Dalmadan is the name of my publishing press. This site will be used to present essays and show material from my collection of books, prints and photographs of the West of Scotland, and particularly the River and Firth of Clyde. Subject matter will range from steamships to yachts and the different resorts and towns around the Clyde. There will also be occasional entries about the Vale of Leven and the Loch Lomond area.
Dalmadan is a non-commercial educational site. It is also advertisement free.
Unless otherwise indicated, all of the images are from my personal collection of contemporary photographs and these are assumed to be in the public domain. If I have got this wrong and you hold copyright on any of these images please let me know. I will remove them immediately upon request. Some of the images appear elsewhere and are credited to the “Graham Lappin Collection.” It is appropriate to cite this Collection or Dalmadan as the source.
Most of the text used is original and I have attempted to credit sources where appropriate but I may have omitted some credits. In citing data on ships, I have used the Clydebuilt and Clydeships data bases and greatly appreciate the work that has gone into their creation, particularly the work of Stuart Cameron. Over the years I have had many conversations that have added greatly to my understanding of the material I write about. Conversations with John Newth, Bruce Allan, and Ian Buxton have been particularly insightful. Please let me know if I have inadvertently used any copyrighted text or failed to properly credit any source.
The British Newspaper Archive and other contemporary newspaper sources have proved invaluable for research.
Many of the articles have a focus on the steamships that sailed to the Clyde resorts, mainly in summer but also in winter, providing essential services and pleasure trips to residents and holiday makers alike. For those who enjoy these articles, a visit to the Clyde River Steamer Club website is encouraged. The experts in the Club have been able to answer many questions that I have had and I would like to acknowledge them here.
One criticism I have had has been the lack of an index and so I will list here all the articles that have been published so far. The articles are not static, I do update them as I find new material in my collection. Some accounts cover specific time periods and later accounts will cover the next decades in the history.
Clyde River Piers April 1, 2024
Puffers and the Crinan Canal March 1, 2024
Coals to Cowal February 1, 2024
Old Largs January 4, 2024
Dr James Stevenson December 1, 2023
Early days at Largs November 1, 2023
Graham Brymner October 1, 2023
Gossip about river steamers September 3, 2023
The Irish Boats August 22, 2023
Loch Lomond Steamers in the 20th Century July 3, 2023
Loch Lomond Steamboats in Mid-Victorian Years June 1, 2023
To Inveraray by the Loch Eck Route May 1, 2023
Wartime on the Cameron Estate April 5, 2023
Marchioness of Lorne of 1891 March 2, 2023
Fairlie Pier February 6, 2023
A brush with Samuel Walters January 4, 2023
Corrie Ferry December 21, 2022
Port Bannatyne November 17, 2022
Our River Steamers—1887 November 5, 2022
Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article VIII November 3, 2022
Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article VII November 1, 2022
Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article VI October 30, 2022
Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article V October 27, 2022
Steamboat Traffic in the Clyde—Article IV October 24, 2022
Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article III October 21, 2022
Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article II October 18, 2022
An Early History—Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde—Article I October 14, 2022
Sailing on Loch Katrine September 25, 2022
Three turbine steamers August 18, 2022
A few days on Bute August 9, 2022
Lochlomond Steamboat Company—Early Years July 19. 2022
Walter M‘Gregor—an Inversnaid boatman July 1, 2022
Irvine Harbour June 11, 2022
The Unfortunate Thistle May 21, 2022
