Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

When the "Spaniel" and "Gorilla" sailed to Belfast

From "Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 11th February 1972

July 1822

WHEN THE "SPANIEL" AND "GORILLA" SAILED TO BELFAST.....(Scribe/Tango)

The names of passenger ships sailing regularly from Ardrossan Harbour to Ireland, Arran and Isle of Man, have tended for a hundred years to be household words in the locality, and the older generation often refer nostalgically to bygone vessels - but do any of them still recall such erstwhile harbour visitors as the Belfast steamers "SPANIEL", "VULTURE" and "GORILLA""

The history of the shipping connection between Ardrossan and Belfast is a long and interesting one. As far back as 1884 the daylight service had been established and it was 40 years earlier, in 1844, that the night service to Ardrossan Belfast was first begun.

Originally the night service was operated by the Ardrossan Shipping Company who ran two vessels on the route, the "NORTH WESTERN" and the "NORTH EASTERN", but most of the history of the service is attached to Messrs G. & J. Burns, Glasgow, who took over the Ardrossan - Belfast run from the Ardrossan company in July, 1882.

The Burns firm was founded in 1824 by the brothers George and James Burns. From the start the firm was intimately associated with Glasgow - Belfast and Glasgow - Liverpool sealinks. George Burns carried most of the responsibility for the shipping line and it was he, who in 1839, helped Samuel Cunard of Halifax, Nova Scotia to found the famous Cunard Line. In 1922 Burns amalgamated with Laird line Ltd., Glasgow, and Ayr Steam Shipping Company Ltd., Ayr, and since then the line has been known as Burns & Laird Lines Ltd.

NAMES CHANGED

When Burns took over the night company vessels - "NORTH WESTERN" became "GRAMPUS, and "NORTH EASTERN" became "SEAL" and under their new flag they ran successfully for many years. During the construction of the Eglinton Basin and Dock the "GRAMPUS", commanded by Captain Cochrane, and the "SEAL" commanded by Captain Todd, were displaced from the berth at Winton Pier and operated from Jerry's Pier.

Up until 1893 mail from Scotland to Northern Ireland had been conveyed via Greenock but then Burns brought in a new express passenger and mail service. The "GRAMPUS" and "SEAL" were taken out of service and their captains were given two new ships the RMS "HOUND" and the RMS "GORILLA", which operated the service until 1898. Up until 1936 it was known that the
"HOUND", under new owners, was still running in the Mediterranean.

Only five years after the start of the service "HOUND" and "GORILLA" were taken off and two new steamers the "VULTURE" (Captain Todd) and the "MAGPIE" (Captain McMillan) came into service. The gross tonnage of each was 1280 with 3000 horse power and they considerably advanced the service. However, these vessels were to have a short life and eight years later, in 1906, they were replaced by the "WOODCOCK" (Captain Darroch) and the "PATRIDGE" (Captain Bruce). Both vessels were built by John Brown on Clydebank each of 1523 gross tonnage and 3200 horsepower. Their dimensions showed no advantage over their predecessors but they were far superior in passenger accommodation and speed.

WAR

During the first war the "VULTURE" was requisitioned by the government and renamed "LAIRDSROCK", other ships were also renamed as follows - "PATRIDGE" becoming "LAIRDSTOCK", and the "MAGPIE" becoming "LAIRDSGROVE".

DAYLIGHT

As the night passenger service ended Burns & Laird stepped up their new daylight services but continued a night cargo trade bringing in two new motor vessels, the "LAIRDSCREST" and "LAIRDSWOOD" which were built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

The daylight service was inaugurated in 1884 by a steel twin screw steamer named "BUZZARD" and she was succeeded by a paddle steamer "COBRA". Elderly readers may still recall the next ship, the paddler "ADDER" which operated the service from 1890 till 1905 and her successor was the turbine steamer "VIPER" which ran until the beginning of the First World War.

"VIPER" was sold in 1919 to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and was re-named "SNAEFELL".

The daylight service was in abeyance from about 1915 until 1925 when it was re-opened by RMS "TIGER", was taken over the following year by "WOODCOCK" and she was succeeded in 1929 by the "LAIRDSMOOR" which carried on until 1933 when "LAIRDS ISLE" took over.

This very popular and fast ship remained on the run until 1957 when "IRISH COAST" succeeded her, and the present ship "LION" took up the service in 1968 - continuing a sailing connection between Ardrossan and Belfast that has endured for 128 years.