Steam lighter RAINBOW launched by Crawford & Company, Kirkintilloch ,near Glasgow

The Day The Dam Broke

From: Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated 19th May 1972

THE DAY THE DAM BROKE

When Ardrossan Harbour was being enlarged in the 1880s, large numbers of immigrant navvies were employed in dig out the ?new dock?, and local people showed some concern in providing entertainment for them.

The navvies were mostly housed in temporary huts - how comfortable they were we now have no means of knowing - and as may be imagined there was not a great deal of amusement for them in the Ardrossan of 100 years ago.

At several well attended meetings in the town hall it was agreed by a number of public spirited citizens to provide a coffee room and a reading room in which the navvies could relax.

This may have arisen from a letter to the Editor of this paper written by a Saltcoats reader (whether he was one of the navvies is not quite clear), who wrote; ?I am an artizan and have been working for some time in the district. On my making enquiry for a reading room to spend a little of my leisure time, to my great surprise and disappointment I found that there was no such institution in the district. What is (sic) our leading Christians and temperance reformers thinking about? There is nothing in this locality but fresh air and public houses?.

A committee appointed at the first public meeting to consider the question reported that; ?There is every likelihood of from 600 to 800 men being employed on the harbour operations: a large number of them will be lodged at the Inches, many of them in the town, some with their families, and the rest in Saltcoats and other places near. They are strangers to the place and their habits being in great measure isolated, their religious wants are not met, and their case affords scope for the sympathy and help of all earnest Christian workers to employ their resources on behalf of the men.?

MISSIONARY

Most of the time at the next meeting was taken up with discussing whether the appointment of a missionary to the navvies would provide the answer, but eventually it was agreed that local ministers would take it in turn to hold services for them on Saturday evenings.

A lady member said that the proposal to use the hall on Saturday nights for mission work only might drive many men to the public houses that evening, and if they did not allow smoking the men would not patronise the place very much. A gentleman concurred, saying that Lady Manners who was much interested in such matters found the introduction of smoking a great attraction.

Subscriptions from local people quickly reached the sum of about ?200 - although there was some criticism that much of the money came from outwith the town and
local traders did not contribute very much.

At the beginning of the winter in 1887 the Navvies? Hall - ?a commodious edifice? was erected at the harbour, and inaugurated with a free soiree to the workmen, the programme consisting of speeches by the provost, three ministers, five prominent Ardrossan gentlemen and two ladies.

One of the ladies said that in the hall the navvies would be safe from the temptations of the public houses and she trusted they would value their souls? welfare by attending the evangelistic meetings, and several of the gentlemen also stressed that they deprecated the men spending their hard earned money in the public houses. One of the ministers said that at the coffee hut the men could get a cup of coffee at a reasonable price which would send them off to their work with zeal and cheerfulness. The speeches apparently received courteous applause from the navvies and the soiree closed with the singing of the second paraphrase.

SQUALL

On the first day of November 1887, a Tuesday, four hundred of the navvies were employed busily digging out the new dock. The weather was extremely squally, with a strong wind following from the south east and very high tide running. By about mid day the tide level at the dock gates measured 21ft 6ins - 4 feet higher than normal.

The sea was being kept out of the diggings by a large coffer dam, and at five minutes past noon - twenty minutes before high tide - the dam quite suddenly filled with water and began to creak and strain ominously. Those watching shouted warnings to the men in the workings but their shouts were hardly heard above the noise as the piling and sheathing of the coffer dam collapsed with a crash and the sea water rushed through a fifty foot breach in the dam.

Most of the men were working in cuttings ranging in depth from 16 feet to 31 feet and they scrambled desperately out of the trenches and on to the breast works as the sea water burst upon them.

Abandoning their tools and jackets, the navvies struggled to reach the banks as logs, spars, small boats and other debris battered at them in the stormy waters. About fifteen minutes after the dam broke the water filled all the workings, and the exhausted and drenched men were recovering on the nearby ground.

It was little short of a miracle that all the 400 men reached the dry land safely with little more than minor injuries and bruises, some exhaustion and soaking and shivering.

May be they had set out for work that morning after their cup of coffee, full of zeal and cheer as the minister had predicted - but according to contemporary accounts they left their work that day and mostly headed straight for the public houses. Nobody quite had the heart to blame them.

