had important roles to play in the development of steamship services on the Clyde.

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Sultana at the Broomielaw around 1870 (Washington Wilson)

In 1869, the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway opened with the more convenient Princes Pier and with two fast steamers in his fleet, Captain Williamson was in an excellent position to profit from the increased traffic. The Caledonian Railway had a terminus in the town and passengers and their luggage had a rather unsavory track to the old steamboat quay at Greenock. Rather quickly, their business fell away.

Both Sultan and Sultana were flush-deck steamers with no saloon accommodation.  In 1875, Viceroy was added to the fleet from the yard of Messrs D. & W. Henderson at Patrick.  She was designed with the then fashionable raised quarterdeck where the aft saloon had better height and ventilation than found in the earlier steamers. Intended as a superior version of Sultana, she disappointed in the area of speed but was a most useful addition.

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Viceroy (Williamson)

Over the winter of 1876 both Sultan and Sultana were giver complete overhauls and the former appeared with a short deck saloon aft.  Similar modifications were made to Sultana at a later date.

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This remarkable picture shows the Broomielaw in the late 1870s with the Campbell steamer, Benmore of 1876, canting in the river and Viceroy with the black funnel with a white band leaving the quay (Washington Wilson)

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Sultana and Viceroy off Greenock around 1880 (Robertson)

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The Turkish Fleet at Kamesburgh around 1880 with, from left to right, Viceroy, Sultan and Sultana (Robertson)

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Viceroy off Greenock

During the 1880s, the Williamson fleet developed a special relationship with the Glasgow and South Western Railway Co., providing the Rothesay and Kyles of Bute connections to their important express trains.

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Sultan at Rothesay with her new saloons (Washington Wilson)

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Sultan at Rothesay (Washington Wilson)

The Williamson fleet looked much better when the saloons and paddle-wings were painted white.

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Sultan with her aft saloon off Gourock (Robertson)

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Sultan with Chancellor of 1880 off Gourock (Robertson)

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Sultana off Gourock with Vivid in the background (Robertson)

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Sultana in Rothesay Bay

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Viceroy with the Victoria of 1886 (Robertson)

In 1889, Captain Alexander M’Lean gave up ship owning and his Marquis of Bute of 1868 was added to the fleet.  Two years later a deck saloon was added to her also.

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Marquis of Bute off Gourock (Robertson)

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Marquis of Bute with her deck saloon (Adamson)

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Marquis of Bute in 1891

In 1890, understanding that the new saloon steamers of the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. were eroding business, The Viceroy was converted to a saloon steamer.

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Viceroy with her saloons in 1890

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Viceroy on the upper river around 1890

In 1891, the Glasgow and South Western Railway Co. obtained powers to operate steamboats and appointed Alexander Williamson Jr. as their Marine Superintendent.  In August of that year the Railway purchased the four steamers of the “Turkish Fleet” from Alexander Williamson Snr.

6 Comments

  1. Duncan Alexander Williamson

    December 14, 2017

    Post a Reply

    Wonderful piece of my family history- thank you. Alexander Jnr. is my Great Grandfather.

    • Maria Bagnoli

      November 24, 2023

      Post a Reply

      I think he’s my Great grandfather too but he had one son , Alistair .
      ( My mother’s father)
      Did Alexander marry a Christine Aitken?

      Thank you

  2. Sandi MacCallum-Dunlap

    October 23, 2022

    Post a Reply

    My great grandfather was an ordinary seaman on the PS Sultan, late 1870s up until about 1882 or 1883. I love this. It is nice to learn about him and his life before emigrating to the US.

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