WEST COAST MEMORIES

IN THIS edition we continue publishing a remarkable series of vintage photographs taken around Scotland’s west coast.

They were captured by photographer George Gray of Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, around the period 1880 to 1910.

The photographs are understood never to have been seen in public before and we are grateful to be granted access to this precious collection from a bygone era.

Look out for more photographs from George Gray’s collection in future editions of The Argyllshire Advertiser. If you can add any information to any of the published photographs, please contact the Advertiser by email at editor@argyllshireadvertiser.co.uk or call 01546 602345.

Taking the Royal Route

THIS week we cross the Firth of Lorn to the beautiful isle of Mull or, more accurately, Tobermory Bay.

Tobermory is the largest settlement on the island, lying on the north western tip of Mull, handily placed at the northern extremity of the Sound of Mull.

The village derives its name from the Gaelic ‘Tobar Mhoire’, meaning the well of Mary. Mary’s Well and Mary’s Chapel date back to the Medieval period. The water from the well was said to possess medicinal properties.

The town of Tobermory was established in 1788 by the British Fisheries Society.

Its layout was based on the designs of Dumfriesshire engineer Thomas Telford, who was also responsible for design on the Caledonian and Crinan canals.

In 1847, Queen Victoria visited Tobermory in the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, describing Tobermory as ‘prettily situated’.

The steamship companies quickly spotted an opportunity and were not slow in promoting Tobermory as being part of the ‘Royal Route’ in their marketing material.

Legend has it that the wreck of a Spanish galleon, laden with gold, lies somewhere in the mud at the bottom of Tobermory Bay. The Duke of Argyll famously undertook an expedition to find the galleon in 1950. Nothing came of the attempt, apart from the development of equipment still used today to locate ancient sunk vessels.

In George Gray’s photo, which was perhaps taken from a steamer, the Western Isles Hotel sits proudly on its clifftop site. The 26-bed hotel was designed and built specifically as a hotel in 1882, so was a relatively new building when George Gray took the picture.

On the quayside - close to the site of the modern Kilchoan ferry terminal - a tinroofed storage shed with carts can be seen beside heaps of a light coloured material. Could this be salt for food preservation? Lime for spreading on the land? If you know the answer, please contact

The Advertiser using the details above.