Erskine Ferry

on Apr 25, 2018

There has been a crossing point of the Clyde at Erskine for about as long as records have been kept. In fact there were two crossings, the West Ferry, closer to Dumbarton and the East Ferry, at Old Kilpatrick. The early ferries were rowed across and also provided a connection to the early steamboats passing on the river. Unfortunately there were accidents. “Friday afternoon, at Erskine Ferry, a ferry-boat, containing three passengers and the boatman, was run down by the Helensburgh steam-boat. The passengers were immediately picked up, owing to the activity of the crew of the Helensburgh, but the boatman never rose. We understand that no blame whatever can be attached to the persons who managed the steam-boat, the unhappy accident being entirely attributable to the unskillful conduct of the poor man who has lost his life. He was from the Isle of Mull.—Edinburgh Observer”—The Globe,...

Hoppers

on Mar 27, 2018

I’ve a special liking for the work of the Wishaw photographer, Charles Reid whose photographs of animals, both domestic and wild are delightful. This unusual photograph entitled “Gulls” brings to the fore a sight that was at one time very familiar on the river and estuary of the Clyde; the modest hopper. Designed to take the spoil from the dredging of the river and harbour, hoppers were self-propelled and took the place of mud punts that continued in use until the 1880s and beyond. Mud punts had sufficed when the dredged material was used as fill on the river banks, but with the widening of the river, it was necessary to move the material over much greater distances. The first of the hoppers came from the yard of Messrs William Simons & Co., Renfrew, in 1862. The vessel could be filled with spoil and then sail to the dumping ground in deep water where the bottom of the hold opened...

Skipness

on Mar 25, 2018

The Estate of Skipness, since ancient times, was in the hands of the Campbell family, and during that time, in 1834, a quay was built to protect the fishing fleet from the regular gales that roared up the Sound of Kilbrannan. The village itself is strung out along a sandy bay with the Mansion House and Skipness Castle to the east, to Skipness point that marks the entrance to Loch Fyne. The little harbour was located north of the point. In 1843, the estate was sold to William Fraser, who sold it in 1866 to the trustees for the Robert G. Graham family of licensed grocers from Glasgow. At the time, Robert Graham had not reached the age of majority. The Graham family quickly set about improving the policies. Skipness Pier with Minard Castle Around 1878, a new iron pier was erected, made from used rails of the Great Western Railway. It was built north of the fishing quay and roughly two...

Carradale Pier

on Feb 14, 2018

In the Glasgow Herald of January 17, 1848, extracts from the Tidal Harbours Commission Report, concerned with the state of the fishing trade in the west of Scotland reported that; “At Skipness, a projecting point at the north end of Kilbrannan Sound, a fishing pier, extending 60 yards off-shore in an easterly direction, with a return head of 32 yards to the northward, was erected in 1839 at a cost of £2997, two-thirds of which were contributed by the Fishery Board on the part of the public. The pier has 5 feet depth at low water and is a great accommodation to the 60 boats belonging to the place, and to others which frequent the favourite fishing grounds of Kilbrannan Sound, as well as to the steamboats passing along the coast. A pier at Carradale would also be a great benefit.” Glasgow Herald, February 18,1856 Kilbrannan shore, Carradale (1898) However, Carradale would have to wait...

The wreck of the Tynwald.

on Jan 26, 2018

This article comes from a brief snippet from the Greenock Advertiser in September 1866 regarding the Campbeltown paddle steamer Herald. “The Steamer Herald.—It was rumoured in town yesterday that the charterer of the steamer Tynwald, which we noticed on Thursday as having gone ashore at Skye, has offered terms for chartering the steamer Herald, employed on the Campbelton route. It is said if the offer is accepted, she will likely proceed to Iceland at once for the purpose of bringing cattle thence. The Herald was off her usual station yesterday.”—Greenock Advertiser, Sept 22, 1866. Although the report was shown to inaccurate, it did highlight an interesting story. “Steamer Herald.—The report that this favourite steamer was about to be dispatched to Iceland is incorrect. Today she was laid up in the East Harbour for the season.”—Greenock Telegraph, September 22, 1866. In 1866, the Isle...

Herald and Gael

on Jan 25, 2018

This article highlights some of the opposition to the Campbeltown and Glasgow Steam Packet Joint Stock Company’s near monopoly of the Campbeltown route in the latter half of the 1800s. In the earlier part of the century, Campbeltown was served by this locally owned company from 1826 and the centenary history is presented in another article. In addition, in those early years, the Londonderry steamers regularly called at Campbeltown and picked up some of the trade, but gradually this connection was withdrawn. It was in the aftermath of the American Civil War with Clyde shipyards, now expert in building fast, sturdy coastal craft, that excess capacity meant prices for new ships began to drop and Messrs Little & Co., with a long history in coastal trading, began a new enterprise in 1866, placing a fast paddle steamer, Herald, on the route from Glasgow and Greenock to Campbeltown....