An interesting fact about the Beacon on Horse Island.

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated 3rd April 1862

It may not be generally known that the Beacon on the Horse Island, Ardrossan, was erected on the suggestion of Sir James Clark Ross, the celebrated Arctic explorer, whose death on 3rd April 1862, has just been announced.

"Hamilton Campbell Kidston" being repaired at Ardrossan

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 20th April 1962.

From 100 years ago.... 20th April 1862

Messrs. Barr and Shearer, Shipbuilders, Ardrossan, have in their yard for repair the vessel "Hamilton Campbell Kidston."
She is a ship of 1444 tons, the largst ever berthed in Ardrossan.

Smack "Mira" launched at Saltcoats

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 20th April 1962.

From 100 years ago ...... 20th April 1862

Mr. Archibald Boyd, Shipbuilder, The Braes, Saltcoats, launched from his yard a smack of 33 feet keel, intended for the Stornoway and Irish Coast fishing.
She was named the "Mira," of Lochranza, Arran, and is the property of Mr. Alex Millar.

Purchase of the steam tug "Conqueror"

From "The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald" dated 11th January 1863

Captain Steel, Ardrossan, purchased the steam tug "Conqueror" which was recently exposed for sale at Greenock.

Capt. McGowan of Saltcoats appointed Commander of new ship for Calcutta trade

From "The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald" dated 18th January 1863

Mr. McGowan, Saltcoats, a gentleman of considerable nautical experience, has been appointed commander of a new ship built at West Hartlepool for the Calcutta trade.

Captain Betsy Miller - Centenary Of Her Death

From: Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated Friday 15th May 1964

CAPTAIN BETSY MILLER - CENTENARY OF HER DEATH

One hundred years ago this week, on the 12th May, 1864, there died at her home in Quay Street, Saltcoats, Miss Betsy Miller, at the age of 71 years.

Just as ?The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald? of these days decreed that her demise ?ought not to pass unnoticed by a local journal?, so it is fitting that the centenary of her death should also be recorded, for Miss Miller was better known as Captain Betsy Miller of the brig ?CLYTUS?.

Betsy Miller has good claim to the title of Saltcoats? most notable citizen. While still a young girl misfortune struck the Miller family. Her brother was drowned, her father died and the family fortunes dwindled. About all that was left to the family was the old brig ?CLYTUS?, a survivor of the Napoleonic wars, and Betsy?s determination.

TOOK COMMAND

She had sailed with her father as a ship?s husband but now she took command of the brig and set about paying off the family?s debts.

Her determination and heroism met with success; she paid off debts amounting to ?700, brought up two younger sisters and made enough to spend her latter days in comfort in her own house in Quay Street.

During her 30 years at sea, Captain Betty navigated the ?CLYTUS? between Saltcoats and the coast of Ireland in all kinds of weather; transacted all the business connected with freight, cargo and ship?s stores; engaged and controlled the crew. What kind of woman was Betsy Miller? Certainly she was no female pirate, swash buckling her way across the deck of her ship. One sailor who sailed with her described her as ?weel favor?t, neither wee nor tall, and wi? as much sense o? humour as made life aboard gang pleasantly?.

Like all women, Betsy must have longed for a ?place of her own?, and in this she was fortunate on board the ?CLYTUS?. The ship had a poop, which she converted into her own living quarters. From here, although cut off from the crew and cargo, she could still keep an eye on her ship.

She was mentioned in the House of Lords by the Earl of Eglinton during a debate on merchant shipping and generally became known throughout the world.

Today there is little left of the Saltcoats of Betsy Miller and the ?CLYTUS?. Gone is the busy harbour and the boat yards she knew. Gone even is her own home which for so long bore above the entrance painted on the wall, a picture of the proud ?CLYTUS?, breasting the waves.

?CLYTUS HOUSE?

When her house was demolished some ten years ago to make way for a block of flats the then owner prevailed upon the Town Council to mark her home and this had been done by naming one of the blocks of flats Clytus House.

In paying tribute on this, the centenary of her death, we cannot do better than quote the words of our report of 100 years ago: ?Where other women would have succumbed to the necessity and sunk into penury; their father?s name dishonoured by leaving obligations undercharged and orphan sisters cast upon the parish or the charity of friends, she boldly grappled with her difficulties, adopted a vocation suited only for the sterner sex and redeemed honour, secured a competence, performed a noble, sisterly duty and, in her humble sphere, gained a name honourably mentioned both in her own country and in the Sates of America?.

