The iron paddle steamer, Thistle, was built for Messrs Laird’s Glasgow & Londonderry Steam Packet Co., by Messrs Robert Napier at Govan in 1848. She was 198½ feet in length by 26¼ feet in breadth with a depth of 16 feet. At her launch on Friday, September 1st, she stuck on the ways but finally entered the water the following day. She was fitted with two watertight bulkheads with her engine amidships. The engine providing 350 hp, was salved from the Rambler built by Messrs Napier for Messrs Laird in 1845, but sunk after a collision on the Mersey the following year.
“Launch of the Thistle Steam Ship. On Friday this fine iron steamer, which was built by Mr. Robt. Napier, at his new building-yard, Govan, was partially launched. This vessel is the property of the Glasgow and Londonderry Steam Packet Co., and is the largest that they have as yet been furnished with. She is 200 feet keel and fore-rake; 27½ feet beam; and 16½ feet depth of hold; and will be propelled by two side-lever engines, of 66 inches diameter of cylinder, by 5½ feet stroke, of the collective power of 350 horses. The Thistle is a most beautiful vessel, having been built upon the same model as that of the far-famed Thetis, which was designed by Mr. Jas. Napier, and is considered perfection by all nautical judges. The Glasgow and Londonderry Steam Company have now five first class steamers of wood and iron, that are considered equal to anything trading along the coast, both for speed and accommodation. This respectable company was established so far back as the year 1815 (and we believe is the oldest steam company in existence,) when they only projected steamers to go the length of Campbelton. Subsequently they extended their trade to Londonderry, and latterly to Sligo, betwixt which latter port and Liverpool they likewise sail steamers. From some trifling obstruction the Thistle did not go entirely off, which caused no small disappointment to hundreds of on-lookers, and at the same time her ponderous bulk blocked up the river-side walk to Govan. On Saturday, however, she went off beautifully, and was towed up to receive her engines.”—Glasgow Herald, September 4, 1848
The Thistle entered service in December, 1848, sailing to Londonderry, Port-Rush, and Sligo in consort with the Shamrock and Aurora, both iron steamers and the wooden St Columb and Rover. Thistle was prone to unfortunate accidents. In 1851, she collided with a brig off Lamlash with fatal consequences.
“Collisions in the Firth of Clyde.—Lamentable loss of life.—On Wednesday forenoon last the steamer Thistle, which had left our port on the preceding afternoon for Londonderry, returned to the Broomielaw for repairs, having, in the interval, been in collision with a vessel off Lamlash. So far as we have gathered the account given by those on board the steamer, the particulars are as follows:—The Thistle, after dropping down the river from Glasgow, left Greenock on Tuesday night about 7 o’clock, with a general cargo, and from 50 to 60 passengers in the steerage, and 5 in the cabin. About 9 o’clock, when the ship passed the Cumbrae light, the weather had become what seamen term very “dirty;” the wind was strong ahead from the S.S.W., there was a heavy sea on, and showers of snow sleet came drifting on at intervals. At this time, Captain M‘Kellar and the second mate were stationed on the platform between the paddles, and one of the seamen was placed on the top of the forecastle, at the bows, on the look-out. The vessel, however, began to pitch so heavily, and ship so much water that this man could no longer keep his position, and the captain removed him to the platform beside himself and the second mate. About ten o’clock, when the ship was off Holy Island, on the coast of Arran—as was supposed, for the night was so dark that the coast could not be seen—the lights of two sailing vessels were seen glimmering a-head. The captain directed the steersman to port his helm, according to the Admiralty regulations, which was immediately done. One of the sailing vessels also ported her helm, as she should have done, and went off quite clear. It would appear, however, that the other had not ported her helm, and in consequence she crossed the bows of the Thistle, when a collision immediately took place by the starboard quarter of the sailing vessel coming in contact with the starboard bow of the Thistle. The confusion and consternation on board were very great, and all that was seen of the other craft was that she was a square-rigged two-masted vessel, and as she had all her sails set, she was swept rapidly past before the gale. Some of the men on board the Thistle heard the sound of voices in alarm from the brig but from the noise of wind and sea nothing could be distinctly made out. The captain, mate, and carpenter, immediately proceeded to the fore-castle and fore-hold, and found that the Thistle had received serious damage a little way above the water line. The angle iron frames were broken above the lower deck, and about eight feet of the iron plates were smashed off. From the swell of the sea the water now and then poured in by this opening, and the situation of the steamer became perilous. They got the rent jammed up, however, with pillow cases and cotton waste, and this was “shored up” in a temporary way with planks, which had the effect of keeping out the sea. When this was done, the steamer put about, and returned slowly on her former tract, keeping a good look out for the vessel with which she had been in contact, with the desire of rendering her assistance if she should need it. She did not fall in with her, however, and the Thistle came on to Glasgow, as already stated—Capt. M‘Kellar indulging the hope that the vessel might have taken refuge in Lamlash, or some other friendly port.
