The introduction of Columba by Messrs Hutcheson in 1878 and the subsequent change in management to Messrs David MacBrayne supplied new energy to the tourist services to the Western Highlands and Islands. The former flagship, Iona, was moved to the Oban to Corpach service and the Pioneer was mainly on the important Staffa and Iona cruise station. In 1880, the Callander and Oban Railway was opened in 1880, providing a further spur to the tourist traffic.

New tonnage was ordered by the Company, Claymore, for the Glasgow and Stornoway service was built in 1881 and Cavalier for the Glasgow and Inverness service in 1883. David MacBrayne’s niece, Miss Brown, launched Grenadier on Thursday, March 19 of 1885 from the yard of Messrs J. & G. Thomson of Clydebank. The new ship was multi-purpose, designed for the Ardrishaig mail service in winter when Columba was laid up, and excursions out of Oban during the season.

Grenadier was an attractive vessel, built of steel, with a clipper-bow, bowsprit and two funnels. She was 223 feet long by 23 feet in breadth. The short fore saloon had access around it but the aft saloon extended to the full width of the hull. Her machinery was of the two-cylinder oscillating variety and provided her with a modest 16 knots. She made her maiden voyage on Monday, May 18, on the Ardrishaig Mail service, leaving Glasgow at 7:00 in the morning with Captain M‘Gaw on the bridge and Mr Paterson as purser. Unfortunately, she had a machinery break-down at Dunoon and Iona had to take over, but she was soon repaired. In June she moved to Oban and sailed on a variety of services including the Portree and Gairloch mail run.

Grenadier in Rothesay Bay (Adamson)

In 1886, Iona was retained on the Clyde during the season as a second steamer on the Ardrishaig mail run, sailing from Ardrishaig in the morning and returning from Glasgow in the afternoon. Grenadier took over the Staffa and Iona excursion with which she is most closely associated.

Grenadier passing Rubha nan Gall light at the north end of Mull (Valentine)

Grenadier off Staffa (Stengel)

Grenadier off Iona (Stengel)

Grenadier landing passengers at Iona (Valentine)

Grenadier at Iona (Valentine)

In 1902, Grenadier was reboilered and fitted with new, larger funnels that improved her appearance. The following summer of 1903 she was retained on the Clyde, providing a supplementary service, sailing from Rothesay in the morning to the Broomielaw, from where she left in the early afternoon to return to Rothesay with a service that ventured as far as the Kyles piers. The reason for the additional service was the advent of the turbine steamer King Edward on the Ardrishaig service from Fairlie. However, the King Edward was moved to serve Inveraray and by-passed Tarbert and Ardrishaig and Grenadier returned to Oban in 1904.

Early morning at Rothesay in 1903 with Strathmore leaving and Grenadier at the west end of the pier

Strathmore leaving the Broomielaw on her return to Rothesay with Grenadier loading for Ardrishaig (Valentine)

On the Fort William service

At Corpach (McIsaac + Riddle)

Grenadier after 1902 (Robertson)

Grenadier ot Oban

Grenadier leaving Salen Pier, Mull

Approaching Staffa

Dropping the anchor off Staffa

Grenadier off Staffa

Grenadier from Fingal’s Cave

On the Iona tour aboard Grenadier

Grenadier off Iona

On November 25, 1907, Grenadier ran aground in fog.

“Mishap on the Clyde—Messrs MacBrayne’s passenger and mail steamer Grenadier, which took up the Ardrishaig run after the Columba and Iona had been berthed in winter quarters, grounded near Gourock Pier yesterday evening. The winter boat on this run starts from Greenock, with train connections from Glasgow. At Greenock and Gourock, clear, though raw, weather was experienced on the out run yesterday, and on the home run the same conditions prevailed until Dunoon was reached. On the stretch to Gourock, the dense fog bank which was spreading over the Clyde from a south-easterly direction was entered, and the passage was continued with due caution. Gourock Pier was safely reached, but in an attempt to get alongside the quay, the boat on backing heeled on to the beach, and all attempts to get her off failed. There were about one hundred passengers on board, amongst them a number of ladies; but beyond some concern displayed by the ladies, there was not the slightest alarm. As quickly as possible, the passengers were landed by the steamer’s boats, and in that duty the local coastguardsmen readily helped. At the time of the accident the tide had still four hours to ebb, so that at dead low water the steamer is bound to be well aground all over. The beach at the place is shelving, and thickly strewn with boulders. A mile west of Gourock, a small lighter also went ashore, going high onto the shore. The authorities were of opinion that the Grenadier was not in a dangerous position, and arrangements were made to get the vessel afloat on the following tide. The stranded vessel’s run is to be taken up to-day by Messrs MacBrayne’s steamer Chevalier.”—Scotsman, November 26, 1907.

Grenadier in 1911

At Staffa

In line with the other steamers in service, Grenadier added lifeboats on the forward sponsons to comply with new regulations in 1914. She was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a minesweeper and at the beginning of July 1916, and after an uneventful war, was returned to her owners after refitting at Irvine in October 1919.

Grenadier at Irvine for refitting in 1926 (Valentine)

Grenadier off Gourock in the 1920s (Robertson)

Grenadier in Oban Bay

Grenadier at North Pier Oban

Grenadier’s tragic end came on the night of September 7, 1927 when she caught fire at Oban’s North Pier.