Scribe Tango

The drowning of a Bonnet

C.S.S. Tallahassee,The iron Confederate Cruiser Tallahassee was named after the Confederate state capital of Tallahassee in Florida and was built on the River Thames by J. & W. Dudgeon of Millwall, London for London, Chatham & Dover Rly. Co.
to the design of Capt. T. E. Symonds, Royal Navy, ostensibly for the Chinese opium trade.

She was previously the blockade runner Ex "Atalanta" and made the Dover-Calais crossing in 77 minutes on an even keel.
She had made several blockade runs between Bermuda and Wilmington, N.C. before the Confederates bought her
Commander Wood, captured and scuttled many schooners
The Glenavon's voyage from Glasgow/Ardrossan to New York ended after being caught by the CCS Tallahasse.
Ships Log records the incident.

August 13th.--
It was scarcely daylight before two sail were reported, and in a few moments both were alongside.
One was an English vessel, which, of course, we could not touch; the other, the Barque Glenavon, of Thomaston, Maine, from Ardrossan to New York, with a cargo of Pig-Iron and Passengers.

The Glenavon was a fine, new barque, with splendid spars and double topsail yard.
The captain had his wife on board,--a brave, good woman,--and a female servant. There were two passengers in the cabin, an old sea captain and his wife, the latter a perfect termagant, and very offensive to all on board.
Her tongue was never idle, and her time about equally divided between abusing her husband, who bore it like a lamb, and distributing testaments and tracts among our men.
The art of making everybody disagreeable was carried to perfection with this horrible woman, and the scoldings she gave the poor captain who was tied to her apron string struck every one dumb with astonishment.
The last act of revenge on the poor man was just as she was leaving the side, when the old lady, in a fit of anger, tore off her new bonnet and threw it in the sea.

We got a quantity of mess stores from the Glenavon, a few luxuries, some hams, a coop of chickens, and two pigs.
After removing all things of immediate service to us, Lieutenant Ward had her scuttled, and she sank rapidly. Before we were out of sight she went down by the head, and sank forever beneath the ocean.
It seemed a pity to destroy such a noble craft, and I looked upon our work with sorrow
............E/ArdShips

1864 GLENAVON, Barque, 789t, Ardrossan to New York, Cargo: Pig Iron,

Glenavon, caught by the (Confederate Cruiser Ship)
CCS TALAHASSE, (a confederate merchant raider) (see details of Tallahasse on site)
During the American civil war.

The Glenavon, was burned and Scuttled,
22 Officers, Crew, and Passengers transferred to the ATALANTA, Barquentine, (Russian)

CCS Tallahassee: (Commander Wood)
Report from ships log

August 13th.--
It was scarcely daylight before two sail were reported, and in a few moments both were alongside.
One was an English vessel, which, of course, we could not touch; the other, the Barque Glenavon, of Thomaston, Maine, from Ardrossan to New York, with a cargo of Pig-Iron and Passengers.

This was a fine, new barque, with splendid spars and double topsail yard.
The captain had his wife on board,--a brave, good woman,--and a female servant. There were two passengers in the cabin, an old sea captain and his wife, the latter a perfect termagant, and very offensive to all on board.
Her tongue was never idle, and her time about equally divided between abusing her husband, who bore it like a lamb, and distributing testaments and tracts among our men. The art of making everybody disagreeable was carried to perfection with this horrible woman, and the scoldings she gave the poor captain who was tied to her apron string struck every one dumb with astonishment.
The last act of revenge on the poor man was just as she was leaving the side, when the old lady, in a fit of anger, tore off her new bonnet and threw it in the sea.
We got a quantity of mess stores from the Glenavon, a few luxuries, some hams, a coop of chickens, and two pigs.
After removing all things of immediate service to us, Lieutenant Ward had her scuttled, and she sank rapidly. Before we were out of sight she went down by the head, and sank forever beneath the ocean.
It seemed a pity to destroy such a noble craft, and I looked upon our work with sorrow

Foot note:

August 1864. After a successful career attacking Union shipping (as many as 35 vessels sunk or captured as far north as Maine), the CCS Tallahassee was damaged with a broken mainmast and put in to Halifax for repairs.

Despite official British neutrality, many loyalist Maritimers were sympathetic to the Confederate cause, and when Union cruisers closed in on the CCS Tallahassee, a local pilot named Jock Flemming lead the ship out through supposedly impassable channels late at night to make an escape.

The CCS Tallahassee returned to North Carolina, successfully running the Union naval blockade, and the daring escape made the ship the subject of local legends. The aura of mystery surrounding the escape is heightened by the fact that it was locally considered an impossible feat to maneuver a 500 ton steam ship through this narrow channel in the dead of night.