Lost in fog May 13, 2022
Puffers on the Forth and Clyde Canal May 1, 2022
Bowling April 1, 2022
Captain William Buchanan’s Eagle March 10, 2022
Nationalization February 8, 2022
Navigating the Leven to Loch Lomond January 21, 2022
Bridging the Leven January 17, 2022
A Mersey Interlude January 4, 2022
Livestock December 2, 2021
Some Clyde Cargo Steamers November 14, 2021
Steam Yachts on the Clyde October 8, 2021
Gipsy Queen September 14, 2021
Excursions from Ayr August 14, 2021
Early Loch Lomond Steam-boats July 22, 2021
Gourock Railway Pier June 18, 2021
Mambeg Pier June 4, 2021
Garelochhead Pier June 3, 2021
Shandon Pier May 24, 2021
William M’Kim — Renton Photographer May 14, 2021
Loch Lomond Frozen—1895 April 22, 2021
The Port of Ayr April 12, 2021
Early Gareloch Steamers—Part 2 April 2, 2021
Rhu or is it Row? March 24, 2021
Early Gareloch Steamers February 17, 2021
Innen’s Quay—a note on Tigh-na-bruaich January 16, 2021
Roseneath and Kilcreggan December 24, 2020
The Greenock and Helensburgh Steamboat Company
November 26, 2020
Dumbarton’s Castle Pier October 12, 2020
Clynder Pier September 14, 2020
A trip to Lochgoilhead August 10, 2020
Arrochar Pier August 1, 2020
Lochinvar July 15, 2020
To Arrochar before the pier July 6, 2020
MacBrayne’s Lochearn and Lochmor June 26, 2020
Portincaple May 26, 2020
Lochgoilhead Pier May 18, 2020
The Daphne Catastrophe May 17, 2020
Douglas Pier on Loch Goil May 2, 2020
Sailing coasters on the Clyde April 28, 2020
“Sunday-breakers”—The final demise April 22,2020
“Sunday-breakers”—Duncan Dewar April 20, 2020
“Sunday-breakers”—Rise of the Dunoon Castle April 19, 2020
“Sunday-breakers”—Demise of the Petrel April 17, 2020
“Sunday-breakers”—Demise of the Cardiff Castle April 17, 2020
Carrick Castle Pier March 19, 2020
Messrs Hutcheson’s Clansman of 1855 March 10, 2020
Ardentinny and Coulport February 29, 2020
Messrs Hutcheson’s Chevalier February 12, 2020
The Great Canal January 10, 2020
Queen of Loch Earn January 5, 2020
Some Puffer Tales December 5, 2019
Blairmore Pier November 16, 2019
A wreck at Tiree November 2, 2019
Strone Pier October 20, 2019
Edgar Battersby’s trip to Rothesay September 25, 2019
Kilmun Pier September 15, 2019
David Napier on the Clyde September 10, 2019
The twins of 1937 August 1, 2019
Caledonia and Mercury of 1934 July 23, 2019
Duchess of Hamilton (1932 ) June 11, 2019
Ardnadam Pier June 6, 2019
David Napier and the Belfast Trade May 28, 2019
Collision off Greenock May 2, 2019
Glenfinart April 26, 2019
Laverock April 1, 2019
Duchess of Montrose (1930) March 16, 2019
MacBrayne’s Comet February 21, 2019
Mr MacBrayne’s Gael February 15, 2019
The Upper Navigation January 24, 2019
All the way to Stornoway January 22, 2019
Marchioness of Breadalbane December 31, 2018
Caledonian Postcards December 29, 2018
Marchioness of Bute on Clyde and Tay December 2, 2018
L.M.S. Steamers Duchess of Rothesay and Duchess of Fife November 12, 2018
The latter days of Duchess of Argyll October 13, 2018
Toward Pier September 28, 2018
Hunter’s Quay September 8, 2018
Pointing Porters of Rothesay August 18, 2018
Innellan Pier August 13, 2018
Ossian on Loch Etive August 10, 2018
Round Ardlamont July 29, 2018
Kirn July 1, 2018
Dunoon June 16, 2018
Southwestern steamers in L.M.S. days May 13, 2018
Lochfyne May 8, 2018
Pirnmill and the west of Arran April 29, 2018
Erskine Ferry April 25, 2018
Hoppers March 27, 2018
Skipness March 25, 2018
Latter Days of Clanranald II on Loch Shiel March 7, 2018
Carradale Pier February 14, 2018
The wreck of the Tynwald January 26, 2018
Herald and Gael January 25, 2018
Colintraive January 20, 2018
Ormidale December 20, 2017
Tigh-na-bruaich December 16, 2017
Kames December 9, 2017
Auchenlochan December 2, 2017
The Storm of November 26, 1912 November 24, 2017
Ardrossan Harbour October 23, 2017
Cove Pier October 11, 2017
Glen Sannox of 1925 September 16, 2017
Canadian Pacific Steamships on the Clyde September 4, 2017
Yachts August 24, 2017
Glasgow Docks August 5, 2017
Renfrew Ferry July 10, 2017
Rothesay Dock July 4, 2017
The latter years of Iona June 13, 2017
MacBrayne’s Fusilier June 11, 2017
