A notable but much neglected aspect of the shipping that sailed on the Clyde is the variety of coastal sailing craft involved in commerce. Each area developed its own particular craft and the Clyde was no exception. I have used Robert Simper’s “Scottish Sail” and John Anderson’s “Coastwise Sail” to try to educate myself about this difficult subject but in no way can these sources be blamed for the errors that will appear in this little article. This is more a pictorial essay than an in-depth study but I have added what details I have gleaned from a variety of sources. Just as with steam-powered craft, the ships evolved over time with the introduction of new techniques in construction and use. The time frame of the current article stretches from the 1870s when photography became quite common to the 1920s when the sailing craft had largely disappeared.

The working coastal sailing vessel that is characteristic of the Clyde is the gabbart. Indeed, most sailing coasters are colloquially referred to as gabbarts, although the majority are smacks and ketches. The gabbart was designed with the dimensions of the locks on the Forth and Clyde canal in mind, transporting goods, mainly coal, from the Scottish hinterland to the coasts. After the advent of the puffer, few new gabbarts were built and they were displaced by more manageable craft for coastal trading.

Argyle and Batchelor in Bowling Harbour

The Argyle, seen here in Bowling Harbour at the entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal in the 1870s, dates from 1860 when she was built by Joseph Russell of Ardrossan. She was owned in Campbeltown by a Mr D. M‘Kinlay and was 60 feet in length by 18 feet in breadth and a depth of 6½ feet, typical of the dimensions of a gabbart. Behind her is the ketch Batchelor.

Dunoon (Washington Wilson)

Enlargement of above photograph

Gabbart’s took coal to the coast towns and returned with agricultural products and other bulk goods. A photograph of Dunoon shows a gabbart off the coal depot in the 1880s.

Mary off Hunter’s Quay in the Holy Loch

The gabbart Mary, seen here off Hunter’s Quay around 1880, was built by Messrs David M‘Gill at Bowling for Mr Thomas Napier of Grangemouth. She was 62 feet in length by 17 feet in breadth and 6¼ feet in depth. By the time the photograph was taken, she was owned by Mr Donald Weir in Glasgow. Her cargo is “well-happed”, whatever it is.

Gabbart unloading coal at Kirn (Image courtesy of University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums)

Gabbart Vale on the beach at Kirn around 1880. The coal pier was later erected on this site. (Image courtesy of University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums}

Gourock Harbour in 1870 (Robertson)

A variety of sailing craft are visible in this view of Gourock Harbour in 1870. On the left is a smack while on the right there are several fishing skiffs. In the centre, against the quay wall is a gabbart fitted with a small steam auxiliary engine. The photograph is cropped and enhanced below.

Steam power in a gabbart

Gabbart at Garelochhead with a smack (Annan)

Mary M‘Lerie at Inveraray (Washington Wilson)

Built in 1867 on the Forth and Clyde Canal at the Maryhill yard of Messrs J. & R. Swan, the Mary M‘Lerie must have been one of the last of the gabbart’s built. In 1875, she is recorded sailing to Oban with coal with Captain M‘Lerie as master but by the following year her master was named Livingston and she was sailing on the Clyde from Irvine, Bowling, Port Dundas and the Broomielaw, carrying coal and general goods to Ardentinny, the Kyles of Bute and other destinations, and bringing timber from Inverary and Arrochar to Port Dundas and Kirkintilloch. In 1880 she was offered for sale by Bellfield Chemical Works in Kirkintilloch and her advertisement gives her capacity as 70 tons on 5½ feet, bulwarks fore and aft, smack rigged with sails in good order. She was then lying at Kirkintilloch. Her record ended in 1897.

The most widely used coastal vessels for commerce were smacks, with a single mast and bowsprit and they were to be found over the whole area of the Firth and the sea-lochs.

