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. On the left is the Anzac, owned by Messrs J. Hay & Sons Ltd., of Glasgow, and built for them by Messrs Scott & Sons, Bowling in 1939. She and her sister, Lascar, were the latest version of the Clyde steam lighter, 66¾ feet long by 18½ feet in breadth with a depth of 8¾ feet, and served as a model for the first series of Victualling Inshore Craft or VICs built during the second world war. The Anzac was powered by a two-cylinder compound steam engine of 17 h.p. that could drive the single-screw vessel at 7 knots. She was converted to a motor vessel and was broken-up in 1976.

Next to Anzac is Pibroch, owned by Messrs Mackie Bros., owners of the Distillery at Lagavulin. She was built in 1923 by Messrs Scott & Sons yard at Bowling and was 66½ feet in length by 18¼ feet in breadth and propelled by a two-cylinder compound engine.

Pibroch at Lagavulin

Pibroch had a few minor mishaps over the years.

“The whisky was saved. The well-known little West Highland whisky puffer, Pibroch, left Campbeltown on Tuesday last, after undergoing repairs following a collision it had with a rock in the sound of Islay while on its way from Islay with a valuable consignment of whisky for Hazelburn bonded warehouse. The little vessel sprang a leak as the result of the mishap but skipper George Thomson of Glasgow got the pumps into operation, and under his expert guidance and the energies of the crew, the Pibroch was able to make Campbeltown under its own power. No whisky was lost.”—Campbeltown Courier, March 23, 1946.

“Skippers call this ‘the graveyard.’—It is reported that skippers have now nicknamed the Sound of Islay the graveyard of Fleetwood.” The Sound has strong tidal currents, and also abounds with submerged reefs and rocks, mostly of the Jura side. Sharing the fate which has befallen several trawlers this year the puffer Pibroch went aground on Tuesday in the Sound of Islay. The Pibroch, bound for Islay to load a cargo of whisky, ran ashore in mist opposite Port Askaig, two miles south of the spot where the Fleetwood trawler Evelyn Rose grounded three weeks ago. The Pibroch’s crew remained on board and it was expected that the vessel would be refloated at high tide yesterday.”—Campbeltown Courier, December 17, 1949

Pibroch at Campbeltown in 1924 (Valentine)

Pibroch at Campbeltown in the 1930s

Pibroch at Campbeltown

Pibroch was replaced in 1957 by a new motor vessel of the same name, also bult by Messrs Scott & Sons at Bowling. The new vessel was 87 feet long by 20 feet in breadth, designed for passage through the Crinan Canal.

New Pibroch with puffer Starlight at Campbeltown

In 1958, the old Pibroch was sold to Messrs L. MacCorkindale of Troon, and renamed Texa, and later passed to Messrs Burke of Greenock, and again renamed Cumbrae Lass. She was broken-up at Dalmuir in 1967.

Cumbrae Lass in Greenock Harbour

Moor was built by Messrs J. & J. Hay, Kirkintilloch, in 1925, and was 66¼ feet in length by 18¼ feet in breadth. As part of the fleet of Messrs J. Hay & Co., she was a frequenter of both the Crinan and Forth and Clyde Canals, transporting barley from Montrose and Arbroath to distilleries on the west coast.

Moor in the Forth and Clyde Canal at Old Kilpatrick

“Trade at the harbour—In comparison with recent weeks trade has been quiet at the harbour this week, only three steamers having called. On Monday morning the puffer Moor of Glasgow, arrived from Bowling to load a cargo of barley for a West Coast port. Owing to the stormy weather at sea, the vessel did not get away until Wednesday afternoon. Other two puffers to load grain are expected to arrive in the course of a day or two.”—Arbroath Guide, March 1, 1930

“The Glasgow puffer Moor arrived on Wednesday to load. This is the first occasion for many months that a puffer has visited the port. Not many years ago they were constant visitors. They were mostly engaged in carrying coal from the Firth of Forth or taking barley for the distilleries. In recent years the trade with the latter has almost faded out. More regular visitors to the port now are Dutch motor craft.”—Montrose Standard, October 8, 1937

Moor at Campbeltown

A seagull in possession of the Moor at Campbeltown

“Glasgow coaster beached at Dunstaffnage.—Holed forward after striking a reef a glancing blow, the coaster St. Angusowned, by Messr J. and A. Gardener, Glasgow, limped through heavy seas during a gale and a thunder and lightning storm on Friday evening from off Scarba to Dunstaffnage Bay where the vessel was beached. During the trip which lasted from about 6 o’clock till 1 a.m. it was a continuous fight against the incoming water for although the pumps we’re working continuously the St. Agnes was settling deeper and deeper in the water by the bows. By daybreak, by which time the vessel had been beached at Dunstaffnage, her bows were well below water at high tide.

“The St. Angus, which was under the command of Captain Galbraith and had a crew of eight, had loaded with granite chips from Messrs Gardener’s granite quarries at Bonawe and on Friday set off from Bonawe for the Clyde. As she is too big for the Crinan Canal, she had to go round the Mull of Kintyre and as she sailed down the treacherous coastline the storm broke.

“With torrential rain showers, the thunderstorm broke in its fierceness and a westerly gale whipped up huge waves. The small vessel battered her way south in worsening visibility and during the worst of the storm she must have been blown slightly off her course when passing the east side of Scarba near to the famous Corrievreckan whirlpool. It was there that she struck a reef a glancing blow forward to starboard. A quick inspection by a member of the crew confirmed the worst fears and the Captain knowing that she was making water, ordered the pumps to start operating in an attempt to keep control of the incoming waters.

“Captain Galbraith quickly decided that he was not in immediate danger and did not send out an S.O.S. signal but through the Oban Radio Station contacted the owners of the vessel in Glasgow by radio telephone. He also knew that one of the sister ships, the St. Blane, was due in the that vicinity on her way to Lochaline so he decided to turn completely around and make for the only safe beach in that part of the Argyll coast, that of Dunstaffnage Bay. As the crew worked at the pumps and with the bow slowly settling, the little vessel made her way back up the coast battling against the elements and five hours later safely made her way through the entrance to Dunstaffnage Bay where she was beached as close in as was possible.

“Meanwhile Mr. Alistair Struthers the managing director of Messrs Gardner had contacted the Oban Fire Brigade in the hope that the St. Angus would be able to make for one of the Oban piers and so have her pumped clear of water. The brigade stood by during the night until word came that she was at Dunstaffnage. Then the owner of the lobster fishing boat the Calum Cille, was contacted and two of the crew of that boat Jas. Duncan, Mallaig and Neil Morrison, Harris, made the trip from Oban with pumps which could work at the rate of 130 gallons per minute. They had rather a rough passage on their short trip but were able to tie up alongside the St. Angus and the pumps were manhandled on board the coaster. These pumps were kept working all night and the Calum Cille remained alongside. There was no sleep for the members of the crew for their quarters which were forward were completely flooded.

“On Saturday morning Mr. Struthers arrived by road and made arrangements for the puffer Moor which was lying at Oban to take grabs to the St. Angus and once that was done, Capt. Galbraith and members of the crew began the work of unloading the cargo of granite chips over the side into the bay in an effort to lighten the ship so that she could be refloated. The small pumps were not getting the water clear and by mid-afternoon a much larger pump which had come from Paisley to Oban was transhipped by the Moor and this was more successful. By 5.00 p.m. the ship was moved further into the shore. Temporary repairs are to be made to the ship which was badly holed near the starboard bow and then she will sail for the Clyde where she will undergo a full examination and permanent repairs.”—Oban Times, December 10, 1955

Moor was withdrawn in 1956.

The utility vessel, VIC 29 was built on the model of Anzac by Messrs Pimblott of Norwich, and launched in January, 1943, to serve as a naval water carrier. She was 66¾ feet in length by 18½ feet in breadth and was powered by a 2-cylinder compound engine. She was purchased by Messrs G. & G. Hamilton of Glasgow in 1948 and renamed Glen Rosa.

