Dumbarton Steamboats

on Dec 9, 2014

The Dumbarton Steamboat Company was one of the earliest steamboat companies in the world and in its different reincarnations lasted for almost a century. It served the traffic between the town of Dumbarton and the city of Glasgow, was intimately involved in the lucrative tourist trade to Loch Lomond, and in doing so, took advantage of the oft disputed charters that allowed shipping registered at Dumbarton free access to the Glasgow harbour. This article is heavily based on a summary of the sederunt book of the company that is presented in Thomson’s “Affairs of an Early Steamboat Company” (1932). Further details come from Hume and Moss’ “A Bed of Nails,” and several of Donald MacLeod’s books; “God’s Acres of Dumbarton,” (1888), “Castle and Town of Dumbarton,” (1877), “Dunbarton Ancient and Modern,” (1892), and “Loch Lomond Steamboat Companies,” (1888). Additional information comes from...

Old Gourock

on Nov 28, 2014

The town of Gourock achieved some prominence when it became the home base of the Caledonian Steam Packet Co.’s operations on the Clyde around 1889. Before then it was a bathing resort, much frequented by the population of Paisley from where, when the pennies were short, the inhabitants could use Shank’s pony to reach the sea shore. Descriptions of the town appear in early guides to the Clyde including Lumsden’s “Steamboat Companion” of 1820:— “Having left Greenock, many neat villas are seen on the left along the shore; and, at a short distance, a small battery to protect the town. About 2 miles from Greenock, is the village of Gourock, resorted to, in summer, as bathing quarters; and above which stands the House of Gourock, Darroch; on the east side of the bay is a whin dyke running into the sea. Here are some mines which formerly produced copper and fluor spar, but are not now...

Collision in the Gareloch

on Nov 26, 2014

On 8th January 1912 the Lucy Ashton was sailing from Craigendoran to Garelochhead in a snowstorm when she ran into the stern of the Allan liner Siberian which was moored between Rahane and Mambeg. She was travelling at speed when the accident occurred and stove in her bow both above and below the waterline. The vessel was able to make Garelochhead and disembark her passengers. She then returned to the Siberian to see if assistance was required. The skipper was Roderick McDonald who had a reputation for driving the little steamer hard. The Siberian was laid up at the time.  Apparently, the moorings of the Siberian had dragged her anchor in the storm and moved her into the track normally taken by the steamer. Siberian in Service The following account is from a contemporary newspaper: “During the severe snowstorm in the Gareloch on Monday night the North British steamer Lucy Ashton,...

Hornby at Gourock

on Nov 26, 2014

On 23 March 1907 the tug, Hornby, sank off Greenock after a collision with MacBrayne’s Handa.  The Hornby was launched in 1890 from the yard of Samuel McNight & Co. Ltd of Ayr for the Alexandra Towing Co. of Liverpool. At 197 tons and with her engines delivering 80 hp to her two screws, she was a powerful vessel, capable of over ten knots in service.  She had been on the Clyde for some repairs and was returning to Liverpool when the accident occurred. Hornby sunk off Greenock MacBrayne’s Handa at Blackmill Bay The Hornby was beached next to the coastguard station at the end of the Caledonian Pier at Gourock. The photograph below shows two Ross and Marshall puffers, one of them the Mellite, and a diving barge in attendance.  The Hornby was raised and repaired and sold to French owners who used her on the Mediterranean under the name Lutece.  She was replaced by Alexandra...

Comte de Smet de Naeyer

on Nov 20, 2014

The Comte de Smet de Naeyer was a full rigged sailing vessel launched on the 11th of October 1904 by the Greenock and Grangemouth Dockyard Company at their Mid-Cartsdyke Yard in Greenock as a sail training vessel for cadets of the Association Maritime Belge. At 1863 tons, she was 267 feet long and just over 41 feet in breadth with a draught of almost 24 feet. On the 20th of October, when fitting out in James Watt Dock, she capsized. From the Greenock Telegraph As the following sequence of pictures reveals, she was righted and completed for service. Capsized on 20th October 1904 The turbine steamers King Edward and Queen Alexandra can be seen on their winter lay-up in the background. Initial salvage efforts Initial salvage attempts were not successful and she sank completely Here the puffer Mellite helps as a new attempt is made Counter-weights attached and in place and the parbuckling...

The Anchor Line

on Nov 16, 2014

The Anchor line originates from the efforts of the Handyside Brothers and Thomas Henderson who began a steamship service between Glasgow and New York in 1856. In 1872, the had Victoria built from the yard of Robert Duncan & Co. of Port Glasgow for the New York service. She was one of two built for the service that year, the other coming from Messrs Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, named California. They were designed to compete with the new vessels on the Liverpool route and at 360 ft long with accommodation for 170 saloon. 100 second and 700 third-class passengers, were well suited to the trade. Victoria (Annan, Glasgow) Victoria California Handyside retired in 1873 and the Hendersons took over Tod & MacGregor’s shipyard as D & W Henderson and formed a strong association with the Barrow Steam Ship Co., expanding their routes and their interests.  One of the new...