A smack on the Clyde around 1870

Flora Murchie at Blackwaterfoot

The Flora Murchie was launched February 1872 by Peter Barclay & Son at Ardrossan Harbour for Peter Murchie and John Kelso of Arran. She was a handy vessel of 18 tons. Typically she carried potatoes and gravel from Arran, returning with coal from Irvine. The Greenock Telegraph gives some accounting of frequent visits to the Mid Quay where potatoes were sold on board. On April 2, 1887, potatoes sold for 4½d a stone or 6s 6d per bag. A year later, on March 22, best Arran potatoes had dropped in price to 4d per stone, or 4s 9d per bag. In December 23, 1891, potatoes were 5d a stone or 6s per bag of 16 stones sold on board at Mid Quay, and on April 10, 1895, 7d a stone or 6s 6d a bag of 12 stones. Around the turn of the century, her master was names Sim and she had an interesting variety of sailings; loading coal at Irvine not only for Arran but also for destinations in Bute, Loch Kishorn, Tiree, Colonsay, and, for a few years between 1900 and 1903, an annual sailing to St Kilda. In 1908 she was sold to John Ferguson of Sandbank and was broken up in November 1925.

Dasher at Blackwaterfoot

Dasher was a wooden smack built in 1892 by Messrs James Thomson of Ardrossan for John Murchie of that town. She proved to be an unfortunate vessel. In May, 1895, her mate fell overboard in Ardrossan Harbour and was rescued after his cries for help were heard. Almost a year later, her master was not so lucky.

“Master of smack drowned.—The smack Dasher, bound for Carrickfergus with a cargo of coal, put back to Ardrossan early yesterday morning, the seamen on board reporting that the master, Mr John Murchie, fell overboard and was drowned during the night. The Dasher left Ardrossan the previous evening about seven o’clock, and as the weather was calm the two sea-men went below, leaving Murchie on deck in charge of the vessel. When about eight miles from land they heard cries, and on reaching the deck they discovered that Murchie had fallen overboard. The vessel was brought to with all possible speed, but before assistance could be rendered the unfortunate man had disappeared. Mr Murchie, who was well known in Ardrossan, leaves a family of five.”—Glasgow Herald, May 6, 1896

In her subsequent sale, she was purchased by Duncan Murchie of Blackwaterfoot.

“Smack for sale.—At the Old Dock, Ardrossan, On Monday, 8th March, at 12 noon, public sale of the well known smack Dasher..

“The Dasher was built in Ardrossan in 1892, and has a carrying capacity of about 40 tons; Length, 42.5 ; Breadth, 14.3 ; Depth, 6.35; Registered Tonnage, 14.49 tons. The smack, with all sails and gearing, is in capital order, and may be inspected any day at Old Harbour, Ardrossan. For further particulars, apply to Charles Murchie, Princes Street, Ardrossan. Terms—Cash.—Frank A. P. Bennett, Auctioneer.”—Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, March 5, 1897

Around 1907 Dasher was sold to Walter Cameron of Rothesay and had a more fortunate experience rescuing some youngsters off the Ayrshire coast.

“Three girls and two boys, who went out in a pleasure boat from Seamill on Friday last had a somewhat adventurous time of it. The weather was calm when they left, but some time after they had gone out the wind freshened up off the land, and they were driven out to sea. Fortunately the smack Dasher, which was proceeding from Millport to Troon, came across them, took them on board, and towed their boat to Troon. The boat, which belongs to Mr R. Richardson, was taken charge of by the harbour authorities, and the young castaways were sent home by rail apparently none the worse for their adventure.”—Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, May 31, 1907

Dasher had an auxiliary engine installed in 1927. She was broken up in the early 1930s.

If the Flora Murchie sold potatoes from Arran at the Mid-Quay in Greenock, then it was another Arran owned smack, Maggie, that sold Swedish turnips there. The Maggie was built by Archibald Boyd at Ardrossan in 1877 and was 44½ feet in length by 15½ feet in the beam and 7 feet in depth at 23 net tons. She was owned by Charles Hendry of Catacol. In 1904 her master and owner was by the name of M‘Phail of Port Bannatyne and she ran aground in 1906 but was refloated.

“Coal smack ashore at the Green Isle.—Another casualty falls to be reported. The smack Maggie, which left the East India Harbour Wednesday night with cargo of coal for Rothesay, encountered heavy weather shortly after leaving Greenock. In running to the Gareloch for shelter she went ashore at the Green Isle. At high water the vessel is almost submerged. The crew were saved. The Maggie is owned at Port Bannatyne.”—Greenock Telegraph, November 30, 1906

“Floating of smack Maggie.—The smack Maggie, which ran ashore on the Green Isle, near the Gareloch, on night of the 28th ult., while on the passage from Greenock to Rothesay with coal, was floated yesterday afternoon and taken Greenock Mid Harbour by Mr Gush’s steamer Beamer. The Maggie is owned by Mr M‘Phail, Port-Bannatyne.”—GT December 8 1906

When she transported 20 tons of coal to Port Bannatyne and in 1909 her master was named Logan. She is seen here in the mouth of the Sannox Burn.