A wonderful set of photographs of Glen Rosa, mainly at Ardrishaig on the eastern end of the Crinan Canal, was taken by Mr Fred Sykes of Ayr, and published as postcards by Miller & Lang.

Glen Rosa in Crinan Basin

Glen Rosa at Ardrishaig

Descending to sea-level

A close-up

Through the road bridge

Coming through the locks at Ardrishaig

Leaving Ardrishaig Harbour

The popular Glen Rosa appears in many other photographs.

In the basin at Ardrishaig

Glen Rosa passing Crinan Bridge

Glen Rosa passing Crinan Bridge

Glen Rosa’s end came in 1958.

“Coal vessel aground on Island of Mull.—The 130-ton Glasgow coastal coal lighter, Glen Rosa, went aground on the Island of Mull. Inner Hebrides. during the night and is reported to be in danger of sinking. The crew of four have been taken off by the naval boom defence vessel Barrington. sister ship of Barcombe. which went aground on Mull earlier this week. and is now lying with her decks awash. The Glen Rosa is owned by G. & G. Hamilton. Ltd.. Glasgow. and was on a trip from Troon to Mull. This is the third time within a week that Barrington has been involved in rescue operations. Last week-end she assisted in pulling the submarine Taciturn off the shingle. She then joined in the search for Barcombe.”—Belfast Telegraph, January 16 1958

“Two wrecks in two days on rocky shores of South Mull—Two shipwrecks within 48 hours was the grim toll taken by the cliff-girt coast of South Mull last week, the vessels involved being the 750-ton boom defence ship Barcombe, and the 99-ton Clyde puffer Glen Rosa. Both hit the rocks in dense fog and the wrecks lie within three miles of each other near the entrance to Loch Buie. No major salvage operations have so far been possible, but fortunately, among the crews totalling 38 officers and men, there was only one minor casualty.

“When the wreck of the Barcombe was traced and her crew rescued on Tuesday evening after an 18-hour search by naval vessels and the Islay lifeboat, a sister ship, the boom defence ship Barrington, took up a stand-by position nearby for salvage survey. On Wednesday night, towards midnight, while thick fog still hung over the area, an officer on the Barrington heard voices hailing his ship from the darkness. Shortly afterwards a 12-ft small-boat drew alongside. Its occupants proved to be the crew of the Glen Rosa who had rowed about three miles from their wrecked puffer. They were taken on board, made comfortable, and spent the night on the Barrington which took them to Oban on Thursday night, when the lifting of the fog in the early evening made movement possible.

“The Glen Rosa is owned by Messrs G. and G. Hamilton, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, and was a frequent caller at Crinan. The crew of the Glen Rosa consisted of Captain Kaj Andersen (39), who resides with his wife and three boys at 2 Sardinia Place, Port Bannatyne; Mate Joseph Turner (25), 5 Ayr Street, Troon; Engineer Peter Gatt (51), of Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire; and Deckhand Charles Allan (24), 141 Weir St., Glasgow, C.5. Skipper Andersen, who is of Danish nationality and has many years’ experience of sailing in these waters, gave to the Oban Times an account of the grounding of his ship, when he landed at Oban with his three shipmates. “The fog was very dense on Wednesday night when we were on a trip from Troon to Bunessan with 120 tons of coal,” he said. “We had been experiencing some trouble with the compass which was affected by a local magnetic attraction in the vicinity of Loch Buie. “We were travelling at our usual speed when, just before nine o’clock, there was a crunching sound as we struck the rocky shore. We feared that the Glen Rosa had been badly holed and soon she was taking a pounding from the swell.

“We fired several rockets only as we had no wireless transmitter—only a receiver. Then after about 20 minutes I realized that we might slip off the rocks and turn over in deep water. So we got into our boat and did not take time to get all our belongings. We hung about for a spell near the coaster but realised there was no chance of getting back on board and decided to make for the nearest habitation at the head of Loch Buie. After rowing for about 2½ hours we saw some lights through the fog. These proved to be from the Barrington which we hailed and were soon taken on board and made comfortable. We must have been rowing for about 3 miles but the sea was fairly calm. When the Barrington was on her way to Oban the crew of the Glen Rosa saw their unfortunate vessel lying well up on the rocks under the cliffs with water almost to the top of her funnel. The crew were met at Railway Pier, Oban by Provost W.J. Calderwood. local agent for the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, and Mr. A. N. Ollason, a committee member, and taken by car to the Royal Hotel where they were accommodated overnight. In the morning the Society furnished each man with a complete new rig-out including under-clothing and shoes and gave them travel warrants to their homes.

“As stated above there was only one casualty on the Barcombe, Petty Officer Harry Goodwin of Paisley, who was taken to the West Highland Hospital, Oban, suffering from shock and exposure. He was allowed home on Thursday. Weather conditions have so far made any salvage attempt on the Barcombe impossible, but the boom defence vessel Barrington, which is operating from Oban, will undertake an attempt if circumstances permit. An M.F.V. (Motor Fishing Vessel) with Admiralty salvage expert Mr. Campbell, on board, has made frequent trips to the wreck. The Glen Rosa is considered a total loss.”—Oban Times, January 25, 1958.

In the photograph of the motor-vessel Pibroch at Campbeltown, the puffer, Starlight, is also shown. She was the third of four near-identical vessels built at Port-Glasgow by Messrs Ferguson Bothers, Ltd., in the 1930s for the Light Shipping Co., Ltd. of Glasgow. Their dimensions were 66½ feet long by 18¼ feet in the beam.

The first was Stormlight, in 1933.

“New coasting steamer.—Messrs Ferguson Brothers launched on Monday with steam up the coasting steamer Stormlight which they have built for the Lightship Co., Greenock, managed by Ross & Marshall. The propelling machinery was also constructed by the builders. The naming ceremony was performed by Mrs Wm. Campbell, Rosslyn, Port-Glasgow.”—Port-Glasgow Express April 26, 1933

Stormlight went ashore east of Bowmore Pier, Islay, towards the end of January 1935 but was got off. She was sold to owners on the Tyne in 1952, and broken up 7 years later.

Skylight followed in 1936. She was sold in 1967 to Mr Alex Mair, a Troon timber merchant, and renamed Sitka. Two years later, she was converted to diesel propulsion.

Skylight on the Clyde

Skylight unloading at Dunoon Coal Pier

Skylight in Rothesay Bay

In 1937, Starlight was delivered by Messrs Ferguson Brothers. She was broken up in 1967.

Starlight and Skylight in Greenock Harbour

Raylight was added in 1938.

Puffers Polarlight, Raylight and Sir James in Crinan Basin

“Submarine cable laid in Loch Erisort.—A submarine cable has been laid for the first time in the Isle of Lewis. It stretches for 620 yards across Loch Erisort and will bring electricity to the villages in the parish of South Lochs. A converted Clyde puffer, the Raylight, was used for the operation and completed it in one tide, beginning at 4 o’clock in the afternoon and finishing as dusk fell at 10 p.m. Special adjustments had to be made to the stern of the Raylight in a Greenock shipvard to allow the cable to run overboard freely. After the cable was run out the ends were floated ashore lashed to steel barrels. These will be connected with the overland cable as soon as tide shifting has stopped and the submarine cable is settled on the loch bottom. By laying a submarine cable across the loch, the Hydro-Electric Board have saved a detour of many miles over the moorland. The 350 new consumers in the area will have their electric supply switched on in a week or a fortnight.”—Stornoway Gazette, August, 1954

