When a Greenock merchant, James Hunter, acquired the Hafton estate from its original Campbell owners in 1816 he extended the existing Hafton House and began to develop feuing in the area. One of the early arrivals was James Ewing, then Lord Provost of Glasgow, who built the Castle House in Dunoon 1822. It was such gentlemen and their families that attracted the early steamboat traffic to the area. As in other coastal communities, feuing was encouraged by the provision of a pier and James Hunter provided one of the first on the Cowal shore in 1828. Hunter’s Quay was a stone built quay with a wooden extension where the steamboats could dock.
Isle of Bute approaching Hunter’s Quay in 1841
The building of villas along the south shore of the Holy Loch and the Cowal shore of the Firth followed quickly afterwards. The location of the pier at Hunter’s Quay was protected from the worst of the southwesterly gales but the rocky shore failed to entice those attracted to sea-bathing and developed towards the more genteel ends of water pursuits as a centre for sailing.
Kilmun and Holy Loch from Hunter’s Quay around 1860 (Banks & Co)
The most prominent hotel, the Marine Hotel, was built in 1856 and the pier was improved in 1858 to provide better access to steamboats. It was about this time that Captain Campbell consolidated the Holy Loch service from Glasgow. However, steamboat traffic was always light in the middle part of the century.
Glasgow Herald, March 12, 1858
The description of the village from Colegate’s Guide of 1868:—
“Hunter’s Quay. Good Pier, at which only a few of the Steamers (including the Chancellor) touch. The Ionaand larger river steamers do not call here. Pier-master, Mr. Brown. Charge, One Penny. Distance from Dunoon, 2 miles. Pillar letter-box at Pier. Ferry to Strone.
“The cluster of villas which passes under the name of Hunter’s Quay is situated at the mouth of the Holy Loch, directly opposite Strone. As at other parts of Dunoon, they are terrace-like built, some along the shore, and others on the higher ground, most of them enjoying beautiful views of the Holy Loch, the mouth of Loch Long, and the Frith as far up as Dumbarton Castle. The principal villas at Hunter’s Quay are Claverhouse(Mr. Miller), Linnwood(Mr. Somerville), Rockhill(Capt. Littlejohn), Whinhill(Mrs. Ross), Woodside(Mr. Bell), Craigend(Mr. Bryson), &c., &c. The great beauty of Hunter’s Quay is its vicinity to the Holy Loch, the scenery of which affords a never failing charm.”
Hunter’s Quay Pier in a storm around 1875 (Chalmers)
Hafton House, Hunter’s Quay
The arrival of the clubhouse of the Royal Clyde Yacht Club in 1872 coincided with the renaming of the hotel as the Royal Marine Hotel. The Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1888 but was rebuilt to its present pleasing state.
Royal Marine Hotel in 1891 (Valentine)
It was the coming of the railway-owned steamers, competing for the Holy Loch traffic, that brought an abundance of calls to Hunter’s Quay and popularized the village. Direct connections with steamers on the Rothesay and Ardrishaig routes, however, remained on a limited basis.
Galatea at the pier
A Caley Marchioness on the Holy Loch roster
Dandie Dinmont at Hunter’s Quay around 1910 (Stengel)
Minerva leaving Hunter’s Quay around 1910 (Stengel)
The pier remained open during and after both world wars and provided an important connection when the Clyde boom was in operation. In the inter-war years, the Holy Loch was served by a number of steamers until the railway reorganization in 1923.
Duchess of Rothesay at the pier
Hunter’s Quay in 1922 (Judges)
Glen Rosa at Hunter’s Quay around 1920
Duchess of Rothesay at Hunter’s Quay around 1925 (Tuck)
Caledonia became the regular Holy Loch Steamer for the L.M.S. in the early 1920s.
Caledonia crossing to Strone in the 1920s
Marchioness of Lorne replaced the Caledonia in 1934. The L.N.E.R. used a variety of vessels for their service.
Marchioness of Lorne leaving Hunter’s Quay in the 1930s
Royal Clyde Yacht Club jetty
Yachting off Hunter’s Quay
Glen Towers
High road Hunter’s Quay in 1933 (Valentine)
The pier in 1933 (Valentine)
Kenilworth at Hunter’s Quay in 1933 (Valentine)
The pier was slated for closure in 1951 but remained open until 1964.
Jupiter at Hunter’s Quay in 1949 (Valentine)
Marchioness of Lorne at Hunter’s Quay in 1949 (Valentine)
Holy Loch in 1953 (Valentine)
Countess of Breadalbane on the Holy Loch run in 1959 (Judges)
Caledonia at Hunter’s Quay
In 1969, the pier was purchased by “Dunoon Nominees Ltd.” a front company for Western Ferries who set up their service in June 1973, and continue to sail on their successful ferry service to McInroy’s Point year round.
Western Ferries Olandsund IV, shortly to become Sound of Shuna in 1972
McCrorie, Ian; Monteith, Joy. “Clyde Piers,” Inverclyde District Libraries, Greenock, 1982
September 9, 2018
Had many happy holidays at Hunter’s Quay in the mid 1950s to early 60’s – & spent a lot of time fishing off the pier. At that time Mr Peel was the pier master, his brother Davie was the professional at the Cowal Golf Course & sister Minnie Peel was the postmistress by the pier!
September 10, 2018
Donald: I’m glad the article stimulated some happy memories. I really enjoy comments like yours. This project started off as an attempt to catalog a collection that had got out of hand and I’m afraid it has mushroomed. Graham
January 3, 2019
Like Donald Warden I too fished off the pier in the sixties.
My Aunt and Uncle owned the house close by called ‘ Dunira ‘ as a holiday home.
He was Fred Green of the Green’s Playhouse in Glasgow.
Their ‘ portfolio ‘ of cinemas in Scotland included the cinema in Dunoon.
August 29, 2020
Peels at HQ Indeed!
My Grandfather was the Golf Pro you mention and my late father’s uncle was the Pier Master’
Changed days 😦
LAP 64
What about Ardnadem Point? Anything? Waddells etc?
July 31, 2020
Thankyou for such a wonderful high quality project.
I lived in Hunter’s Quay for the first 18 years of my life. (I’m now 63 and living in Tasmania)
My then family home ‘Hafton Heath’ is shown in the Valentine’s postcard above (at right)
My grandfather J Herbert Thom lived next door to where the photo was taken – ‘Beechwood’, Eccles Road.
His racing ‘Island Class’ yacht is also in the postcard.
November 9, 2020
My wife before we were married stayed at the Hunters Quay hotel along with her family in 1963. She remembers being told that there was a Norwegian connection with either king Olaf or Haakon. Can you tell me if this is true.
November 9, 2020
All our childhood holidays were spent in Hunters Quay with my maternal gran and along the shore to Kirn to my paternal gran. Come rain or shine we were down on the front, playing on the Royal Marine jetty, swimming out to the raft, skimming stones or crabbing in the rock pools. At Kirn there was the outdoor sea pool and the sandpit to entertain us, until the big indoor pool was built at Dunoon. At West Bay there was the boating lake, and rowing boats for hire, and back to Dunoon there was crazy golf and Morag’s Fairy Glen. We were never bored! Ice Creams were italian and delicious, Drovandi’s springs to mind. There was Black’s Bakers and various others in town where my gran would take us for tea and cake. We took the bus with gran or walked by ourselves. Dad was always working so we would arrive by train and ferry or sometimes my grandpa would drive us up from the South of England.