Smack Maggie at the mouth of the Sannox, Arran

Maggie was wrecked at Skipness towards the end of August 1935.

Smack at Sannox in the late 1870s (Valentine)

Duchess at King’s Cross, Arran

The Duchess was a 45 ft by 15 ft x 6ft smack latterly owned by Cook brothers, at Kildonan in the south end of Arran. She is seen here at King’s Cross, Arran around 1910, and below at Kildonan in 1930. She was built as a cutter at Rothesay in 1878 by J&J Fyfe for Mattew C. Spiers of Clachaig. Messrs J&J Fyfe were related to the more famous Fyfe family at Fairlie and for many years carried on their business at the “Red Shed” on the shore on the west side of Rothesay Bay. The family moved their business to Ardmeliesh in the late 1870s to facilitate the building of the promenade. Duchess passed through a few hands over the years; in 1894 she was purchased for trading by Robert Kelso of  Kilchattan Bute and in  1910 Thomas Gilmour of the Tile Works at Kingarth, Bute bought her. In 1916, he put in a Gleniffer engine into her, a common practice at the time for the smacks. She was sold to William Cook of Kildonan around 1930 and broken up in 1937.

Duchess at Kildonan in 1930 (Valentine)

Smack, Catherine, at Brodick Port

I have not been able to trace the Catherine, but she is most likely another Arran owned smack and is seen at the Port, Brodick.

Smack Lizzy, at Brodick Port

I cannot find a smack Lizzy, but there was a Brodick owned vessel Lizzie that was built by Archibald Boyd of Ardrossan for Matthew R. Miller. She was 59 feet long by 15 in the beam and 6 feet in-depth, and spent much of her time running with sand to Ardrossan and returning with coal. She was a victim of two severe storms on the Clyde in January 1884 and December over a decade later.

“Ardrossan.—Damage to shipping.—In the old harbour an immense amount of damage has been done. At the point of the quay, where the Belfast steamer is berthed, the sea wall has been destroyed, the gap extending to over 20 feet each way, and including part of the railway platform. The large substantial shed (which is 40 yards long by 30 yards broad) used for covering the goods traffic has been entirely demolished, together with the office of the Ardrossan and Belfast Shipping Company. In the old harbour the smacks Princess and Loch Iorsa have been damaged at their moorings, while the smacks Jessie Bannatyne, Margaret, Lizzie, and Surge have been greatly damaged, one of them being completely wrecked, having been smashed against the breast of the quay. The captain of the Jessie Bannatyne (John Stewart) was severely hurt by the falling of the mast of his smack. At Bannatyne’s bridge the schooner Scotia was driven broadside on, and has sustained severe injury, while opposite the second “hurrie” the Claugh Loudon has been sunk.”—Glasgow Herald, January 29, 1884

“Brodick.—The smacks Lizzie, Bluebell, Brothers, Elizabeth Davidson, and Janet M‘Nicol got adrift near Brodick Pier, and are more or less damaged. The smack Seagull, at anchor in Brodick Bay, and last seen about three in the morning, is supposed to have drifted seawards. At Lochranza, the schooner Dumbarton Castle and the smacks Eureka and Village Belle were driven ashore. The crews of the first-mentioned two were taken off by boats.”—Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, December 28, 1894

An unidentified smack at Brodick

Smacks at Brodick in the late 1870s (Valentine)

Unloading at Brodick Port in the 1880s

A variety of craft on the beach at Brodick (Valentine)

Two smacks at Brodick Port (Stengel)

The smack, Jane, at Brodick Port (Wrench)

Jane was built at Fairlie by Messrs Fife & Son, the famous yacht builders at Fairlie who incidentally were said to have a smack under construction on speculation at all times. She was 58½ feet in length by 15 feet in breadth and 6½ feet in depth. Her first owners were from Greenock but in 1882 she was bought by Mr Matthew Millar in Arran, and is seen here at Brodick.