“Puffer rescued off Jura.—Ardlussa Men Save Drifting Boat.—Two Jura boatmen on Friday rescued the Glasgow puffer Raylight as, engines out of action, it drifted helplessly towards the dreaded Corriebhreacan whirlpool in the Sound of Jura. When watchers on the shore saw the distress of the vessel, two Ardlussa men, lain MacKechnie and Alastair Shaw put to sea in the 36ft. motor launch Lady Ailsa owned by Mr Fletcher of Ardlussa, took the puffer in tow, and brought it to the safety of Ardlussa harbour. The boat, which was carrying 110 tons of coal for Islay, was found to have blown her boilers. At 7 pm. that night the puffer Colonsay attempted to come in-shore toward the Raylight but was unable to do so owing to dangerous weather conditions. On Sunday, January 13, the puffer Polar Light was able to enter the little anchorage and to tow the disabled vessel towards Crinan for repair. Only a fortnight ago, during one of the recent severe gales the Ardlussa Lady Ailsa came very near to shipwreck, having broken her moorings she was blown ashore. Fortunately no damage was done to the able little vessel The breakdown and rescue of the puffer Raylight calls to mind the loss of the fine 30 ft. motor launch Dewey Red of Lussa-given, Jura, in June 1951, which having developed engine trouble was carried away by the swift-flowing tide right into the whirlpool of Corriebhreacan and was never seen again. Her passengers and crew of five just managed to save their lives by making for the shore at Kenuachdraehd, in the vessel’s little dinghy. Alastair Shaw and lain MacKechnie are to be congratulated on a fine piece of seamanship.”—Oban Times, January 19, 1957

A Royal visit to the Clyde provided a little humorous incident for Raylight. The Princess Elizabeth had launched the battleship, Vanguard, at Clydebank on St Andrew’s day, 1944,  and in May, 1946, visited the Clyde to attend the ship’s commissioning and the dedication of the chapel on board.

“In his brief address, the Archdeacon said: “We also dedicate to-day the beautiful Chapel of St Andrew. In a ship created with all the modern marvels of engineering and science, I say that that chapel is the most wonderful thing of all, for it is the place where ordinary, everyday chaps can come into touch with the real Christ.” Princess Elizabeth spent a few moments examining the battle honours of the eight previous Vanguards before proceeding to the chapel dedication service. Later she was escorted through part of the vessel and lunched privately on board. The most picturesque moment of the day was that of departure. The sun was then blazing in full strength, and the crew, lining the deck rails and swarming all over the superstructure, made a brave picture as they responded to Captain Agnew’s lead and sent three cheers ringing over the calm waters of the Firth. The short trip back to the shore was not without its moment of humour. Careering along at full speed, the Royal barge found its passage barred by the tiny Greenock puffer Raylight crawling down-channel. The rules of the road apply to Royal craft as well as to any other, and the barge had to slow down before swerving to pass behind the ship. The incident was appreciated by Princess Elizabeth who smiled and waved her hand to the puffer’s crew “—Scotsman, May 13, 1946

Sealight was a larger puffer built in 1930 for the Light Shipping Co., Ltd. of Glasgow by Messrs George Brown & Co., at their Garvel yard in Greenock. She was designed with the Crinan Canal in mind and was 85½ feet long by 19½ feet in the beam.

Sealight on the Clyde

Sealight at Portree in 1949 with Limelight astern

Sealight at Lochinver

Another view of Sealight at Lochinver in 1951

“Crew refloated puffer in 80 m.p.h. gale.—Lifeboat’s Help Not Needed.—A Clyde puffer, the 154-ton Sealight, was driven ashore in an 80 mph. gale at Loch Indail, Islay, early yesterday. The master, Captain William Sutherland, of Glasgow, and his crew fought for over an hour to refloat her after firing distress rockets. They succeeded, despite heavy seas, but the puffer was swept out into the loch two miles north of the village of Bowmore, and the crew had further difficulty in finding a secure anchorage. The Port Askaig lifeboat was called out by coastguards who saw the Sealight’s flares. The MacBrayne mail steamer Lochiel, which was berthed overnight at Port-Ellen, also went out. Neither was required to help, but the lifeboat stayed alongside for over two hours until the puffer was out of danger.

“A coastguard said later the Sealight was refloated under her own power. She was not damaged and is now safe. The Sealight which was built in Greenock in 1930 had taken a cargo of coal to Bruichladdich for the local whisky distillery, and was returning to Troon, Ayrshire, without cargo. It was because she was light that she was carried adrift by the gale. In addition to the skipper, she carries a fireman, an engineer, a deckhand, and the mate. She is owned by Messrs Ross & Marshall, Ltd., of Greenock”—Scotsman, December 31, 1956

Sealight went aground again in 1963 and subsequently was broken up.

In 1948, after the second world war, the Light Shipping Co., Ltd. of Glasgow acquired two VICs built by Messrs R. Dunston, Ltd., Thorne in South Yorkshire. VIC 23 was built in 1942 renamed Limelight. VIC 26 followed in 1943 and was renamed Polarlight by her new owners. Both were the standard 66¾ feet in length by 18½ feet in the beam and driven by 2-cylinder compound engines.

Limelight at Portree in 1949 (Valentine)

The puffer’s ability to get into tight corners and close to the shore is revealed by the use of Limelight in cable laying.

“First stage in Commonwealth link-up.—The first stage of a Commonwealth telephonic link-up was completed yesterday at Oban, when the shore end of the new Transatlantic cable to Canada was brought ashore. Over 100 Post Office technicians and workmen were involved as the cable was winched from the puffer Limelight and connected up to the shore station. Later the puffer took the cable out to sea, where it was attached to a buoy and where it will be picked up later by the Transatlantic cable ship Monarch and laid across the Atlantic. The cable, which is about 3 inches in diameter, will have submerged repeaters every 30 miles along its length, which will boost the 60 telephone circuits over the 2000 miles to Newfoundland, where it will eventually link up with the 32,000-mile cable to be completed in two years time between Vancouver and Sydney Australia.”—Scotsman, March 7, 1961

Limelight was purchased by Messrs M. Brown & Co., Greenock and renamed Cloch Lass. Polarlight was sold to Earnbank Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd., for sand dredging on the Tay.

Puffers of the Light Shipping Co., Ltd., better known under the name of the managers, Ross & Marshall, sported a red funnel with a white band and black top.

The Light Shipping Co., Ltd., had a veteran puffer, Mellite, built as the barge Salisbury in 1886, and converted to steam power in 1888. She passed to Alexander Ross in 1904, and was frequently used for salvage work. Latterly she was used as a water-carrier for the Cunard and Canadian Pacific liners that moored off Greenock. She was broken-up in 1968.

Mellite in Greenock Harbour

Tendering to Empress of Britain

Mellite from a Canadian Pacific Empress.

The Sir James, pictured above at Crinan, began life as VIC 82, one of the larger VIC puffers built for the Ministry of War Transport in 1944 by Messrs J. Harker, Ltd., at Knottingly in Yorkshire in the River Aire. Her length was 80½ feet and breadth 20ft, suitable for the Crinan Canal. VIC 82 was purchased by Messrs A. E. Chapman, Cardiff, in 1948 and renamed Sir James. She had some difficulties in stormy weather.

“Girvan, and Troon, Ayrshire.—At 6.48 on the evening of the 5th of May, 1954, the Portpatrick coastguard telephoned the Girvan life-boat station that the S.S. Sir James, of Cardiff, was drifting ashore between Heads of Ayr and Turnberry lighthouse. At 9.20 the life-boat Frank and William Oates was launched. The sea was rough, and a fresh gale was blowing from the north-west. At nine o’clock a newspaper reporter told the Troon life-boat station that he had heard an SOS from the Sir James on his wireless set, and at 9.50 the life-boat Sir David Richmond of Glasgow was launched. She found the steamer off Turnberry lighthouse at 12.50 early on the 6th, escorted her to Whiting Bay, and returned to her station, arriving at 5.30. The Girvan life-boat had returned to her station at 11.30 on the night of the 5th.”—RNLI Lifeboat Magazine Archive.

“Portrush, Co. Antrim.—At 2.36 on the morning of the 13th of December, 1955, the coastguard rang up to say that the coaster Sir James, of London, which had a crew of five, was sheltering in Church Bay, Rathlin Island, but was dragging her anchor. She was close to the shore, and at three o’clock the life-boat Lady Scott, Civil Service No. 4 was launched. There was a rough sea, a moderate south-east wind was blowing, and the tide was flooding. The life-boat stood by the Sir James while she manoeuvred herself clear of the shore, and then escorted her to Portrush, arriving at nine o’clock.”—RNLI Lifeboat Magazine Archive.

