This the third in a series of essays on the Largs steamer route; the first two cover the early days, and the rise of the M‘Kellar family to prominence. This essay covers the early 1850s, a relatively brief time period, but an important one, bridging the transition in leadership from Captain Duncan M‘Kellar to his son Alexander. In 1846, the Largs and Millport Union Steam Boat Company was formed from two rival companies, one headed by Captain Duncan M‘Kellar with the steamers Invincible and Mars, and the other that had been headed by Captain William Young with the steamers Lady Kelburne and Lady Brisbane. The amalgamation was facilitated by the retirement of Captain Young from the business in 1845, and the uninsured loss of his steamer the Countess of Eglinton that year. The four steamers were under the management of Mr Langlands, with Mr Thomas Seath as company clerk. Sailing both...

When the Glasgow & South-Western Railway received Parliamentary approval to own a fleet of steamers in the summer of 1891, one of the steamers it purchased was the Chancellor, thereby gaining goodwill and access to the Loch Lomond tour. Chancellor had been built at Dumbarton in 1880 for the Lochlomond & Lochlong Steamboat Co., to provide the Clyde portion of the Loch Lomond tour. In 1885, she had passed to the Lochgoil & Lochlong Co., and thence to the G. & S.-W. Railway. Chancellor was equipped with deck saloons, and served the railway company well for a decade, but she was out of date in the efficiency, speed, and passenger comforts expected for a tourist steamer in the new century. She was sold to Spanish owners in 1901, and the G. & S.-W. Railway solicited tenders for a steamer, capable of 16 knots and dimensions roughly those of the year-round boats Minerva and...

The Dalmadan website has been ongoing for 10 years now, a fact that amazes me. I have managed to post at least once a month over that time, and admit that some of the material would have fared better with more time and better editing and I hope to do better in future. I have greatly enjoyed the input from comments, pointing to errors, adding to the subject matter, and suggesting new areas for research. I plan to continue writing about the Clyde and its ships and resorts, mainly in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but I also want to contribute a few more articles on the Vale of Leven. I was born and brought up in the Vale of Leven in the 1950s and 60s, a time when the towns and villages had changed very little for half a century. It was a privilege to be able to talk to older generations who could embellish the history of familiar buildings and places. It was a simple matter to relate...

This is the third article on Rothesay and deals with the west end of the town, Argyll Place, and Ardbeg. An early view of the west end of the town in the 1870s. The rocky area in the foreground was the location of the Gallows Rock. The esplanade is in the course of construction along the west side of the bay towards Ardbeg Another view of the west side of the bay during the construction of the esplanade Ardbeg from Chapel Hill The previous shot was likely taken from around the old Rothesay Academy building that dominates the sky-line The west end of Rothesay Bay also had its boat hirers Boat Hirers The sandy shore on the corner of the bay was a safe place for children to enjoy the water Children’s corner looking to the pier Children’s corner around 1910. In the background, just before Skeoch Woods there was a Floating Waterchute that attracted some attention The Floating...

This is the second article on Rothesay and takes the visitor along the front of the town. The Harbour from the Albert Memorial Fountain. The Fountain was removed in 1947 to facilitate motor traffic Along the front, Victoria Street is the location of many shops, restaurants, banks, and most of the important Hotels. The Royal Hotel from Albert Place The Royal Hotel A view of Victoria Street from Duncan’s Building Cabs awaiting hire in Albert Place Guildford Square on Victoria Street was the main point where one could catch a brake to Kilchattan Bay to the east or, after the trams were introduced in 1882, a tram to Port Bannatyne and Ettrick Bay. It is bounded by the Watergate and the High Street. A horse tram nearing the end of the line at Guildford Square in 1894. The Kilchattan Bay brake is next to the ornate drinking fountain Guildford Square looking west in 1894. The Hotel on the...

The next few articles will focus on the Town of Rothesay itself, mainly on the half-century surrounding World War 1 when the resort was at the peak of popularity, although there will be some later views. This first part is an album of views of the eastern part of the town. The next will cover the front, and the third part, the western shore to Ardbeg. Rothesay around 1865 (Annan) Rothesay around 1930 (Adamson) A good place to start is the Albert Memorial Fountain on the front, at the bottom of Bishop Street. It was erected by public subscription in 1863 after the death of the Prince Consort two years earlier. Opening of the Albert Memorial Fountain Looking north from Albert Place around 1894, the impressive Duncan’s Halls, erected in 1876, provided a public space for meetings and functions. The building also sported the entrance to the Palace Theater that was located to the rear. The...