E

W Gordon, Brigantine

W. GORDON; Brigantine; 267 tons;
Length: 36.1 m.;
Owned by J. Gibson;
Built at Donald McDonald in 1866.
Registered at Ardrossan. Registration no. Ardrossan 55513.

In the year 1876, W. GORDON
(J. Campbell) was on voyage from The Clyde (Scotland) to Adelaide via Capetown when she foundered (no known reason). 10 died.

Crew of Barque "Harvest Home" imprisoned with hard labour

The following information is contributed by Jim Hunter, of Ardrossan ;

Ref. Ardrossan Shipyards 1825 - 1993 pp 7,36
Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald 1867 Aug. 18

The crew of the Barque "Harvest Home" owned by Barr & Shearer refused to work.
They were imprisoned for eight weeks with hard labour.

The vessel was built at St. John, New Brunswick, in 1841, and launched 28 Dec. 1840

Registered Irvine 7 Dec. 1853, No. 13 (Previously registered Liverpool 23 June 1841, No. 127)

Owner John Barr 32 shares & James Shearer 32 shares, Total 64 shares.

Master; Angus McDonald

Tonnage 458. 54/100
Dimensions 113. 5/10ft X 23. 2/10ft X 17.9/10ft.

Entered in Lloyds Register 1855, 57-59, 61

Home Port ; Ardrossan 1857, 61, 62

Voyage ; Clyde - Quebec 1858 & Clyde - Nova Scotia 1859

Master ; Goodwin 1858, 59, 61

Annie B Smith

Built Ardrossan 1868

Mary

LIFE BOAT SERVICE - Foundering Of Brig MORNING STAR

From: Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Dated 7th January 1871

LIFE BOAT SERVICE ---- On Sunday morning last, the brig ?MORNING STAR?, of and from Dublin, in ballast for this port, was driven ashore on the Horse Island, in the gale which was then blowing from the South South West.

She was observed as if making for this port, but when near the Horse Island, which is about a mile to the North West of the harbour of Ardrossan, her course was altered, and she made to go up the channel.

Her sails, however, gave way, and the island being close under her lea, she was driven ashore, her main mast going over board about five minutes after. The master (Captain Delargy), and two of the crew swam ashore, and the other three got on to a rock close to which the vessel had struck.

The disaster being witnessed from the shore, no time was lost in getting out the Lifeboat. It was taken out by one of the harbour tugs to windward of the island, and was pulled round to the lea shore, where the men landed and crossed to the assistance of the crew of the stranded brig. Mr Brodie and the crew of the pilot boat showed great courage and deliberation. Pulling to the lea shore of the island they crossed, taking with them a line, one end of which was thrown to the men who were still holding on to the rock. A life buoy was then attached to it, and the men were, one at a time, dragged through the surf. The whole of the crew were brought across in the Lifeboat. The sea was running high, the spray breaking over the mast head. The vessel has become a total wreck.

Scribe Tango

Brig "Morning Star" ashore on Horse Island, Ardrossan ; all saved

Morning Star:
Brig
Gale drove vessel ashore at Horse Island, all saved

January 1871 Advertisment by Anchor Line for passenger sailings from Glasgow to New York

“ ANCHOR “  LINE  OF

TRANSATLANTIC  STEAM-PACKET  SHIPS

The Steamers of this Line will be

despatched as follows :—

FROM  GLASGOW  FOR  NEW  YORK

EVERY  WEDNESDAY  AND  SATURDAY

(Calling at Moville, Lough Foyle, on following day, to embark Passengers)

Saloon Cabin —

£12 12s,  £13 13s,  £14 14s  and  £15 15s

According to Accommodation and Situation of berths

Intermediate  ………. £8 8s

Steerage  ………..…..£6 6s

Steerage Passengers are Booked Through, via New York

to BOSTON and QUEBEC at same Rates of

Passage as to New York.   They are also forwarded to

all Railway Stations in the United States of America

and in the Dominion of Canada, as Safely, Speedily,

Comfortably, and Cheaply as by any other Route or Line.

For further particulars, apply to

HANDYSIDE  AND  HENDERSON

96 ½ Foyle Street, Londonderry ; or

51 Union Street, Glasgow ; or

J. BROWN & SON, House and Insurance Agents, Kilmarnock

A. & J. MACKIE, House and Insurance Agents, Kilmarnock

ROBT. BROWN, Ayr

W. McJANNET, Ardrossan

JOHN SERVICE, Kilwinning

JOHN McKENNA, Girvan

ROBT. MENZIES, Kilbirnie

JOHN GRIMWOOD, Saltcoats

MR. A. ANDREW, Irvine

THOMAS SHIELDS, Cumnock

M. ROBERTSON, Galston

JAMES SMYTH, Postmaster, Dalmellington