Cottage Gilrl at Lochgoilhead

Cottage Gilrl was built in Perth in 1876 by Messrs Wallace & Son, for Davide Wewards of Dundee. She was 48 feet by 15 feet and 10 feet deep. In 1903 she was purchased by Francis Diver of Rothesay from Duncan MacMillan of Lochalsh who had acquired her in 1884. He had her trading from Greenock to Brodick and Rothesay loading between 30 and 40 tons of coal. She was purchased by Daniel M‘Millan of Kilchattan Bay in 1905 and with him as master sailed with 40 tons of coal on a regular basis from Troon to Kilchattan Bay, Arran, Campbeltown, Ardrishaig and Tarbert till the middle years of the first world war. The story is recounted that Captain M‘Millan sailed Cottage Girl alone from Rothesay to Irvine where he loaded her with 40 tons of house coal which he paid for in cash on the spot. He sailed her to Tarbert, filled the tubs and hand-winched it to the carts with the help of one man, then returned to Irvine to do the same. His son, William M‘Millan, often accompanied him as a schoolboy, and later sailed in the smack, Duchess, and a number of puffers including Norman and Halcyon. Cottage Girl was fitted with a Pollock paraffin engine in 1917 but was lost in 1919.

Cottage Girl at Port Bannatyne (Stengel)

Smacks at the old pier, Kilchattan Bay (Stengle)

A group of Arran smacks, Mary Taylor, Onward, and Elizabeth, seen here at Lochranza in 1913.

The Mary Taylor was built in 1878 by Messrs Archibald Boyd at Ardrossan for John Taylor of Arran. She was 37 feet in length and lasted until 1931 when she was broken up at Irvine. By the 1890s, she was in the hands of Mr John M‘Kelvie and involved in the Arran potato trade. Her owner was drowned in an unfortunate accident in May, 1892.

“Captain of a smack drowned.—Ayr, 2.30.—About twelve o’clock last night, while the smack Mary Taylor was about three miles from Ayr the master and owner, John M‘Kelvie, accidentally fell overboard. Archibald Murchie, mate, immediately put out in a small boat to rescue him. When four yards from him M‘Kelvie sank, and was never seen again. Murchie had only one oar, and was drifted away near to Girvan, when he was picked up by a Dunure fisherman, John Gibson. M‘Kelvie’s brother Charles was left in the smack, and no word of it has yet been received. The Mary Taylor was loaded with potatoes from Clates, Arran.”—Glasgow Evening Post, May, 12, 1892

“Drowning accident in Ayr Bay.—A sad case of drowning occurred in Ayr Bay between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. While the Mary Taylor, a smack which trades between Arran and Ayr, was on her voyage to Ayr with a cargo of potatoes from Clates in Arran, John M‘Kelvie, master and owner, fell overboard in some unaccountable manner, about 3 miles from Ayr Harbour. There were only two men left in the smack, and lowering the boat one of them put off to his skipper’s assistance. Having only a broken oar, however, the skipper had sunk before he could reach him. With only the broken oar the man could not make his way back to the smack, and drifted away down the cost towards Girvan—where he was picked up by a Dunure fisherman on Wednesday—the smack putting into Dunure on the afternoon of the same day. The deceased, who was about 40 years of age, was married, and leaves a family of three.”—Ayrshire Post, May 13, 1892

The Eizabeth was a product of the Ardrossan Shipbuilding Co., Ltd, and was 45½ feet in length. Her original owner was Archibald M‘Arthur of Tarbert, but in 1890 she became the property of Alexander Kerr of Arran and twelve years later passed to Donald and Angus Kerr of Caticol. An auxiliary engine was added after the first world war and she was sold to Lancashire owners in 1934. She was burned out at Bangor, County Down in 1937.

Onward was another Arran owned smack at Lochranza. She was built by Messrs Archibald Boyd at Ardrossan in 1884 for Charles Robertson of Whiting Bay and was 38 feet in length by 13¼ feet in breadth by 6¼ feet in depth and 20 tons gross. The Onward is seen below in the inner harbor at Rothesay shortly before she was sold to Donald Macarthur of Scarinish in 1922.