In 1955, she was sold to Messrs J. Hay & Sons, Ltd., and in their service Sir James took part in the rescue of survivors of the Swedish Ore Carrier Akka that grounded on the Gantocks off Dunoon on April 9, 1956, and heeled over on her port side into deep water. Sir James had been moored at Dunoon.

“Dunoon Council pay tribute.—before last night’s meeting of Dunoon Town Council the councillors and officials paid silent tribute to the men who lost their lives when Akka sank. It was agreed that a message of sympathy from the Council should be sent to the relatives of the dead men. The Provost Mr. C. M. Black said he was proud of Dunoon following the events of the previous night. The tragedy came with such startling suddenness that he was amazed at the performance of the local services. He also paid tribute to the skipper and crew of the puffer Sir James.”—Scotsman, April 11, 1956

In 1957, Sir James passed to Mr Ian Dutch for the sand-trade on the Tay, and when acquired by Messrs D. & R. Taylor (Earnbank) in 1963, was scrapped.

VIC 89 was built by Messrs R. Dunston, Ltd., Thorne in South Yorkshire in 1944, and was similar to the earlier VIC-vessels from the same yard. In 1947, she was acquired by Messrs Hamilton & M‘Phail of Glasgow, and renamed Glenaray.

Glenary beached for unloading coal at Ratagan on Loch Duich

Glenary unloading at Ratagan

In 1955, she was chartered to the Post Office to lay the end of the Transatlantic Cable from Newfoundland, that came ashore at Gallannach Bay, south of Oban.

“The Transatlantic cable.—All Ready for Link-up near Oban—The stage is now set for the first part of the link-up of the first transatlantic telephone cable which will probably take place on September 20 at a point two miles out into the Atlantic opposite the land terminal station which has been erected at a point south of Oban. On that date it is hoped that H.M.T.S. Monarch, the largest cable-laying ship in the world, which has already laid the first of the twin cables from Clarenville in Nova Scotia, across the Atlantic, will arrive at this point and connect up with a two-mile section of cable which was laid out to sea from the terminal station on Monday. H.M.T.S. Iris, the Clydeside puffer Glenaray, and over 50 engineers and workmen of the G.P.O. took part in this operation over the weekend while engineers from America were also present. The services of the puffer were required owing to the nature of the coastline for the Iris could not be brought close enough ashore to lead the cable on to the land.

“The operations were actually, held up for a day owing to the late arrival of the puffer which had to lie up at Barra owing to weather conditions on Saturday. That day, members of the crew of the Iris marked off the various positions on the coastline in readiness for the cable-laying operations and then returned to Oban Bay where she lay at anchor over the weekend. The Glenaray, captained by Mr John Ross, Balfron, arrived late on Sunday evening and at 6 o’clock the following morning she tied up alongside the Iris and work commenced loading two section of two miles each of heavily armoured cable into her hold. The cable was led out of the holds of the Iris and carried overside by specially erected apparatus and down into the puffer’s hold where nine members of the cable-laying ship’s crew carefully guided it into large coils. This operation completed within four hours, the two vessels steamed south of Oban to the spot where cable-laying was to take place. The puffer was reversed into the tiny bay and anchored within ten feet of the rocky shore where she was firmly tied into the right position by four hawsers—two aft and two forward. There a buoy was picked up and the steel hawser which had been attached to it was firmly fixed to the end of the first cable. This was then pulled ashore and the cable led through a steel pipe into a ditch along which it travelled over a series of small pulleys towards the entrance to the terminal tunnel. A special grip on the cable allowed it to be pulled by a wire hawser from a winch and as the cable came ashore about 40 G.P.O. workmen handled it carefully coiling it on a grassy bank so that it would not kink. Fullv 175 yards of this cable were stretched out in this fashion after which a test between the end remaining on the puffer and the shore end was carried out by engineers and the cable declared in top order. Next the puffer sailed out of the bay following carefully a line of marking buoys, paying out the cable over her stern as she steamed slowly the two miles out to sea.

“The end of the cable, marked by a buoy, had a heavy steel hawser attached and when the Monarch arrives she will grapple for this hawser and the end of the cable will then be lifted from the sea-bed and the work of joining the two cables will commence. On Tuesday the operation in the bay was repeated and another stretch of cable led two miles out to sea. This will be connected up next year when the second of the transatlantic cables will be joined up and the new transatlantic telephone cable service between the United Kingdom and the United States and Canada will be in operation.

“When the first cable is joined up by the Monarch, tests will immediately be carried out. Only speech in One Direction will be possible until the second cable is laid next year. It is hoped that the new service will be in operation by December 1956 at the latest, when a subscriber in this country can telephone a person on the other side of the Atlantic just as easily as connecting up with any subscriber in a neighbouring town.

“At present telephone communication with North America is by radio telephone and the first circuit was opened in 1927. The traffic reached 101,000 calls in 1954, but despite improvements in radio techniques, the 16 circuits now working are subject to fade-outs under poor radio conditions, and their number cannot be greatly increased because sufficient wavelengths are not available. The cable-laying system now under construction will provide, in place of the existing radio circuits, high grade and reliable telephone circuits between the United Kingdom and North America, 29 to the United States and 6 to Canada. The transatlantic section of the cable system will be about 2000 nautical miles from the terminal station south of Oban to Clarenville Newfoundland, and the cable will continue overland for 60 miles across that country where it will connect with another submarine cable of 274 nautical miles to Nova Scotia. Due to rising costs on both sides of the Atlantic this new system may now cost £15 million instead of £12½ million as was forecast in December 1953. Ownership will be shared between the four parties to the agreement.”—Oban Times September 10, 1955

Glenary at Ardrishaig in 1960 (Valentine)

Other puffers owned by Messrs G. & G. Hamilton were Glen Rosa, mentioned earlier, Invercloy, Rivercloy, and the Glencloy. They had red, black-topped funnels.

Invercloy was built at Larne in 1904 and was 66¾ feet long by 18½ feet in the beam and was powered by a 2-cylinder compound engine. Her end came in 1934, and she was replaced by another steamer of the same name the following year.

Invercloy at Portree in 1932 with MacBrayne’s Fusilier (Judges)

“While proceeding from Glasgow to Port-Ellen, Islay, in a dense fog Saturday morning, the lighter Invercloy, owned by Messrs G. & G. Hamilton, Glasgow, struck the reef in Polliwilline Bay, known as ‘Arranman Barrels.’ She was badly holed and was unable to get off. The crew of four, after considerable difficulty, managed to launch their small lifeboat, and get ashore. On landing they were taken to Polliwilline Farm, where Mr and Mrs Galbraith did everything possible to make them comfortable. The members of the crew were:—John Dewar (married), Earl Street, Scotstoun, Glasgow, skipper: Matthew Spence (married), Springfield Road, Glasgow, engineer: John Gillies (single), 145 Nelson Street, Glasgow, mate: and Alexander Ramsay (single), Stewarton Drive, Cambuslang, deck-hand. Ramsay told the story in his words:— “The puffer struck the reef at the back of five o’clock on Saturday morning. The fog was very dense, in fact, we could hardly see 20 yards in front of us. Gillies sounded the siren several times before we left the Invercloy. As the wind was coming off the sea we had considerable difficulty in launching our small boat. There was a heavy sea running at the time, and had we launched her on the low side (the boat was lying on a heavy list) she might have been smashed to pieces. We had, therefore, to put out from the high side. Once the boat was out it was plain sailing. The wind and tide were in our favour, and we had little difficulty in making for the shore. Apparently someone had heard our siren because on landing we were met by the children from Polliwilline Farm, Mary Galbraith (13) and Hector Galbraith (11). They had come through the wet grass and over the rocks to direct us to their house— and that at six o’clock in the morning. Mary Galbraith afterwards cycled with me to the Coastguard Station at Southend, but the communication lines to Campbeltown were disconnected and we could not put through a ’phone call. Two hours later I wired the owners from Southend Post Office informing them of the mishap. “In conclusion, Ramsay said that he would have to join the army of unemployed now, unless they could get a berth on another boat.”