Scribe Tango

Lancing...ex P'eriere

P?ereire (later 1901 LANCING)
Screw Steamer
GRT 3,015tons
Hull: Iron
Vertical Engine 1 Screw?13k
Built: 1865, Robert Napier & Son, Glasgow
Named for the president of the French line, and built for the transatlantic service and sailing between Le Havre, Brest and New York.
In 1868 made passage between Brest and ew York in 8 days and 10.5 hrs Avrage 14.5 knots

1888-1901?

New name: LANCING
In 1888 she was sold to G A Hartfield of Nova Scotia, who converted her to a Four masted full rigged ship named LANCING, Dimensions: 356ft x 43.8ft x hold depth 27.25ft, Gross tonnage: 2678tons crew 27
Lancing was extremely fast under sail and once logged 18 knots over 72 hrs.
Scotland to Newfoundland, 6 days and 18hrs
1890-91 from Melbourne she logged 22 knots over 15 hours, never equaled by a commercial ship under sail

When Ardrossan Drove Off The "Enemy" Ship

From: Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated Friday 26th May 1972

August 1888

WHEN ARDROSSAN DROVE OFF THE ?ENEMY? SHIP

?Bombardment of coast towns - The Enemy repulsed at Ardrossan - victory of the land forces??.So runs a headline in the issue of this paper for August, 1888.

The story there under commences; We rather think no suspicion entered the minds of those entrusted with the defence of Ardrossan that they were to be attached. The coastguard, seldom caught napping, were at their post ready for any emergency that might arise, when early on Monday morning they sighted the enemy?s ship off the Cumbraes and prepared for action.

Seeing she was a dangerous customer they signalled ?THE SPIDER? (the name of the enemy ship) and asked the commander what he wanted, but she failed to reply. Thus they were not surprised and had there been a battery at their station ?THE SPIDER? would have been completely bashed, battered and pulverised long before she reached the Horse Island - assuming presumably that the gunners could hit the target every time.

Since Britain was not at war at the time, the whole story boils down to the fact that large scale Naval manoeuvres were taking place, and ?THE SPIDER? which was in fact a Naval ?twin screw torpedo gunboat? was, like her sister ships, acting the part of a ship of some foreign power and testing the strength of Britain?s shore defences.

By using blank shells and landing surprise parties, ?THE SPIDER? could claim a number of points in the game - Oban bombarded and the provost and citizens made prisoners,
Rothesay requisitioned, Greenock laid in ruins, inward bound steamers captured; while the douce folk of the coast towns went about their business whatever it was, regarding with tolerance the diversions of the jolly jack tars - although the noise of the firing from the ship did at least arouse the burghers from their summertime lethargy.

CREDIT

Although those charged with defending Ardrossan claimed credit for their watchfulness and rightly so the incident was not devoid of some amusement to present day eyes. Let our reporter of ninety years ago resume the tale: ?THE SPIDER? came on at great speed towards the town: this we opine she ought not to have done unless for the sake of display as she had been fairly repulsed long ere she came into the lighthouse pier head - (assuming that is, that there had been a battery at the coastguard station and their shots had registered, however) - The Coastguard in their boat went alongside ?THE SPIDER? and asked what they wanted. The commander said they were going to blow the town down: but the Coastguard replied; ?You cannot blow the town down?.

Getting his ship inside the lighthouse pier the commander swung her round and backed her in stern foremost, in which position she lay broadside to the town and commenced firing blank shot from her six inch guns. By this time a number of the townspeople found their way to the pier head to see what the row was about.

Captain Hogarth who commands the local Artillery Volunteers was at his own house a bit removed from the town when ?THE SPIDER? opened the first shot successfully at the attacking gunboat before she was more than a mile from the Battery.

VOLUNTEERS

Captain Hogarth on his way thither sent out flying messages to all volunteers within easy call. A few volunteers soon turned out and fired after ?THE SPIDER? as she was leaving the harbour and within shot of the Battery. The muster of volunteers gradually increased and before three rounds were fired there were sufficient men present to do all the duties required of them. They hurried down along with other townsmen to defend their hearths and homes against the assailing foe who steamed off very fast after having been thoroughly repulsed by the land forces at Ardrossan. The fact that they did not land and demand a ransom from Provost Hogarth is proof of their defeat?.