Grenadier on Fire (London Illustrated News September 17, 1927)

“Oban Ship Fire. Three Lives Lost. A Terrible Scene.—Three persons were fatally burned in a fire that occurred early yesterday morning on the pleasure steamer Grenadier, belonging to Messrs M‘Brayne, Glasgow, lying at North Pier, Oban. The dead are:—

Acting Capt. A. MacArthur, a native of Kyles of Bute; Albert Horsburgh, ship’s steward, of Glasgow and Kenneth Macrae, Salen Island of Mull.

About one o’clock Alexander Nicholson, watchman, discovered fire in the galley, and immediately rushed into the forecastle and roused the men. The whole crew, with the exception of two, were aboard, and before the men could get out the stairway was in flames, and a dash had to be made through a veritable inferno to safety.

After the men reached the pier, some in boats and some by ropes, it was found that three were still aboard, one being Capt. MacArthur and the other two, Horsburgh and Macrae, a young lad of 17, who was cook’s boy.

Desperate efforts were made to rescue the latter, who ere entrapped in the forecastle, but the place was like a raging furnace, and the men, who could be seen through the portholes, had to be left to a terrible death.

The death of Captain MacArthur.

About half-an-hour after the alarm had been given from the Grenadier, Oban fire brigade arrived, but by that time the flames were sweeping fore and aft. Some time later Capt. MacArthur was seen making for the flaming gangway. He seemed to stagger and then turned back, and at that moment he was caught by the force of the fire. He collapsed, and in a few seconds was enveloped in a sheet of flame. When the body was secured it was so badly burned as to be unrecognizable.

In the rush for safety four men were burned about the face and body, and conveyed to hospital. They are reported to be progressing favourably.

Hour by hour yesterday the Grenadier was sinking lower in the water, and the forecastle, where the men were fatally burned, is now wholly submerged. It is understood that arrangements are being made to have the Grenadier lifted with all possible speed.

The injured.

Captain MacArthur, who was about 80 years of age, had 51 years’ service with the company, and latterly he merely accompanied the Grenadier on daily runs as nominal captain. On Saturday he would have severed his connection with the steamer, as would the other two ill-fated members of the crew.

The injured men are David Green, James Kirkness, S. Hafferman, and John Stewart. The injuries to Green and Hafferman were comparatively slight, and they will probably be released from hospital soon.

So far nothing has been gathered as to the origin of the fire, but eye-witnesses are unanimous that the flames spread with amazing rapidity. Fortunately the vessel was bertherd at the water’s edge, and when the townspeople were aroused between one and two o’clock in the morning by the screeching of sirens and the firing of rockets there was a stampede for the quayside. The spectacle that met the gaze of the rescuers was indeed awesome, and unnerved many of the visitors, who, scantily clad, had rushed from the adjoining hotels and boarding-houses. The Grenadier was apparently ablaze from stem to stern, and dense volumes of smoke were pouring up the gangways.

Above the noise could be heard the cries of several members of the crew who were trapped in the fo’castle. Several voluntary workers dashed overside with axes and hatchets and endeavoured to force and entry into the fo’castle by cutting through the portholes.

Rescued men’s narratives

Interviewed later, one of the crew said:—“There was no time to think of anything. It looked as if we might be trapped, and we dashed through the flames in what we thought was the direction of the gangway. We got out, but God knows how we managed it.”

Dougald Cameron, of Millport, said he and the second engineer were in the stern when they had the alarm. There were only two of them in a small cabin, and they were sound asleep. “I went up the companion way,” he said, “and saw that the ship was ablaze, and I shouted to the engineer to come away and make the best of it. We shouted out for a small boat, as with the fire travelling rapidly astern, our passage was blocked. The waiting seemed like hours, and at last we thought we were doomed to die an awful death. There was no boat to be seen, so we launched a life raft. It was not needed, however, as a boat came alongside with two injured stewards. That is how we got off.”

A well-known skipper

Speaking of Captain MacArthur as an old friend, Cameron said he was loved by everyone aboard.

One of the men who tried to rescue the trapped steward and pantry-boy from the blazing forecastle said he was sorry he had to leave them, and said, “No human being could go into that mass of lame and come out alive.”

Captain MacArthur was one of the best known skippers on the Clyde, and he had accompanied Captain Maclean, the present master of the Grenadier, as an advisory officer on the route among the Western Isles from Oban. News of his death was broken to his wife, who is now on holiday on Islay. The Grenadier has been engaged in the Clyde passenger trade for many years, covering the West Highland route in summer, and the Glasgow-Ardrishaig route in winter.”—Scotsman September 7, 1927

At the inquiry a month later, the source of the fire remained a mystery and more harrowing tales were revealed. Captain Maclean had attempted to rouse Captain MacArthur and had returned to put a jacket over his head to make his way through the flames. His clothing caught fire and he jumped into the water where he was rescued by a launch that had come along side. A deck hand, Malcolm Robertson who was in the launch stated that they went alongside the forecastle where Horsburgh had his head through the porthole and was shouting, “Captain, Captain, I’m burning. Shoot me, shoot me dead.” A verdict of accidental death was returned.

Raising Grenadier at Oban (Scrivens) 

The Grenadier was raised and towed to the Clyde for breaking up.