Edinburgh History - Leith Shipping

Recollections
1.	Jimmy Cairns Clermiston, Edinburgh	Paddle Steamer 'The Mayflower'
2.	Jimmy Cairns Clermiston, Edinburgh	Supplying Inchkeith - from the Shore
3.	John Stevenson Trinity, Edinburgh	Supplying Inchkeith - from beside Robb's shipyard
4.	Walter Lyle Hume Cowes, Isle of Wight, England	Supplying Inchkeith - from Newhaven
5.	Bob Sinclair Queensland, Australia	Cargo Ship: 'Amelia'
6.	Terry McGuire Coventry, Warwickshire, England	Cargo Ship: 'Amelia'
7.	Michelle Thissen St Andrews, Fife, Scotland	Question - Sailing from Antwerp
8.	John Stevenson Trinity, Edinburgh	Answer 1 - Sailing from Antwerp
9.	Connie Newman Tonbridge, Kent	Answer 2 - Sailing from Antwerp - Brochure Photos - Fares
10.	John Stevenson Trinity, Edinburgh	Answer 3 - Sailing from Antwerp - Ships
11.	John Stevenson Trinity, Edinburgh	Answer 3 - Sailing from Antwerp - Journey Times
12.	Gerry MacFarlane Swindon, Wiltshire, England	MV Ettrick

Recollections

Jimmy Cairns

Clermiston, Edinburgh

Jimmy Cairns wrote:

Paddle Steamer - 'The Mayflower'

"I am remember a Paddle Steamer that sailed out of Leith. She berthed outside the Customs House next to Bernard St Bridge. I am going back a long time, to 1939.

She was called 'The Mayflower'.

Do you have any record of this or do you know where I can obtain such information? I was just curious to know what happened to her."

Jimmy Cairns, Clermiston, Edinburgh: March 30, 2007

I've not yet been able to find an answer to Jimmy's question.

If you think you may be able to help to answer it, please e-mail me.

Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: April 2, 2007

Recollections

Jimmy Cairns

Clermiston, Edinburgh

Jimmy Cairns added:

Supplying Inchkeith - from The Shore

"My father tried to start a business in supplying all the Island with food for the Army during World War II, but did not succeed. He had two boats at the shore.

I must be the only laddie that ever set foot on Inchkeith during the war."

Jimmy Cairns: March 30, 2007

Recollections

John Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

John Stevenson, Edinburgh, replied:

Supplying Inchkeith - from beside Robb's Ship Yard

"I knew, early in 1940, the RASC were given the task of 'storing' the islands in the Firth of Forth using two adapted ex MFV's (Motor Fishing Vessel's).

These were based at the north end of Robb's ship yard, just short of what now remains of the old west wooden pier.

When I started 'my time' at Robb's in 1948, one vessel and five men were still working away like a 'forgotten army' supplying just Inchkeith. By the end of the year they had been 'demobbed'."

John Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh: April 2, 2007

Recollections

Walter Lyle Hume

Cowes, Isle of Wight, England

Walter Lyle Hume, Cowes, Isle of Wight added:

Supplying Leith - from Newhaven

"I used to help Dougie and Burney McInnes on the MFV 'Twin Brothers' which had been chartered to the War Department for this purpose.

Army lorries delivered items to the slipway at Newhaven Harbour or the Fish Market Quay at low tide, 40 gallon drums of paraffin oil, numerous boxes of assorted victuals and baskets of clean laundry which had to be stowed in the hold to keep them dry,

Inchkeith was a popular call as plenty of tea and sugar could be obtained. This service was taken over by the War Department vessel 'Playfair', a purpose built steam-driven boat similar in size and appearance to a Drifter, with a berth at the West Pier, next to where the RASC launches lay. 'The Playfair' was sold to Orkney 1945.

Although being a tidal harbour. Newhaven was very busy during the war, frequented by many of the inshore patrol MFV's"

Walter Lyle Hume, Cowes, Isle of Wight, England: April 2, 2007

Recollections

Bob Sinclair

Queensland, Australia

Bob Sinclair, Queensland, Australia wrote:

Cargo Ship: 'Amelia'

"My wife, Margaret Rhind, lived in 2 Dock Place in Leith. She wonders if any Leither has any information on a small cargo ship called the Amelia.

I have some technical information but no word from anybody who actually saw the ship or any photo. Help would be appreciated.

Bob Sinclair, Queensland, Australia: December 1, 2009

Recollections

Terry McGuire

Coventry, Warwickshire, England

Thank you to Terry McGuire who replied:

Cargo Ship: 'Amelia'

"I remember the Amelia sailing fortnightly to Orkney and Shetland.

She was reputedly 'Iron built', rather than steel. She was an old vessel then, in the 1950s. I remember her carrying cargoes of silver sand, used in horticulture, and for the football pitches at Easter Road and Tynecastle.

After service with the North of Scotland Orkney and Shetland Shipping Co, I think she was sold to the Greeks.

As an apprentice at Robbs, the story I heard was that she was claimed 'sunk' by the Germans, three times, during the war."