“Such was the state of our information till yesterday morning, when tidings arrived, which leaves scarcely any room to doubt, that the vessel with which the Thistle was in collision was the brig Laurel, and that she has gone down, and all on board have perished. In the course of Wednesday and yesterday various pieces of wreck were observed floating about the frith, and several of them have been brought in to Millport and Largs. Amongst others, several feet of the stern of the brig have been recovered, apparently that portion which had been cut from the forepart by the collision with the steamer. The captain’s desk has also floated ashore, with the most of the papers uninjured; and several books issued by the “Seamens’s Friendly Society” have been recovered, which it was known the Laurel had on board. Johnstone, the steward’s, chest was cast ashore at Largs, the very spot where the poor man’s wife resided. The cabin mahogany door has also been recovered. From the character of the injuries, as exhibited by the stern portion of the wreck, there is scarcely any doubt that the brig would go down almost instantaneously, and it would be vain to cherish the hope that the crew would have time to launch the boat, and seek safety therein. Had this been the case, they must have been heard of along the coast before this time. We have also learned, although we do not vouch for the fact, that a pillow, or some bedding, marked with blood, had been cast ashore. If this be the case, it is possible that some of those on board may have been crushed, or killed by the collision, as they lay in bed. The Laurel was commanded by Capt. Livingston; and his brother, we are informed, officiated as mate. The number of the crew, including officers, is estimated at from fourteen to sixteen, with one passenger; but the real facts on this head will not be known till the arrival of the West India Mail. She was built in Greenock in 1827, was 272 tons register, and was homeward bound from Demerara, with a cargo of sugar, molasses, and a few bales of cotton. The value of vessel and cargo is estimated at from £7000 to £8000, the most of which is insured in Glasgow. We have not yet heard of any of the bodies having been cast on shore. Such are the main facts that are ever likely to be known regarding this lamentable catastrophe.”—Glasgow Herald, February 7, 1851
Perhaps the most serious incident was one in which her builders found some comfort.
“The Thistle steamer ashore.—We regret to learn that the Thistle steamer, which sailed from the Broomielaw on Saturday afternoon at one o’clock, and from Greenock a little after four, for Londonderry, ran ashore about twelve o’clock, same night, between Sheep Island and the mainland, abreast of Ballintoy, and nearly opposite to Rathlin Island. Alter passing the Island of Arran it became foggy, which occasionally cleared off for a few minutes, but again fell in lumps, very dense. In a letter to the underwriters a here, from Capt. Dalzell, their agent, who was on board as a passenger, Capt. M‘Kellar’s conduct is stated to have been beyond all praise, after the vessel struck, from the coolness and judgement which he displayed. During the fog and its occasional clearing away the engines were kept going slow, and on making the lrish land it was so clear that the land was easily observed. The vessel was then being steered the usual course taken by every steamer, between Rathlin Island and the mainland, when, as above stated, about twelve o’clock—the engines having been going slow for some time—breakers were seen a-head. The vessel was instantly stopped and backed astern; but the strong tides at this particular spot running about seven miles an hour, forced the vessel on the rocks. At this juncture, as a matter of course, the passengers were much alarmed, but being assured by Captain Dalzell and Captain M‘Kellar that there was no immediate danger, and having plenty of boats, they became satisfied, and were landed with the greatest possible facility and order by the ship’s own boats on the mainland. Not the slightest accident occurred to any of them; and to the credit of the cabin passengers, both ladies and gentlemen, they behaved with the greatest coolness—not one of them left the steamer until nearly all of the deck passengers were landed. We understand that in order to lighten the vessel all the deck cargo of iron, &c., and the ship’s coals, were thrown overboard, and also as much of the heavy cargo in the hold as could be got at for the water. To show the great importance of strong water-tight bulkheads (which happened to be in this vessel), from the grinding upon the rocks, the whole of the compartments in the forepart and afterpart of the ship, including the cabins, were full of water. In this instance it happened that the two water-tight bulkheads of the engine-room were so strong as to be able to resist the enormous pressure of water from each end of the ship. But for this the vessel must have inevitably sunk. To the astonishment of every one this one compartment floated the Thistle over to Greenock in the state we have mentioned—the water over the upper deck forward. We hope that iron ship-builders will now see the vast importance of making their water-tight bulkheads sufficiently strong, as but for this, in the case of the Thistle, she never would have been brought back to Greenock, and many lives and much valuable property might have been lost.”—Glasgow Herald, March 12, 1852
Thistle, as she appeared at Greenock with two of her three watertight compartments flooded
The Thistle has appeared already in these pages, in an article on Excursions, where a day trip by the workers in Dalmonach works in the Vale of Leven recorded a fatality.
