A brush with Samuel Walters

on Jan 4, 2023

I recently had occasion to re-examine some of the cartes-de-visite that I accumulated over the years by the renowned marine artist Samuel Walters. He was very active in the middle of the nineteenth century. Most of his work is focused on the Mersey, and I had not paid much attention to the subject matter, but I decided to do a little more research as I have to hand the biography, “Samuel Walters—Marine Artist,” by A. S. Davidson, published by Jones-Sands, Coventry, in 1992. I will return to the reasons for my renewed interest towards the end of the article, but will begin with an incident that I knew little about. One of the cdvs features a painting of the barque, Lotty Sleight that exploded in the Mersey on January 15, 1864. The explosion created a sensation on Merseyside and a quick reference to Samuel Walter’s biography, reveals that the photograph of the painting was registered...

Canadian Pacific Steamships on the Clyde

on Sep 4, 2017

The ships of the Canadian Pacific Line were well known on the Clyde, transporting Scots to and from Canada. The company also had deeper ties, coming to the shipyards on the river for many of the fine vessels for their Atlantic and Pacific routes as well as those for coastal and lake services. What follows in this article is a brief photographic record of many of the fine ships both on the Clyde and at other locations. It is by no means comprehensive in its coverage of Company. The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in 1886. In 1891, the Pacific Mail contract was awarded to the Canadian Pacific Railway and they had three liners built by Vickers Naval Construction and Armament Co., at Barrow for the service from Vancouver to Japan, China and Hong Kong. The first of the three vessels was named Empress of Japan and she was followed by her sisters the Empress of China and the Empress of...

John Williamson’s Up-river Revival

on Jan 15, 2017

In 1900, the Glasgow, Rothesay, and Kyles of Bute Steamers of John Williamson provided a summer service to Campbeltown in connection with the Glasgow and Southwestern Railway Co. with their newer vessel, Strathmore, and maintained the year-round Rothesay and Kyles of Bute connection with their veteran, Benmore. The introduction of the turbine steamer, King Edward, the following year, relieved Strathmore except at the very beginning and end of the season, and allowed Williamson to develop the Rothesay trade. This article covers the development of this trade in the years leading up to the first world war. Strathmore leaving Rothesay Strathmore leaving Princes Pier Strathmore passing Scotstoun Benmore passing Scotstoun on her way down river (Robertson, Glasgow) Glasgow Herald, June 20, 1901 Strathmore passing the cruiser Cumberland at Govan Strathmore waiting for her afternoon departure...

Captain Williamson and the Turbine Syndicate

on Nov 25, 2016

When the experimental turbine-powered steamship Turbinia created a sensation when she sped between the lines of warships at the Spithead Naval Review in June 1897. As a means of propulsion, the turbine had arrived and the initial commercialization fell to a syndicate composed of the Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company of Wallasey-on-Tyne, who supplied the turbines, William Denny and Brothers, who built the hull and boilers and finished the ship, and Captain John Williamson who had a need for a speedy craft for the service he provided to the distant Campbeltown in connection with the Glasgow and Southwestern Railway. King Edward on trials (Adamson) King Edward Dining Room (Turbine Steamers) King Edward Social Hall Lounge (Turbine Steamers) The King Edward was launched at Dumbarton on May 16, 1901, by Mrs, Parsons, wife of Hon. Charles A. Parsons. She was 250 ft long and 30 ft in...

Campbeltown Steamboat Company

on Oct 16, 2016

The Campbeltown and Glasgow Steam Packet Joint Stock Coy. Ltd., had a long history, stretching back to 1826. Rather than writing a separate account, I have chosen to use the company history that was published for the centenary in 1927 and illustrate it with some of the original illustrations augmented with some photographic material of my own. The Campbeltown route by the west coast of Arran has a special place in my family’s history. My mother was brought up in Tangy, just north of Campbeltown, and later removed to High Dougarie farm on the west coast of Arran. The family travelled often on the Campbeltown steamers. The steamers were particularly handsome with their well recognized funnel-coloring: black-red-black. With black hulls and pink water-line, they presented an attractive picture, particularly the yacht like Kintyre and Kinloch. Funnel colors and houseflag The period...

The Steamers of John M‘Callum and Martin Orme

on Sep 30, 2016

For many years, sailings from Glasgow to the West Highland and Islands was carried out by the steamers of John M‘Callum & Co., and Martin Orme & Co. Perhaps the most famous was the Dunara Castle, owned by Martin Orme & Co. Built by the yard of Blackwood and Gordon at Port Glasgow in 1875, she originally sported two-funnels but was reboilered in 1894 and emerged with a single red colored funnel. She was 180 ft long. Sailing on a weekly roster that alternated with the Outer Hebrides on one week and the Inner Hebrides on the other, she was well liked on the service carrying both passengers and cargo. Dunara Castle Dunara Castle was popular for cruising and these would reach as far as the remote St. Kilda, and she took part in the evacuation of St. Kilda in 1930. Two-funneled Dunara Castle at Tarbert, Harris (Washington Wilson) Dunara Castle Dunara Castle at Lochskipport Dunara...