Terry McGuire, Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

Recollections

Michelle Thissen

Michelle Thissen Wrote:

Question

Sailing from Antwerp

"I am looking for the name of a boat sailing from Antwerp to Leith at Easter 1963, probably from the Gibson Line.

Can you help me?"

Michelle Thissen, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland: January 13, 2012

Recollections

John Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

John Stevenson, Edinburgh, replied:

Answer

Sailing from Antwerp

"In the early 1960;s regular sailings were operated on a 'cargo liner' basis by George Gibson & Co.

The vessels involved were:

- YARROW Grangemouth / Antwerp

- ETTRICK Leith / Antwerp

They carried 12 passengers. The summer fare wasf £10 single and the winter fare was £6 single!

While other company vessels supplemented the trade, none of them carried passengers. Assuming that Michelle's question refers to someone travelling as a passenger, I would say almost certainly that the vessel she is looking for is ETTRICK."

If her interest is not in a passenger I would need to consult 'Lloyds List' newspaper of the time for details of sailings."

John Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh: January 14, 2012

Recollections

Connie Newman

Tonbridge, Kent

John Stevenson wrote again with a further message for Michelle Thissen.

John wrote:

Answer

Sailing from Antwerp

"John Stephenson's reply correctly suggests the 'ETTRICK as a likely vessel, sailing with passengers from Antwerp to Leith in 1963, but said that no other vessel carried passengers.

In fact, the DRYBURGH carried to Rotterdam and the 'HERIOT to Amsterdam. I did the Amsterdam one myself! I worked for the company at the offices in Commercial Street for several years (although I had left to be married by 1960)."

Brochure Photos

"I still have two brochures advertising the sailings in which I feature as one of the 'models'!! The photos for the brochure were taken on board the ETTRICK as it was the company's newest ship.

Photos were taken in the cabin and in the dining salon. There were photos of drinks on deck and a shot of a car being loaded on board."

Fares

"John is correct in his list of fares for 1963 as £10 single in summer: £6 single in winter.

In 1967, when they re-issued the same brochure, the fares had risen to £12 single in summer: £8 single in winter."

Connie Newman, Tonbridge, Kent: Messages posted in Edinphoto guestbook: January 15, 2012

Recollections

10.

John Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

John Stevenson wrote again with a further message for Michelle Thissen.

In fact I received this message from John before I had chance to add Connie Newman's message above to the web site. Both messages mention the DRYBURGH as well as the ETTRICK.

John wrote:

Answer

Sailing from Antwerp

Ships

"Michelle:

I did a bit more checking yesterday in the local newspapers for 'ship arrivals at Leith.

These are from 'The Scotsman':

- Thursday 18 April, 1963: ETTRICK arrived Leith from Antwerp

- Saturday 20 April, 1963: DRYBURGH arrived Leith from Antwerp and Zeebrugge

both vessels belonging to Gibson & Co.

It's time to get your memory working, and try to remember what day you got back to Edinburgh. !!!"

John Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh: January 17, 2012

Recollections

11.

John Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

John Stevenson added:

Answer

Sailing from Antwerp

Journey Times

"Michelle:

"The steaming distance from Antwerp to Leith is approx 430 miles which at the service speed of Ettrick (12/13knots) equates to near enough 36 hours .

When I was with Gibson & Co we, normally, sailed at 17.00 hrs (say Friday) arriving Leith at about 08.00hrs on Sunday.

Again, it depended on weather and the state of the tide on arrival at Leith . Miss the tide and you could be at anchor for six to eight hours !!!!

I would say that under normal circumstances you would have two nights on board ship."

John Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh: January 18, 2012

Recollections

12.

Gerry McFarlane

Swindon, Wiltshire, England

Thank you to Gerry for writing this message to Connie Newman, after reading her comments in Recollections 9 above.

Gerry wrote:

MV Ettrick of Leith

Connie:

Photos

"I still have two brochures advertising the sailings in which I feature as one of the 'models'! The photos for the brochure were taken on board the ETTRICK as it was the company's newest ship.

Photos were taken in the cabin and in the dining salon. There were photos of drinks on deck and a shot of a car being loaded on board.

If you could send/email me a copy of the brochure you still have, I'd love to see it."

Tom McFarlane

Engineer

"My father, Tam McFarlane, was an engineer on board MV Ettrick around the early 1960's. I was only 7 in 1960 but remember the name of this ship, and being allowed to visit the Engine Room where he worked. I've tried to Google a photo of the vessel but with no luck.

I'm trying to piece together some history of my father from MY memories - the Ettrick was his last ship before going onshore to work for Devlins in Granton."

Sailing to South Shields

"I also remember a smaller cargo vessel that went to South Shields from Leith in the late-1950s. I think its name was 'Something Rose'.

My mum skived me off school to go on that trip. Then when I got back to school the teacher asked me how my 'dads burns were', and of course, I didn't know what she was talking about!"

Gerry McFarlane, Swindon, Wiltshire, England: December 29, 2013