MacBrayne’s Grenadier June 9 2017
The latter years of Columba June 7 2017
Saint Columba May 27 2017
Southbank Grouping and Tartan Lums May 21 2017
Neil Snodgrass’ Cigar May 14 2017
Craigendoran Steamers between the Wars April 27 2017
Turbine Steamers Ltd. 1919-1935 April 4 2017
Williamson-Buchanan Steamers March 27 2017
Aerial Views of the Clyde March 4 2017
Greenock Harbours February 28 2017
Cleaning the Clyde February 11 2017
Loch Awe February 3 2017
Firth of Clyde Steam Packet Co., Ltd. January 15 2017
John Williamson’s Up-river Revival January 15 2017
Steamers on Loch Tay January 8 2017
A New Lord of the Isles—1891 December 28 2016
To Dark Lochgoil December 22 2016
Cruising on Scotland’s Lake November 28 2016
Captain Williamson and the Turbine Syndicate November 25 2016
Robert Salmon at the Broomielaw October 31 2016
Clyde Industrial Training-Ship Empress October 19 2016
Campbeltown Steamboat Company October 16 2016
The Steamers of John M‘Callum and Martin Orme September 30 2016
Caledonian and Southwestern Advances August 28 2016
Marchioness of Graham July 4 2016
Up and Down Harbour Steamers June 22 2016
Macbraynes on the Caledonian Canal June 10 2016
Culzean Castle May 28 2016
Williamson’s Glasgow, Rothesay and Kyles of Bute Steamers
May 25 2016
Glasgow & Southwestern Railway Steamers May 15 2016
Caledonian Steam Packet Co., Ltd. May 7 2016
Early Clyde Steamers V April 29 2016
Marchioness of Lorne 1935 April 20 2016
Down the Water and Weekly Chit-Chat April 13 2016
Sunday Steamers at Dunoon March 31 2016
Malwa—Messrs Caird & Co., 1908 March 11 2016
City of Paris—Messrs Barclay, Curle & Co. 1907 March 10 2016
The Sinking of the Comet March 6 2016
North British Steamers February 28 2016
Early Clyde Steamers IV February 14 2016
Sailing to Islay February 13 2016
Macbrayne’s Second Mountaineer February 6 2016
Queen Elizabeth January 20 2016
Wemyss Bay January 15 2016
Buchanan Steamers January 3 2016
Early Arran Steamers December 30 2015
Queen Mary—534 December 26 2015
Campbell and Kilmun November 29 2015
Two Birds: Merlin and Plover November 15 2015
Kronprinzessin Cecile October 23 2015
The Turkish Fleet October 23 2015
Kilmun—David Napier on the Severn…and Briefly on the Clyde
October 21 2015
Helensburgh Quay October 21 2015
To Rothesay October 4 2015
Girvan to Ailsa Craig September 5 2015
Railway Connections and Racing August 23 2015
Captain Alexander William Cameron August 8 2015
More Sunday Steamers August 3 2015
The Battle of Garelochhead August 2 2015
The Sunday Steamer August 2 2015
William Sloan & Co., Ltd. July 25 2015
The Princess Alice Disaster July 7 2015
Smaller Craft Around the Resorts July 5 2015
William Findlay Johnstone July 1 2015
Sailing Out of Oban with Pioneer and Mountaineer June 10 2015
Linnet June 5 2015
Chevalier 1866 June 3 2015
Iona 1864 May 31 2015
The Royal Route May 28 2015
Toward Castle Murder May 26 2015
Kingston Dock May 23 2015
Early Clyde Steamboats III May 14 2015
Early Clyde Steamboats II April 27 2015
Early Clyde Steamboats I April 26 2015
Victoria on the Clyde—1847 April 19 2015
The Allan Line April 6 2015
The Teetotal Steamer—Ivanhoe April 5 2015
Killarney—Langlands Cruises March 28 2015
The Loss of the Janet McNicol March 22 2015
Lord of the Isles—1877 March 15 2015
Millport February 28 2015
Columba February 27 2015
Clyde Steamers in World War 1 February 14 2015
Alliance February 9 2015
Excursions January 20 2015
Motor Yachts on the Clyde January 20 2015
Caledonia on the Holy Loch Run January 6 2015
The Siege of Millport January 6 2015
One Man’s Vision of Dunoon—EdwardMcGeachie December 28 2014
Paisley Steamers December 24 2014
Laing’s Dunoon—1868 December 13 2014
Daniel Adamson December 11 2014
Dumbarton Steamboats December 9 2014
James Gallacher December 8 2014
Old Gourock November 28 2014
Collision on the Gareloch November 26 2014
Hornby at Gourock November 26 2014
Thomas Bollen Seath November 25 2014
Comte de Smet de Naeyer November 20 2014
The Anchor Line November 16 2014
Metagama: Liner and Cargo Steamer in Collision November 11 2014
Fly Boats November 10 2014
Clyde River and Firth October 27, 2014