“On Sunday morning Ramsay and Gillies, returned to the Invercloy, but although they could see the kettle on the stove, and dishes laid on the table through the water, they could save nothing. All their possessions, excluding the clothes they wore, and a few other garments were lost. The coal was being washed away, and the two men were forced to arrive to the conclusion that their boat was doomed. The crew abandoned the vessel and arrived in Campbeltown on Monday morning, and reported to Mr Thompson, agent for Shipwrecked Mariners. They left for home that afternoon. We understand that before striking the reef, the Invercloy had dropped anchor but less than three hours after dropping anchor, the tide was turning her in circles and the waves were lashing over the sides so mercilessly that the skipper was compelled to try to find a safer anchorage. The skipper and crew wish us to publicly thank Captain and Mrs Galbraith on their behalf for the hospitality extended to them at Polliwilline Farm.”—Campbeltown Courier, June 23, 1934

The first Glencloy was built with a wooden hull at Brodick in 1895, and was just 60 feet long by 18 feet broad. She was involved mainly in the coal trade to Arran, returning to the mainland with sand or agricultural products such as potatoes, and was sold in 1911 to Irish owners.

The first Glencloy in the port at Brodick

A second Glencloy, with an iron hull and of classic puffer dimensions was built at Larne for the owners in 1911. She is seen at Bowling, possibly taken in part exchange for her replacement of the same name, built by Messrs Scott & Sons, Bowling.

The second Glencloy at Bowling with the puffer tanker Clydegate

At 84½ feet in length by 19½ feet in breadth, the third Glencloy was built in 1930 by Messrs Scott & Sons, for transiting the Crinan Canal but was too large for the Forth and Clyde Canal.

“Mishaps to vessels.— Collision in narrows of Skye—At dawn in the narrows of Skye, at Kyle Rhea on Saturday morning, the coaster Glencloy was in collision with the herring drifter Laurel Crown. The drifter, which was a wooden one, was so severely damaged that she began to sink rapidly, and had to make for the shore with all speed  where she grounded. The crew of the Laurel Crown went ashore at Kyle. The skipper stated that they had left Banff on Thursday for their fishing trip and that they made their first catch of 50 crans of herring at Sand Bay, in the Island of Lewis, on Friday night They were on their way to Mallaig with their catch when the mishap occurred. Their vessel was damaged above and below the water-line.”—Scotsman, December 12, 1938

Glencloy at Kyleakin in 1937 (Judges)

Glencloy saw service in the second world war at Scapa Flow, and in 1947 was involved in the rescue of a private plane near Rhum.

“Couple rescued by puffer.—Captain and Mrs E. J. Hayes, of St Mary’s, Scilly Isles, and their black spaniel spent five anxious hours on the sea near Rhum on Sunday, when their two-seater holiday land plane made a forced landing on the water Fearing that the plane would sink Mrs Hayes had during this time sat on the wing, while her husband tried to signal passing vessels. They were finally seen and picked up by the puffer Glencloy. Mr and Mrs Hayes, who were spending a flying holiday in the Highlands, left Stornoway at 11 a.m. on Sunday, intending to fly to Balado Airfield, Kinross, in their 140 m.p.h. Miles Gemini aircraft. They took the sea route as far as possible owing to the misty conditions on the mainland.

“Near Rhum one of the engines failed, and Captain Hayes changed course in an endeavour to make Tiree. Shortly after this the other engine began to misfire, and the plane gradually lost height until it finally skimmed the sea and came to a halt. During their anxious vigil several ships were seen in the offing, but none of these noticed the signals for help. At about five o’clock they were sighted by one of the crew of the 138-ton puffer Glencloy, which was on a voyage from Troon to Lochboisdale.

“The skipper, John Bruce of Ardrishaig, immediately set course for the plane, and a lifeboat was lowered and manned by members of the crew, among whom were Neil MacVicar, mate; William Heath, engineer, of Ardrishaig, and William Malcolm, fireman of Greenock. In the meantime S.O.S. messages had been sent out by the R.A.F. Headquarters at Pitreavie, Fife—‘‘Watch out for Miles Gemini on flight Stornoway to Balado Airfield, Kinross.”

“Giving an account of the rescue, Skipper Bruce said—“It was at half-past five when we sighted the plane, but as there was a heavy sea running, we could not approach too closely. The lifeboat was lowered, and the crew went across to investigate. They signalled to me that there were two people in the plane, and to make the job easier, I jettisoned oil to windward of the plane. The lifeboat came back with Mr and Mrs Hayes and their spaniel dog. They seemed to be utterly exhausted, and we took them below to my cabin and gave them a hot meal. We circled the plane, and I decided to try to salvage it in spite of the weather. Another barrel of oil went overboard, and we got close enough to the plane to enable us to hoist it aboard with the derrick. It is a mystery how the plane remained water-borne so long.” The rescued flyers and their plane were taken by the Glencloy to Tobermory, where they were put up at a hotel until Monday forenoon. At 11 o’clock on Monday the Glencloy proceeded with them to Oban, where they and their plane were landed in the afternoon. By this time they had partly recovered from the ordeal, but Captain Hayes said they still felt pretty tired. They made their return journey home by train and boat.”—Oban Times, September 13, 1947

Glencloy at Ardrishaig

Glencloy at Brodick in 1947

Glencloy at Brodick in 1950

Glencloy at Inveralligin

Glencloy was sold in 1966, and scrapped the following year.

Crinan Basin was a favorite place to view puffers as they waited for the tide or improved weather to continue their journey northwards.

Two puffers in Crinan Basin. New sea-locks at Crinan and Ardrishaig were built in the years between 1930 and 1932. This photograph pre-dates their construction

It is often difficult to identify the name of puffers in old photographs.

An unidentified puffer passing Cairnbaan

Cairnbaan

The old sea-lock at Ardrishaig

Tiree on the right in Crinan Basin in 1923. MacBrayne’s Handa is in the turning basin for Linnet that can also be seen (Valentine)

Tiree was built by Messrs Scott & Sons of Bowling in 1907 for Messrs C. & J. Lamont of Tiree. She was 66¼ feet by 18¼ feet, and driven by a 2-cylinder compound engine. Her early life was eventful.

“Turbine steamer aground. —The passengers by the turbine steamer Queen Alexandra to Campbeltown yesterday had an unusual experience, the steamer grounding on a sandbank a short distance from the pier, and the services of a steam lighter having to be requisitioned to convey them to the usual landing stage. When about 60 yards from the new pier the Queen Alexandra took the ground and remained fast. The steam lighter Tiree, a fishing skiff, and several small boats put off to the steamer in case assistance should be required. The lighter tried to come close enough to the turbine to allow of a rope being passed, but was driven away to leeward by the strength of the wind, and had to make a wide sweep before again approaching the steamer. The second attempt was more successful, and ropes having been passed from the turbine, the lighter came alongside and the passengers, some 80 in number, were transferred. The vessel remained on the bank for three hours, floating about 4 o’clock with the rising tide. She sailed on her return passage half an hour later. It is not expected that she has sustained any damage.”—Scotsman, July 11, 1908

In 1910, the engineer of the Tiree was killed in a horrific accident.

“Engineer’s death on steam lighter.—While the steam lighter Tiree, of Glasgow, from Oban to Barra under charter of Messrs Patterson, of Oban, was proceeding north on Monday night, a fatal accident occurred off Calve Island, near Tobermory. The engineer, Lachlan M‘Phail, went to keep his watch in the engine-room, and some time later the captain went down to light a lamp. The captain states that he saw the engineer firing the boilers, and that when he had finished he stumbled backwards among the machinery. The captain at once stopped the engines but death had to be instantaneous. The vessel proceeded to Tobermory where the medical officer inspected the body. M‘Phail was a native of Islay. He had been engineer on the Tiree for one month.”—Campbeltown Courier, August 27, 1910

Spartan on the Canal at Lochgilphead

Captain Lamont sold the Tiree to Messrs J. Hay in 1924 and she was renamed Spartan. She was lost in 1946 in the Firth of Lorne when she struck a mine.

