The worsening economic climate in the early Edwardian years had its impact on the Clyde coast traffic. In 1907, the two south-bank railway companies, the Caledonian and Glasgow and South-western, entered into a pooling arrangement to rationalize some services and avoid costly duplication and in the next few years, a number of steamers were laid up and sold. Among these were the Vulcan and Viceroy of the Glasgow and Southwestern Co. and Marchioness of Bute, Ivanhoe and Madge Wildfire of the Caledonian.
Madge Wildfire, surplus to requirements was purchased on 8th April 1911 by Captain A. W. Cameron, a retired ship captain residing in Dumbarton, for £3,500. A week later, he transferred ownership to The Vale of Clyde Steam Packet Co. Ltd, a private company that was registered on 13th April 1911. Captain Cameron was anxious to take advantage of the resurgence in popularity of sailings from the Broomielaw with the improvements in the cleanliness of the river and the interest created by the approaching centenary of the Comet’s sailing.
Madge Wildfire (Robertson Gourock)
The new company was in direct competition with Buchanan’s steamers. The early part of the season saw Madge Wildfire under the command of Captain Peter Leitch, calling at Govan, Renfrew and Bowling on her way down river to a variety of destinations including Dunoon, Rothesay, Port Bannatyne, the Kyles of Bute, Kilchattan Bay and Garelochhead. By June she settled into a regular schedule, sailing at 9:45 a.m. on Monday – Friday to Dunoon, Rothesay, Largs and Millport with a cruise round Cumbrae. On Saturdays she sailed in the afternoon to Dunoon, Rothesay and Loch Striven while on Sundays she sailed as far as Dunoon and Rothesay.
In her first season, she appeared with a black top on her buff funnel but little changed from her Caledonian livery. Over the winter of 1911-12, she underwent considerable renovation including the provision of a dining-saloon aft on the lower deck and two prominent ventilators.
Madge Wildfire with green hull
Her colour scheme was also changed and she reappeared for the season with a red funnel, again with a black top, and a green hull, the colours of the Wilson Line with whom Captain Cameron had served as master.
Madge Wildfire at Bowling Wharf
That season, she was joined by another steamer with a Waverley Novel connection, the Lady Rowena. The Lady Rowena had been the North British Steam Packet Company’s Arrochar steamer but was sold to Italy in 1903, returning to home waters with R. R. Collard at Newhaven on the South Coast of England.
Collard’s Lady Rowena
Collard’s Lady Rowena
The Lady Rowena Steamship Co. Ltd. was registered on 15th June, 1912 partly owned by Captain Cameron and partly by the Vale of Clyde Company. Captain Cameron had purchased the vessel the previous September. She also had a red funnel with a black top and green hull.
Lady Rowena (Robertson Gourock)
Lady Rowena off Dunoon (Robertson, Glasgow)
In the early and latter parts of the season, there was insufficient custom for two steamers and Lady Rowena spent two periods on charter in Belfast Lough although during the busier times she was back on the Clyde. Again Madge Wildfire sailed to a variety of destinations such as Garelochhead, Carrick Castle and Kilchattan Bay in the early part of the summer, but settled into her regular route in June and July. In late July Madge Wildfire was briefly based at Rothesay overnight, competing directly with the Williamson steamers while Lady Rowena handled the morning sailings from the Broomielaw. In the photograph below, Lady Rowena and Buchanan’s Isle of Arran are seen together at Rothesay.
Lady Rowena and Isle of Arran at Rothesay (Valentine)
Lady Rowena (Clyde River Steamer Club)
In March 1913, Madge Wildfire was sold to Captain Wm. Buchanan for £2,900 and Lady Rowena continued alone. Part of the sale agreement was that Lady Rowena could not sail before 11:00 a.m. on Sundays, thus diminishing the competition with Buchanan’s steamers. She appeared in a new guise with a yellow funnel and black top, not dissimilar to those borne by Madge Wildfire in 1911.
Lady Rowena in the Kyles of Bute (Cuthbert Spencer)
Lady Rowena’s distinctive form can be recognized even from a distance as she sails through the Kyles of Bute.
Lady Rowena in the Narrows (Cuthbert Spencer)
Lady Rowena in the Narrows (Spencer)
Lady Rowena continued to sail into 1915 and gave some of the last excursions from the Broomielaw before they ceased as a result of the war.
Lady Rowena in war service
In 1915, Lady Rowena was requisitioned as a minesweeper. After war service she had a varied career on the East Coast of England and later at Swansea. Both of Captain Cameron’s companies were wound up in May 1919.