Lady Mary | Clyde River and Firth

Graham Brymner was born on 27th January 1827 in Greenock, the son of Elizabeth (neé Fairlie) and Mr Alexander Brymner, who was the cashier in the Greenock Bank, and was at one time editor of the Greenock Intelligencer. Graham was educated at Greenock Grammar School and afterwards sought his fortune as a planter in the West Indies. On returning to Greenock in the 1840s, he took up office work, and then started a business with his elder brother, Douglas, who was at the time engaged as a shipping clerk. The firm of Messrs D. & G. Brymner were coal and lime merchants, with premises in East Quay Lane. The vessels they used were mainly wooden gabbarts or small schooners. The Alexander, presumably named after their father, was built for them by Messrs Scott & Sons, Greenock. The Mount Stuart was built by Messrs M‘Lea on the slip at Rothesay in 1855 and Strath Clutha the following year...

It was in 1834 that the Castle Company introduced a service from the Ayrshire coast to the Island of Arran. The veteran Inverary Castle sailed to Brodick from Troon where she connected with the horse-drawn railway from Kilmarnock. Ardrossan was included as a call in 1834 and the following year, Ardrossan was the Ayrshire terminus with a connecting coach from Kilmarnock. Although the Inverary Castle was described as extensively improved in both speed and comfort, she had been advertised for sale in the Spring, and was disposed of the following year when M‘Kellar’s Hero appeared on the route. The hull of the Hero was built by William Denny in Dumbarton in 1832 and her machinery was produced by Robert Napier. Duncan M‘Kellar added a larger and more successful vessel, the Victor, in 1836 so that Hero was available for the Arran service. Plan of the Glasgow, Paisley, Ardrossan and Ayr...