Reboilering in 1857 gave the Thistle a new lease on life. She continued on the Londonderry and Sligo trade for Messrs Laird.
“Collision in the Frith.—Tug steamer sunk.—A collision, fortunately unattended with any harm to life or limb, although inferring loss of property, took place yesterday morning in the channel. According to our information, about 12.15 a.m., while the steamer Thistle was on her inward passage from Londonderry, and the tug steamer Duke of Northumberland, belonging to the Clyde Shipping Company, was outward bound, they came into contact off the Large Cumbrae, at a point somewhat nearer the land than mid channel. The tug struck the Thistle on the port-bow, but fortunately considerably above the level of the water, and, about five minutes after the collision, the tug herself sank in twenty-five fathoms water. After surveying her own damage, which was trifling, the Thistle put about and sailed round the spot where the lights of the Duke were last visible; but nothing was seen of her or of her crew, regarding whose safety much anxiety was felt. We are delighted to learn, however, that the latter managed to get into their own boat before the tug went down, and after pulling ashore made their way safely to Millport. We are not yet in a position to explain the circumstances which have led to this unfortunate occurrence; but doubtless these will soon be elicited by a judicial inquiry. We may add that the Thistle’s people state that they saw the lights of the Duke for a quarter of an hour, and ported their helm according to the regulations; but this did not prevent the collision.”—Glasgow Herald, May 19, 1858
Both owners were found equally at fault for the loss of the tug, valued at £2,100.
“Overcrowding of the Thistle steamer.—At the Justice of Peace Court, on Monday, in presence of Joseph A. Wright and David Smith, Esqs., Jas. Turnbull, master of the steamer Thistle, was charged with a contravention of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, particularly section 319, in so far as on the 9th and 10th days of August, the steamship Thistle, under his charge, had on board, during the whole or part of her voyage from Londonderry to Glasgow, and on arrival in the Clyde, 1700 passengers, being 1174 more than the number allowed to be carried in said ship by the sea-going certificate issued by the Board of ‘Trade, applicable to said ship, of date 4th August, 1855—namely, 468 deck and 58 cabin passengers. The defender had there-by incurred a penalty not exceeding £20, and also an additional penalty, not exceeding 5s. for every passenger on board over and above the number allowed by the certificate, or double the highest fare for each.”—Glasgow Herald, September 15, 1858
Evidence given related that the authorities were attracted to the vessel by the extraordinary number of passengers on deck. These were mainly Irish reapers for the harvest and included some women. The passengers seemed to stand closely packed together. At the Broomielaw, the steamer did not get close to the quay, and a large gangway was used to land her passengers with a count by the authorities of 1760 coming ashore. The boats of the Thistle would carry just 400 people and it was fortunate that the crossing was on a calm night. At Londonderry, the ticket office had been closed well before the time of departure of the steamer. Roughly 300 deck passengers with tickets were on board before the second bell. At that point, the boat was stormed by the large numbers with no tickets attempting to get on board both at the gangways and on the opposite side of the steamer, overpowering the police and the attempts of the crew to prevent overloading. Fortunately, the crossing was calm. The unfortunate Captain Turnbull, who had no pecuniary interest in carrying more than the passenger limit was fined £68, 14s. The Herald ran a leader on September 15th pointing out the anomaly between the treatment of the Thistle where the Irish reapers had taken control of the situation, and the frequently overcrowded river steamers where no action was taken.
“The Thistle steamer ashore.—We regret to learn that the steamer Thistle, Captain Turnbull, went ashore on Thursday evening upon Raghly Point, near Sligo, and lies in a very critical position. She sailed from Glasgow on the preceding afternoon, with a light cargo. Particulars as to the cause of the accident have not yet reached us; but it is right to state that though Captain Turnbull has been for twenty-nine years an officer in the service of the company, this is the first misfortune that has happened to any vessel under his charge. No lives were lost.”—Glasgow Herald, December 13, 1858
This marked the Thistle’s demise. She was broken up and a new steamer of the same name was ordered by the Company the following year.
C.L.D. Duckworth and G.E. Langmuir, Clyde and Other Coastal Steamers, T. Stephenson & Sons Ltd., Prescott, 1977.
J.R. Napier, Illustrations of the Utility of Water-tight Compartments in Iron Vessels, Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Glasgow, Vol. III, Richard Griffin, Glasgow, 1855.