Triton at Oban North Pier

Triton was another puffer built by Messrs Scott & Sons, Bowling, in 1899 for the Glasgow Steam Coaster Co., Ltd. (Paton & Hendry). Her dimensions were 66½ feet in length by 18¼ feet in breadth. Like so many of her contemporaries she was engaged in carrying barley and coal to the western islands and highlands, returning with whatever cargoes were offered.

“The first barley to arrive for the season is being discharged at the quay to-day from the puffer Triton. The consignment is only 100 tons, however, and is for the Benmore Distillery.”—Campbeltown Courier, October 2, 1909

Triton was also involved in the salvage of the steamer Deerpark in the Sound of Skye, accompanying the Warrior in bringing her into Tobermory in September, 1913.

Triton in the Canal in 1933 (Valentine)

Triton passed through many hands and in 1933 she was lost while under the ownership of Henry P. Bisland, Glasgow.

“Glasgow Coaster on Rocks in Skye.—Crew’s perilous ordeal.—The Glasgow steamer Triton, of 110 tons’ carrying capacity, was driven ashore by a south-westerly gale at Suishnish, between Lochs Slapin and Eishort, Skye. The crew of four men succeeded, after a severe struggle, in reaching the shore in their own boat, which was nearly swamped. They were accommodated in a shepherd’s cottage, and provided with food and dry clothing. Meantime the life-saving crew at Kyle of Lochalsh had set out, in answer to their first call. Under District-Officer T. Smith, they crossed the Sound to Skye, and then motored 20 miles to where the ship was lying, to find their services were not required. The master of the Triton, Mr A. Thomson, of Glasgow, stated that on the trip from Glenelg to Glasgow with a cargo talc, heavy weather was experienced. At Ardnamurchan they had to turn back and run for shelter. Off Suishnish she was unable to make sufficient headway in the heavy seas, and was driven on to the rocks about nine in the morning. She is likely to become total wreck. The Triton is owned by Mr S. P. Bisland, of Cathcart, Glasgow, and is usually engaged in the coal trade.”—Scotsman, December 19, 1933

Ixion was also bult by Messrs Scott & Sons, Bowling, for Messrs John S. Munro and James Findlay of Glasgow in 1902. Her dimensions were 66 feet in length by 18 feet in breadth. She passed to the Glasgow Steam Coaster Co., Ltd. (Paton & Hendry) in 1903. On 15th September 1908 near Dunbuck Light, her mate, John O’Donnell was attempting to place a fender in position when he fell overboard and was drowned. He was just 19 years old.

A distant view of Ixion at Campbeltown

Ixion at Crinan in 1913 (Valentine)

In 1920 Ixion was sold to owners on the east coast of Scotland but returned to the Clyde in 1927 under the ownership of Robert M‘Kinlay. She was scrapped in 1934.

Hafton was built of steel by Messrs Munro & Co., Glasgow in 1910 for Messrs John M‘Creath and Charles Hendry of Hunter’s Quay. She was 66 feet in length by 18 feet in the beam and 7 feet in depth with a 15 h.p. engine. She could be found sailing far and wide and was a useful boat with good capacity. In 1915, John M‘Creath purchased her outright. She was sold to Alexander M‘Lean of Glasgow in 1933 and sank on February 9th of that year.

Hafton at Ardrishaig in 1924 (Valentine)

“Steam Lighter Sinks—Crew’s narrow escape.—The steam lighter Hafton, trading between Glasgow and the Hebrides, sprang a leak and sank in the Firth of Lorne on Saturday. Captain Alexander M‘Lean, who is also the owner of the vessel, and the crew of four made their escape from the sinking ship with very little time to spare, The Hafton was proceeding from Bowling to the Isle of Mull with a cargo of coal and had made several calls on the Argyll coast. She left Toberonochy, in the island of Luing, her last call before going to Mull, in the early morning, and was about nine miles on her journey when the ship’s engineer raised the alarm that the boat was rapidly filling with water.

“Her position was in the neighbourhood of the Holy Isle, one of the most dangerous parts on the West Coast. Flares and the blowing of the ship’s siren failed to attract attention. The water quickly filled the engine-room, and as there was a danger of the boiler exploding a small rowing boat was launched and the captain and crew pulled away from the ship. They lost all their possessions, and, to add to their discomfort, they were tossed about in their small craft until daybreak, when they managed to pull ashore at Ellanbeich, in the island of Seil. All of them were exhausted after their terrifying ordeal, but recovered after receiving attention.”—Campbeltown Courier, September 9, 1933

Two Larne built puffers came to grief in 1954 off the island of Eigg.

Jennie on the Clyde

Lythe and Glen Rosa at Ardrishaig

Jennie at Bellanoch Bridge on the Crinan Canal in 1932 (Valentine)

Jennie in Crinan Basin

Jennie at Oban

Jennie was 67 feet in length by 18½ feet in breadth and was built in Northern Ireland by the Larne Shipbuilding Co. for Captain Malcolm Campbell of Glasgow in 1902. She was wrecked on Sgorr Sgaileach off Eigg in February 1954. In attempting to salvage her cargo of coal, the puffer Lythe was also claimed by the rock.

Lythe was built in 1908 for Messrs Thomas Trattles of Whitby, also by the Larne Shipbuilding Co. She was sold to Belfast owners before coming to Glasgow in 1923 under the ownership of Messrs Robert Cameron. She was 66½ feet long by 18½ feet in the beam, and was yet another vessel involved in serving the distilleries on the west coast of Scotland.

Lythe at Troon

In early January, 1928, Lythe was on the rocks three miles north east of Bruichladdich resting on “big stone and gravel forward and sand and stones aft,” with 3 feet of water in the engine room and 2 feet in the hold. The Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Association’s officer was present on January 5th and reported the most of the holds ceiling was lifted in the morning and landings and rivets had started in several places but there were indications of more serious damage that had not been located. He felt that prospects were good but that neither Warlight nor Lochiel had arrived with gear. The following day, he reported a whole gale and heavy run in the loch, and that he had to scuttle the vessel to prevent further bottom damage. On January 7th, he reported that he had located damage on the port bilge on Saturday afternoon; rivets broken and seam open over three spaces half-inch at worst. He indicated that it would take fine weather for effective repair and that he had to scuttle the ship again to avoid further damage. On Sunday there was a half-gale all day and that conditions had not improved on Monday, leaving the vessel scuttled. On the 12th he reported that conditions improved the previous day and the worst of the damage was dealt with from inside but that there was a half-gale from S.S.W. that day, and a heavy sea. The saga dragged on. The officer telegraphed on the 21st that the owner had arrived and on the previous night, he had to scuttle the Lythe again in the teeth of a strong southerly wind. The puffer was pumped out again in the morning but was scuttled again to prevent damage.

Lythe in the Crinan Canal

Lythe and Na Kiel in Greenock Harbour

Lythe was salved and remained in service with Robert Cameron. In 1947 she passed to Messrs MacNeill & Co., Greenock, and in her end came in 1954. While she was involved in the salvage of the cargo of the Jennie, sunk at Sgorr Sgaileach, Eigg, she struck on the rock and was herself sunk.

The long-established lighter firm of J. & J. Hay & Co. Ltd, of Glasgow built their own lighters at their yard in Kirkintilloch on the Forth and Clyde canal. The company also grew by purchasing older craft like the Tiree, when their owners decided to retire or got into financial difficulties. Frequently, lighters that sank and were written-off by insurance, were then salvaged and brought to Kirkintilloch for repair. Although not exclusively, the company used tribal or national names for their puffer fleet. The Moor, described above, was typical.

In 1963, Messrs J & J Hay amalgamated with Messrs G & G Hamilton to form Messrs Hay Hamilton Ltd. In 1968 Hay Hamilton merged with Messrs Ross & Marshall Ltd, forming a new company called Glenlight Shipping Ltd.