Smack Onward and a Greenock owner Ketch in the Inner-harbour at Rothesay in the early 1920s

Catherine M‘Coll was a wooden smack built by Messrs Scott & Macgill at Bowling for John M‘Coll of Glasgow. She was 65¼ feet in length by 16½ feet in the beam, and so was capable of passage through the Forth and Clyde Canal. In her early years she made a living supplying the building trade in Glasgow with slates from Easdale and Ballachulish, delivered to Port Dundas, and returning with cargos of coal for the west coast towns and villages including Oban, Tobermory, Rothesay, Ardrishaig, Ardchattan, Morven, Lismore and Lochgilphead. A favourite site for loading her coal cargoes was Tintock near Kirkintilloch. In at least one instance, she traversed the Forth and Clyde Canal to Leith with slates from Easdale for Edinburgh. Other cargoes included granite from paving stones from Furnace, and timber from Loch Sween and Lochfyneside. In 1869, her master was named M‘Fadyen.

In 1874 she changed hands to the ownership of Alex M‘Coll with a master named M‘Farlane. In 1876, her master was named Stirling and the following year it was Fletcher. Under Fletcher’s command the Catherine M‘Coll made frequent trips to Northern Ireland with coal, returning from Carlough with limestone or from Carrickfergus with rock salt. Other unusual cargoes included turnips from Campbeltown, delivered to the Broomielaw on December 4, 1877, and in the following year, on July 13, she left Bowling with a cargo of bricks from Port Dundas for West Loch Tarbert.

In 1879, her master was named M‘Coll, possible her owner, and in the early 1880s ownership passed to Malcolm M‘Donald of Bellanoch near Lochgilphead. Little changed in her sailing regimen; coal outward from Tintock or other collieries for the west coast, returning with timber for Port Dundas and Kirkintilloch, with an occasional trip across the north channel. In 1886 her master was named M‘Donald and on February 20, she arrived at the Broomielaw from Ardrishaig with potatoes, a frequent cargo from different locations early in the year. She was now sailing with coal to Loch Melfort, Loch Creran, Tayvallich, Bellanoch, Ardrishaig, Corpach, Skye and Mull, continuing to return mainly with slates from Easdale or Ballachulish for Port Dundas.

Around 1900, ownership passed to Archibald MacCallum of St Catherine’s who was also her master and her main business was transporting coal from Greenock to Inveraray and St Catherine’s. It is likely in his ownership that she is seen below with a crew member running a line to the quay to aid berthing in the East India Harbour, Greenock. After the first world war Catherine M‘Coll was purchased by George Campbell of Ardrishaig. She was broken up in 1925.

Smack Catherine M‘Coll in East India Harbour Greenock

Unidentified smack at Blackwaterfoot

Betsy Crawford was built by the Ardrossan Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., as recently as 1902 for William, Archie, and Daniel Crawford of Corrie, Arran where she is seen below.

Smack, Betsy Crawford, at Corrie

Described as a cutter, with dimensions 45 feet by 16 feet by 6 feet in depth, Betsy Crawford was a handy vessel of 26 tons gross and although she spent most of her time bringing coal to Arran and returning with produce and sand, she could be found in many parts of the Firth and beyond with cargoes as demand dictated. She was fitted with a motor engine in 1931.

Betsy Crawford in the mouth of the Sannox Burn in Arran

Betsy Crawford at Lamlash Old Pier

Smack at Corrie, thought to be Jeannie and Jean (Stengel)

Smack and ketch at Lamlash Pier in 1878 (Valentine)

Smack at Lamlash Pier around 1886 (Beckett)

Whiting Bay with a smack around 1878 (Valentine)

Smacks at Lochranza along with fishing boats

The smack Fairy Dell was built by Archibald Boyd at Ardrossan for Angus Kerr of Lochranza in 1897. She was of typical dimensions of these Ardrossan built boats, 42½ feet long by 14¾ feet in the beam and 6¼ in depth, 17 tons net. She is seen here at Lochranza when new. In 1931, ownership passed to Neil Kerr and he had her fitted with a Bergius  4 cylinder engine. She was sold to owners in Troon after the second world war and subsequently to the south coast of England.

Smack Fairy Dell at Lochranza

A smack at Inveraray

Smack in Greenock Harbour

Campbeltown Pier in 1882 showing the variety of smacks, ketches and schooners. The puffer is the Grilse (Valentine)

Smack at Tighnabruaich (Poulton—Ritchie)

Unloading a smack on Loch Fyne by the Crarae road

Ketches were larger than smacks and also common in the coastal trade on the Clyde. Many could trade through the Forth and Clyde Canal. Like smacks, they could be unloaded from the beaches and small wharves and Quays.

