In the summer of 1906, a well-to-do family took a house in Ayr, the town of “honest men and bonnie lasses”. There was at least one of the family with an interest in photography and this article highlights the results of the various activities and excursions undertaken that were contained in an old photograph album. None of the photographs is captioned and so what follows is a best attempt to describe the routes and the scenes. Many of the excursions were by sea, in the Ayr excursion steamer, Juno, built in 1898 by Messrs John Brown & Co., at Clydebank. The “big, beamy, beautiful Juno” was larger and more heavily built than most of the contemporary Clyde railway steamers and was ideal for excursions from the lower Firth. While few of the photographs show steamships, they do provide an interesting perspective of the scenes viewed from on board. Consequently, photographs from the album are supplemented with some postcards and other photographs that depict the steamer in some of the locations visited.

There is no indication of just how many members were in the family. There is an older couple and a small child, likely their grand-daughter, but no sign of her parents apart from the person taking the photographs. The house where the family stayed appears to still be extant. It is in Seabank Road, at the time directly across from the infantry barracks and close to the harbour. From its windows, there were good views of the Ayr slip and shipbuilding yard, and the barracks.

The house in Seabank Road

A yacht on the slip at Ayr

Ayr infantry barracks

The garrison on parade along Seabank Road

From the house, there was a short walk down South Beach Road to the harbour where the daily cruises (except Sundays) by the Juno were offered. The family could also promenade out to the harbour entrance on the south breakwater and see the variety of vessels using the port.

Fishing boat entering Ayr harbour

Ayr harbour from the breakwater

The Glasgow and South-Western Railway steamer Juno offered a variety of excursions from the Ayrshire ports of Troon, Ayr and Ardrossan. The railway company was restricted from calling at the Kintyre and Loch Fyne piers and destinations on Arran’s east coast but Arrochar, Lochgoilhead, Garelochhead, Rotheasy and the Kyles of Bute, Brodick and the east Arran piers, Ailsa Craig and Girvan, and even far flung Stranraer all featured at one time or another. Evening cruises were also offered, perhaps to Largs or round the Cumbraes.

Juno taking up her berth in the harbour across from the pilot house

One excursion taken by the family was to Brodick, Lamlash and Whiting Bay

Entering Brodick Bay

A torpedo boat destroyer in Brodick Bay

Approaching Lamlash. The house with the white wall is the Marine House, later the Coast-guard house

Leaving Lamlash Bay with warships at anchor

Another of the excursions was round Ailsa Craig and a call at Girvan.

Approaching Ailsa Craig

The vast array of seabird nests on the cliffs

The lighthouse on Ailsa Craig

Girvan Harbour entrance

Postcard of Juno entering Girvan

The family also took walks or excursions to the countryside around Ayr. No doubt, some of these walks were taken on Sundays when other transport was restricted.

A Sunday walk.

Alloway was visited, probably by tram.

Burns’ monument at Alloway

The bridge over the Doon at Alloway

A trip to Ballochmyle viaduct.

Ballochmyle viaduct

A long way for little legs to walk or run

Taking a breather

The beach also featured, but in just one photograph.

Child on Ayr beach

On one day, the Juno was joined by the new Glasgow and South-Western turbine steamer, Atalanta. In her early years, she was employed in a variety of duties in the summer, and in 1906 offered an excursion from Greenock to Ayr.

Juno at her berth at the entrance to the slip dock with Atalanta astern

The Lochgoilhead cruise was a particularly popular destination from Ayr. The steamer progressed up the Largs channel.

Portencross Castle

Little Cumbrae

Glen Rosa leaving Keppel Pier on Cumbrae

Passing Dunoon with Messrs Buchanan’s Isle of Bute at the pier

Passing the North British Marmion on Loch Long

Juno at Lochgoilhead

Juno and Edinburgh Castle at Lochgoilhead pier

Shore at Lochgoilhead

Steam yacht pacing Juno down Loch Goil

There was also an excursion to Garelochhead. Perhaps that was part of a three-lochs tour with Lochgoilhead but more likely it was a separate excursion as there was clearly time ashore at both destinations.

Juno at Garelochhead

The family seem to have had a marvelous time and left a magnificent record of their time in Ayr. The weather seems to have been perfect but of course there is no record of the days of rain. Hopefully they were few. They did miss out on Arrochar and Stranraer where Juno called. But, as they say, you can too much of a good thing.

Postcard of Juno at Arrochar

Postcard of Juno at Stranraer

The final photograph is the wake of the Juno as she sweeps past the Ayrshire coast.

The wake of the Juno

The house was identified with the help of Google-Earth.