To compensate for the loss of Spartan, lost to a mine in 1946, the company acquired VIC 18 in 1946, built by them at the Kirkintilloch yard in 1942 for the Ministry of War Transport. She was named Spartan, and in 1961 was converted to diesel, continuing sailing until 1980.

Spartan at Dunardary Locks

Polarlight and Spartan in Crinan Basin

Messrs Hay also constructed puffers for their own use during the war years.

Cretan in the locks from Crinan to the summit

Cretan was built by Hay & Sons Ltd, Kirkintilloch for the parent company, J. Hay & Sons, Ltd., Glasgow, in 1939, and was 66 feet in length by 17 ½ feet in the beam. She replaced a vessel of the same name that is detailed below. The 1939-built Cretan had a few narrow escapes in her quarter century of service.

Cretan in Rothesay Harbour in the 1950s

“Puffer crew’s narrow escape.—The crew of the Clyde puffer Cretan had a narrow escape from being trapped in their quarters to-day when the cargo shifted and the vessel developed a 45 degree list in Dunoon Harbour and the sea started to pour in. The Cretan, owned by J. Hay & Sons Ltd., Glasgow, yesterday loaded spent oxide, a by-product from Dunoon gas works. Shortly after midnight the cargo shifted and the vessel gave a sudden lurch. The skipper and crew rushed on deck and found the sea washing into the hold. They scrambled ashore. The Cretan was left high and dry when the tide receded. A representative of the owners said to-day that the Cretan was loaded while she was resting on the bottom of the harbour. “They wouldn’t know how she was going to trim until she floated,” he said. The vessel sailed on this afternoon’s tide.”—Edinburgh Evening News, August 31, 1954

“Kirkintilloch-built puffer heels over—Narrow escape for crew.—The three-man crew of the Kirkintilloch-built puffer, the Cretan, belonging to Messrs. J. Hay and Sons, Glasgow, had a narrow escape from being trapped in their cabin last week when their ship developed a list of 45 degrees as she lay at Dunoon harbour and the sea started to pour in. The ship had been loading bog ore from Dunoon gasworks but the loading had not been completed when the work finished last night. The skipper. J. Forbes of Glasgow. and the crew, Duncan Dewar, Lochgilphead, and Ian McDonald, Tiree, went to bed. Shortly after midnight the ship gave a sudden lurch. They rushed on deck to find the sea pouring into the hold and it was with difficulty they were able to scramble ashore. When the tide receded the puffer was left high and dry and work proceeded on righting the cargo. The Cretan was built and launched at Messrs. Hay’s Kirkintilloch yards.”—Kirkintilloch Herald, September 8, 1954

Later, on November 26 of the same year, she went aground off Bogany Point, near Craigmore, Bute, and the master and crew of two were taken off by a Naval launch. She was raised and repaired to continue in service until 1965.

The vessel that the 1939-Cretan replaced was built at Kirkintilloch in 1910, and was well known in the barley trade from the east coast of Scotland, through the Forth and Clyde Canal to Campbeltown and Islay distilleries. She was wrecked when she dragged her anchors in a storm in January, 1939.

Cretan at Kingairloch 1910

“Lighter Aground—Mishap at Mull while making for shelter.—The steam lighter Cretan, of Glasgow—owners, J. Hay & Sons , Ltd.—while on passage to the island of Inchkenneth, off the west coast of Mull, on Saturday, was forced by a gale, heavy snow showers, and poor visibility, to make for the head of Loch Na Keal for shelter. She grounded at Rudh an Dobhrain, near Killichronan, and remains fast, making water. The crew of four are standing by for a day or two with hopes of refloating the vessel, and are being accommodated at a nearby farm. The master is Mr William M‘Ilwaine, of Isle Magee, County Antrim. The lighter was proceeding light to take to Glasgow the effects of the late Lady Boulton, who liferented Inchkenneth. In December last the island was acquired by Lady Redesdale.”—Scotsman, January 9, 1939

“Puffer sinks.—When the Glasgow puffers were practically regular traders to Montrose, one of the most familiar was the Cretan, which frequently took barley to the West Coast. When lying at anchor in Loch-na-Keal, Isle of Mull, on Saturday, she was caught in a sudden gale and swept ashore on the rocks. Her crew of four managed to jump to safety but it is feared the vessel will a total loss. The skipper of the craft, William M‘Ilwaine, Isle Magee, has visited Montrose several times. The Cretan, which was built in 1910, is owned by Messrs J. Hay & Sons, Glasgow, who stated that she went to the west coast of Mull to load a cargo of furniture for Glasgow.”—Montrose Standard January 13, 1939

“Lighter driven ashore.—The steam lighter, Cretan, a frequent visitor to Campbeltown Harbour with general cargoes, was driven ashore during a severe gale and heavy snow-storm in the early hours of Saturday morning in Lochnakeal, on the West coast of the Island of Mull. The vessel had arrived at Inchkenneth for the purpose of shipping a cargo of furniture, but owing, to the gale, she had to run for shelter to Lochnakeal, where her anchors failed to hold, and she was driven ashore below Kellan Farm. Captain Macilwaine and the crew managed to battle their way in the ship’s boat to the shore, and reach the farm, where they were cared for by Mr and Mrs Mackay, the occupants. It is expected that the Cretan, though damaged, will be refloated.”—Campbeltown Courier, January 14, 1939

“For Sale.—The Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Association invites offers for the hull and machinery of the S.L. Cretan, of Glasgow, as she now lies stranded on her starboard side in Loch na Keal. Island of Mull. The Cretan is a steel screw steamer, 92 tons gross register. Dimensions, 66.5 x 18.0 x 8.6. Built at Glasgow 1910. Compound direct acting vertical Tandem Engine, 10 ins 21 ins x 15 ins stroke; 100 indicated h.p. working 100 lbs Boiler Pressure. Above particulars are not guaranteed. The highest or any offer may not be accepted. Offers to be lodged on or before 12 noon on Friday, 27th January, 1939, with the Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Association, Royal Exchange Buildings, Glasgow.”—Scotsman, January 16, 1939

The Cretan was salved and repaired and entered service with Messrs Elizabeth Hardie & Daniel M‘Neil of Greenock, renamed Na Kiel. She was broken up in 1952.

Na Kiel

Kaffir was ordered from Messrs Hay & Sons, Ltd., Kirkintilloch, as a VIC but the order was cancelled and she was completed in 1944 for the parent company. She was 66¾ feet in length, and 18½ feet in breadth and driven by a 2-cylinder engine of 17 h.p.

Kaffir in the Crinan Canal

“Gales delay shipping.—One of the worst gales of the winter swept the Argyll coast yesterday. The Clyde steam lighter Kaffir was towing a barge from Glasgow to the Caledonian Canal when the tow rope broke in a storm off Ardencastle Point. The barge was thrown on to the rocks on the west side of the island of Seil and is believed to be lost. The Kaffircontinued to Oban for shelter.”—Daily Record, October 7, 1952

In 1961, she was converted to a Diesel-motor vessel. Her end came off Ayr in 1974.

Kaffir in Rothesay Bay, after conversion to Diesel

“Navy rescues skipper of puffer that grounded.—The skipper of a Glasgow puffer was lifted by helicopter from his boat after attempts to free her from rocks outside Ayr Harbour yesterday proved unsuccessful. Mr Charles Marr (66), 3 Croftbank Street, Uddingston, was rescued by a Royal Navy helicopter after the air-sea rescue services had been called in by Ayrshire police. The puffer was berthed in Ayr’s wet dock on Monday night and loaded with 118 tons of coal for Rothesay. The crew were ashore when the boat disappeared. Police discovered her fast on the rocks north of the entrance to Ayr Harbour. The harbour pilot boat took Skipper Marr out to the Kaffir and police arrested a man on board. During the night Mr Marr worked to free the Kaffir from the rocks but eventually yesterday morning had to give up the task as a freshening wind made conditions more and more difficult. It was then that Ayrshire police contacted air-sea rescue. A man appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court yesterday charged with the theft of the Kaffir. He pleaded not guilty and was allowed bail of £30, pending trial on October 16. Last night the Kaffir was still aground.”—Scotsman, September 25, 1974

“Wayward voyage of the Kaffir.—The skipper and the deck hand of the puffer Kaffir were having a drink in a public-house the night she put out of Ayr Harbour with only the engineer on board and ended up on the rocks north of the harbour entrance. Ayr Sheriff Court was told this yesterday when the engineer, John Henderson (31), of Shorebridge Street, Pollokshaws, Glasgow, was imprisoned for six months after he had been found guilty of stealing the Kaffir. The £20,000 boat and her cargo of coal, which was bound for Rothesay, have been given up by the owners, the Glenlight Shipping Company, of Glasgow, as beyond salvage. Henderson was a last-minute replacement for the Kaffir’s regular engineer who fell ill on September 23. He telephoned the owners’ Glasgow office by chance soon after the Kaffir’s skipper had sought a replacement for the engineer. Henderson, a former employee of the company, was taken on and, was told to go to Ayr at once and join the two other members of the crew. In evidence yesterday Henderson told Sheriff George S. Reid he had a drink in a harbour public-house where he had expected to find the skipper. He was not there, Henderson said, so he went on board.