Ketch, Betty Kerr, at Millport with the puffer Jessie and Marchioness of Lorne at the pier (Ritchie)

The Betty Kerr was owned by the Kerr family of Millport who had also owned the smacks Jessie Kerr and Mary Kerr. She was a 56 foot yawl from Fife, bought for £30 in 1912 and converted at Ardmaleish in Bute. Her main trade was bringing coal to Cumbrae from Ardrossan and Troon until the family bought the puffer Saxon in 1926. The Mary Kerr is shown below.

Smack Mary Kerr at Millport

Mary Kerr at Millport

Betty Kerr at Millport (Ritchie)

Smack Catherine Kerr at Lochranza

A smack at Millport in 1908 (Valentine)

A ketch getting ready to leave Port Bannatyne

Behind the steam yacht Wee Lizzie is the ketch, Margaret Shearer, drying sails (Robertson, with thanks to John A Shearer for identification of the vessels)

At Inveraray with the King Edward and the little paddle steamer Fairy

Ketch at Port Bannatyne, Bute

Unloading a ketch at Ettrick Bay

While the hulls of smacks and ketches were strongly built and could be used to unload on beaches if necessary, the more graceful schooners that were also found on the Clyde either required a quay to load and unload, or had to be unloaded from anchor by small boats. Generally these craft sailed longer distances, to Ireland or the English ports, and were less important in the coastwise trade. Sailing to the upper reaches of the river and into Glasgow harbour with the tide and the prevailing westerly wind, they would carry out their trade and then return down the river. The return to the firth, however, was generally against the wind and so a frequent sight was a steam tug towing one, two or more vessels to the Tail of the Bank where they would have room to manœvre.

Schooners in Glasgow Harbour with Iona in the background

Two schooner’s at the mineral berths in Queen’s Dock. The Gladys of Preston is on the outside.

Two schooners towed downriver by a tug off Elderslie

Schooner Harry Herbert and tug Sampson approaching Bowling

Schooner Topaz and smack James & Margaret, part of a trio of vessels being towed down river at Bowling.

The smack James & Margaret was built by Messrs Archibald M’Millan & Son, Dumbarton for Greenock owners in 1861. When this photograph was taken in the late 1870s, she was owned by Mr N Shearer of Gourock. The Topaz was built for William Robertson in 1862 by Messrs J & R Swan on the Forth and Clyde Canal at Maryhill. She had a wooden hull that was 64½ feet in length by 17 feet in breadth and a depth of 6½ feet. In 1879, she was sold to Mr Alexander Miscampbell of Carrickfergus in Ireland.

Schooner Campbeltown at Bowling

The schooner Campbeltown was built in 1870 by Messrs Robert M’Lea at Rothesay for Duncan M’Lean, Peter M’Nab and other traders in Campbeltown. She is seen here before the first world war at Bowling. At 75 feet in length by 19 feet in breadth, she was too large for the Forth and Clyde Canal and presumably was in the harbour waiting for a cargo. She was sold during the war years to John Hyland of Garston, and unfortunately foundered just before the armistice on November 7 at the entrance to Irvine Harbour with a cargo of steel trimmings from Belfast. Her crew of three were rescued.

Schooner at Helensburgh old pier in 1848

Schooner Gem on the Crinan Canal at Lochgilphead

The Gem was another of William Robertson’s top-sail schooners, built of iron by Messrs M’Kellar, M’Millan & Co., at Dumbarton in 1877. Her dimensions were 63½ feet in length by 18 feet in breadth and a depth of 7½ feet When Robertson made the move to steam coasters, she was sold in 1888 to Duncan Sinclair of Lochgilphead. It is in his ownership that she is seen here ay Lochgilphead on the Crinan Canal.

Gem at Greenock (Davidson)

The shipbuilding firm of Scott & Sons and its predecessors, Scott & Macgill and Scott, Macgill & Duncan, had a long history of constructing trading schooners at Bowling for the Newfoundland and Barrow trade. They adopted a schooner as their letterhead.

Scott & Son letterhead

Three masted schooner Orion at Inveraray with Lord of the Isles

Schooner Orion at Inveraray with turbine King Edward

Schooner off Greenock

Topsail schooner leaving Irvine under tow (Davidson)

Schooner outward bound from Girvan (Davidson)

Topsail schooner in Rothesay Harbour (Davidson)

Schooner at anchor on the Clyde (Davidson)

Topsail schooner on the Clyde (Davidson)

Topsail schooner outward bound (Davidson)