It is only fair to add that ?THE SPIDER? was in a sense repulsed also at Irvine - or rather than she showed discretion rather than valour. Having observed the fumes from the chemical works, the ship?s commander wrote in his log: Monday, 6th August ?88 - Off the ancient and Royal burgh of Irvine at noon. A barbarous attempt was made here to chloroform the crew at a distance of two miles from land. The conduct of the natives is contrary to all the usages of modern warfare. Six men fell at the guns and we did not and we did not get firing a single shot. The matter ought to be brought before Parliament?.

Scribe Tango

Museum photograph titled "Broomielaw, Glasgow 1890"

Image courtesy of J.M. (Glasgow)

Castle Line's steamer GARTH CASTLE leaves London for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer GARTH CASTLE leaves Flushing for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer ROSLIN CASTLE leaves London for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer ROSLIN CASTLE leaves Southampton for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer DOUNE CASTLE leaves London for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer DOUNE CASTLE leaves Flushing for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer NORHAM CASTLE leaves London for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Castle Line's steamer NORHAM CASTLE leaves Southampton for South and East Africa

CASTLE  LINE  -  WEEKLY  SERVICE

For the GOLD FIELDS of SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE COLONY,  NATAL,  EAST AFRICA,

MAURITIUS  and  MADAGASCAR

The CASTLE COMPANY’S ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS

Leave LONDON (EAST INDIA DOCK BASIN, BLACKWALL) Every Alternate Thursday, and Sail from SOUTHAMPTON on the following Saturday.   Intermediate Steamers from LONDON, Via FLUSHING, are despatched every 14 Days.

* “ GARTH CASTLE “  London Oct 15    Flushing Oct 17

† “ ROSLIN CASTLE “  London Oct 22  Southampton Oct 24

‡  “ DOUNE CASTLE “  London Oct 29   Flushing Oct 30

†  “ NORHAM CASTLE “  London Nov 5   Southampton Nov 7

* From Hamburg Oct 9, via Lisbon and Grand Canary

†  Via Madeira

‡  Via Lisbon and Grand Canary

SPECIAL NOTICE  – The “ CASTLE EXPRESS “ Train is despatched from the Main Line Platform, Waterloo Station, to Southampton on every alternate Saturday at 11.40A.M.

Return Tickets issued to all Ports

The further sailings from Hamburg for South Africa will be maintained at Regular Intervals.

Goods collected in Glasgow by the Carron Company, for transhipment in London on Through Bills of Lading.

Apply to DONALD CURRIE & CO., 3 and 4 Fenchurch Street, London E.C. and 40 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

JAMES CURRIE & CO.  16 Bernard Street, Leith :

JOHN COOK & SON, 62 Marischal Street, Aberdeen.

Opening of Eglinton Dock 1892

1892 12th April
Opening of Eglinton Dock.
by Lady Gertrude Montgomerie, from the bridge of: RMS Mastiff ,
She cut a ribbon stretching across entrance.
(certificate of completion wasn't issued until 8th June 92 )

Clyde puffer LOUISE founders off Rothesay and skipper is saved but two crewmen drown

   When the iron screw lighter (Clyde Puffer) LOUISE foundered off Bogany Point, Rothesay, the skipper was saved but the other two men of the crew were drowned.

   About 3.30pm LOUISE left Rothesay carrying 300 barrels of residual product from the Gas Works on the Island and was heading for Bowling and the Forth and Clyde Canal with her cargo consigned to Ross & Company at their works at Falkirk.

   The barrels filled the ship’s hold and many were piled on deck and the hatch could not be closed and had to be left open.

   As LOUISE rounded Bogany Point, passing only a short distance from the shore, she met a rough sea and immediately began to take water over her bow and bulwarks.   Being fully loaded and with little freeboard the vessel’s hold quickly became filled with water and she sank within moments.

   People on the shore who had witnessed the sinking immediately raised the alarm and a rowing boat was launched and went to the scene.   Barrels and debris were floating and the ship’s skipper, John Steel, was found holding onto a floating hatch-board.   There was no sign of the other two crewmen, Robert Miles and Thomas Cameron.

   LOUISE was owned by the lighter-owning Company J. & J. Hay of Glasgow and Kirkintilloch.   She had been built in 1870 by J. & R. Swan at their shipyard in Dumbarton and was a "Shorehead" boat 65 feet long and was of 43 gross tons.