“Henderson told the court he thought the skipper might be under the influence of drink somewhere and decided “out of loyalty” to take the boat to Rothesay himself. But after he had gone part of the voyage he had second thoughts and turned back. He missed the lights at the harbour entrance and ran aground. Henderson claimed he had more than once taken a puffer to sea on his own with a skipper on board but “incapable.” An agent for Henderson claimed there had been no attempt by the accused to deprive the owners permanently of the boat. Sheriff Reid told Henderson: “I am quite satisfied you took the boat out recklessly and clandestinely. This charge is clearly proved in my view.”—Scotsman, October 17, 1974.

The last puffer built at Kirkintilloch by Messrs Hay & Sons, Ltd., was Chindit, in 1945. In a gale on November 20, 1959, Chindit was moored at the coal pier, Dunoon, with her crew ashore. She broke her moorings and was blown to Port Riddell, coming to rest alongside the Alexandra Promenade between Dunoon and Kirn. She was broken up at Bowling the following year.

Chindit unloading at a remote jetty

The Kirkintilloch boatyard remained opened for repairs until 1961, a year or so before the Forth and Clyde Canal itself was closed.

Starfinch was built by Mesrs Peter M‘Gregor & Sons, Kirkintilloch in 1920 for the coal and ore carriers, Messrs E. H. Bennett & Co., Newport, Monmouthshire. At 75¼ feet in length by 18½ feet in breadth, she was too long for the locks on the Forth and Clyde Canal, and her builders brought her through the canal with her bow stowed in her hold. The bow was then attached on the slip at Bowling. Starfinch and three of her newly built fleet-mates, Benfinch, Kenfinch, and Rockfinchwere advertised for sale in February 1921, suggesting that her owners had some financial difficulties, and she passed to other hands, including a spell on charter to Messrs Burns & Laird. Messrs George M Patterson brought her to the Clyde in 1930 and in 1950, she was purchased by Messrs J. Hay & Sons, Ltd. Her end came in 1952.

Starfinch at Banavie in 1924 (Valentine)

“Puffer crew rescued in heavy seas.—Thrilling action by Milford Trawler.—A daring rescue in heavy seas and in darkness, of the crew of five of a disabled puffer, by the crew of a Milford Haven trawler, 15 miles west of Heisker Lighthouse, near the island of Canna, took place on Thursday evening. The members of the crew, who included an Argyll man, were landed at Oban by the trawler late on Friday night more than 24 bours after their terrifying experience. The ill-fated ship was Starfinch, a 114-ton Clyde steam lighter, which was taking coal to the Island of Barra. The crew were Captain Cyrus Alexander, Hoy Street, Glasgow; Wm. Noble, Inverurie Street, Glasgow; Alex. MacKinnon, Acharacle; Angus Brown, Raeberry Street, Glasgow; and J. Meffan, Caledonia Road, Glasgow. The Starfinch is owned by J. Hay & Son, West Regent Street, Glasgow.

“The story of the rescue was told to an Oban Times reporter by Captain Harry Rich, Milford Haven, skipper of the trawler Maythorn. “We had been fishing on Thursday but at night it started to blow up and the swell got very heavy indeed and then visibility was reduced to a minimum by heavy sleet showers,” he said. “I decided to stop fishing and wait till daylight so we lay to about 15 miles West of Heisker Lighthouse. I was sitting listening to the wireless when one of the hands came running in and said he had seen a distress signal in the distance. Several of us ran out on deck and peered into the darkness looking for further flares but could see nothing. Then very faintly I heard a hooter sounding the call for ‘I require immediate assistance,’ so we set off in the direction of the sound. In a short time we came across the puffer, Starfinch, and we went as close as we could, shouting across to the captain on its deck. We had on our deck lights and we could see the puffer wallowing in the heavy seas—she was water logged and her engines had stopped. We tried to get a line across by rocket but this failed so I had the men tie a lifebuoy on to a line and throw it over on to the Starfinch’s deck. First man to come across, continued Skipper Rich, grabbed the line and settled himself in the lifebuoy and leapt overboard to be pulled across the high seas and up the swaying side of the Maythorn to safety. Despite suffering from the extreme cold ducking he had got, this man managed to convey to Captain Rich that his boat was in imminent danger of turning turtle. Hearing this, and knowing that he could not go too close to the Starfinch in case a touch from his heavier ship would send it upside down, Captain Rich decided to try to take the remaining four members of the crew off at the one time. He had the crew attach four lifebuoys to the same line and this was thrown across and immediately grabbed by the four men. They then leapt into the sea and were drawn towards the Maythorn. When we started to pull the first one in,” Captain Rich continued, ‘‘we saw that not enough space had been left between the lifebuoys and instead of one man being drawn up the side at a time, we were trying to draw up two. We were having great difficulty, so Dick Pugh, one of my deckhands, grabbed hold of a rope and jumped overboard and managed to assist the men, one at a time up the side of our ship.”

“As was to be expected, the five men were in a state of collapse after their ducking in the freezing sea and all were undressed and given hot baths and drinks of hot tea with plenty of sugar. Fortunately, they soon recovered, although the engineer of the puffer, after having been in his engine-room prior to his ducking, took longer to rally round. Captain Rich then sent a radio message to Malling Head that he had taken off all the members of the crew, and intimated that he would stand by the waterlogged boat all night. In the morning when he saw that the ship was still afloat, he decided to attempt to salvage her and her cargo of 135 tons of coal. By this time the seas had dropped and the trawler was able to go alongside and three men dropped on to the deck of the Starfinch and fastened a tow rope. Then with the disabled boat in tow, Captain Rich made for Oban, but his was a difficult task, for the puffer, full of water, was a difficult tow, and on several occasions the rope parted and time was wasted taking on another.  After about four hours of towing, the rope snapped again and within a few minutes the Starfinch dipped and disappeared under the waves.

“Captain Rich continued for Oban and landed the crew at the Railway Pier where the trawler agent, Mr N. Hamilion Smith, was awaiting them. He was accompanied by Provost W. J. Calderwood, and Mr A. Oilison. representing the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Association. The rescued men were taken round to the Crown Hotel where they were given a meal, and Mr A. MacPhee, shoemaker, who was contacted, came down from his home and supplied the captain of the Starfinch with a pair of shoes, his having disappeared during his immersion in the water. In the Crown Hotel, Skipper Alexander was full of praise for Captain Rich and his crew. “Mountainous seas flooded our engine room,” he said, “and left us completely disable. We used all our distress rockets and we lit flares and everything which could burn, in an attempt to draw attention to our plight.” The five men spent the night in the hotel and left Oban for Glasgow by the 6.5 a.m. train on Saturday to see the owners,.”—Oban Times, December 27, 1952

In researching this little article, it has been revealing to understand just how dangerous and strenuous it was to work on these little vessels. The courage of their masters and crews is to be well respected.

This article would not have been possible without the work of Alasdair MacKenzie whose “Puffers & VICs” website (now archived) has been both inspiring and providential.