Puffers and the Crinan Canal

on Mar 1, 2024

The Crinan Canal has been featured previously on this site, in an article on the passenger and luggage boat Linnet, part of the Royal Route to the Highlands. This article presents some views of puffer traffic on the canal, a subject vital to the livelihood of the inhabitants of the western islands and highlands. The locks on the Crinan Canal can handle boats 88 feet in length by 20 feet in breadth, with a draft of just over 8 feet. The Canal itself is nominally 10 feet in depth. Vessels that transit the 9 miles and 15 locks of the Crinan Canal but did not have to negotiate the Forth and Clyde could therefore be 20 feet longer than the standard Clyde Puffer. However, in practice, most of the steam lighters originating on the Clyde, were of the standard type. Anzac, Pibroch, Moor, and Glen Rosa at Crinan This photograph shows four puffers waiting for the tide in Crinan basin around 1950....

Coals to Cowal

on Feb 1, 2024

One of my favourite old postcard views shows the Royal Marine Hotel in Hunter’s Quay. The Hotel was built in 1890 to the design of the Glasgow Architect, Thomas Lennox Watson, and replaced an earlier hotel that was destroyed by fire. It received its “Royal” designation because it was the home of the Royal Clyde Yacht Club for many years. The photograph from which the postcard was printed was taken by Messrs Poulton in the 1890s. Their negative stock was purchased by Messrs Ritchie of Edinburgh and released as postcards as part of their “Reliable Series.” Poulton collotype of the above view Of particular interest are the two old steam lighters, Effort and Advance, on the beach. Both are of the old style and steered by tiller, rather than having a wheel. The Effort looks the simpler and older of the two. Indeed, she was launched by Messrs William Swan & Son at Kelvindock on the Forth...

Old Largs

on Jan 4, 2024

Over the years I have acquired a fair number of old engravings, photographs and postcards of Largs. These mostly relate to the Edwardian era into the 1930s and in this article I will attempt to present an album of captioned pictures to give a sense of the town and some of the events that distinguish it. The account covers little beyond the second world war. Largs had two excellent photographers who produced postcards during the early and middle part of the 20th century; Hampton, and Simpson. Both feature strongly in what follows. Simpson also published copies of earlier photographic work by Poulton. Another important photographer was Fergus who, in addition to portraits, also included views of the town. I will start with some early views from engravings and phtographs taken from paintings, moving into the photographic era with more specific topics. In the early years, the main part of...

Dr James Stevenson

on Dec 1, 2023

I enjoy finding sources of the impact of the steamboats on the Clyde that others might overlook. One such is the “Salt-Water Gazette,” a literary and satirical publication that lasted a season in 1835. In one issue there is the tale of Mr. John Guy, porter at Helensburgh Quay, and his journey by steamboat to Glasgow. A contemporary view of Helensburgh Quay is shown above, courtesy of Helensburgh Library. After spending some time on deck, Mr Guy was beckoned “down into the little chamber, built by the proprietor, Doctor Stevenson, for the refreshment of pilgrims.” Here is the name of the steam-boat owner, and the implication is that he was widely known in his day by the traveling public. A little research reveals that Dr. James Stevenson was a Royal Navy surgeon and the 1841 Census has him living in Clyde Street, Helensburgh, aged 50 years with his wife Elizabeth 45 along with a maid...

Early days at Largs

on Nov 1, 2023

Even before the steam-boat age, the village of Largs was a popular summer destination for sea-bathers and pleasure seekers. Sheltered from the prevailing winds by the Isle of Cumbrae, the climate was mild. The good folk of Paisley found it particularly attractive, and the advent of the steamboat meant that a tedious journey under sail or uncomfortable progression by road could be avoided. The old part of the town was built up north of the Gogo burn and by the time that steamboats arrived, new building was beginning south of the burn, including the celebrated Curling Hall. The first steamboat advertised to call off Largs was the Glasgow. Built of wood towards the end 1813, by Messrs John Wood of Port Glasgow, she was 67 feet in length. Her first engines were furnished by Henry Bell and were constructed by Messrs Anderson & Campbell of Greenock, but were not a success when she...

Graham Brymner

on Oct 1, 2023

Graham Brymner was born on 27th January 1827 in Greenock, the son of Elizabeth (neé Fairlie) and Mr Alexander Brymner, who was the cashier in the Greenock Bank, and was at one time editor of the Greenock Intelligencer. Graham was educated at Greenock Grammar School and afterwards sought his fortune as a planter in the West Indies. On returning to Greenock in the 1840s, he took up office work, and then started a business with his elder brother, Douglas, who was at the time engaged as a shipping clerk. The firm of Messrs D. & G. Brymner were coal and lime merchants, with premises in East Quay Lane. The vessels they used were mainly wooden gabbarts or small schooners. The Alexander, presumably named after their father, was built for them by Messrs Scott & Sons, Greenock. The Mount Stuart was built by Messrs M‘Lea on the slip at Rothesay in 1855 and Strath Clutha the following year...