WEST COAST MEMORIES
IN THIS edition, we continue publishing a remarkable series of vintage photographs taken around Scotland’s west coast.
They were taken by photographer George Gray of Stonehouse in Lanarkshire around the period 1880 to 1910.
The photographs are understood never to have been seen in public before and we are very 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 your 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. IN THE wake of the Tarbert Seafood Festival we look at a photo featuring one of the most celebrated and well-designed fishing boats, the Loch Fyne skiff.
At the time George Gray was sailing down the west coast Loch Fyne skiffs would have been a common sight in the area.
In this photo taken in Tarbert there are plenty berthed after a day of fishing for herring.
These specially designed boats were used for a new type of fishing on Loch Fyne. Two boats would surround a shoal of herring and the fish would be sold to Glasgow to feed hungry workers.
The boats varied in size and some had a small cabin or den where the fishermen could take shelter and about four men could sleep. They were powered by sails meaning fishermen couldn’t often get out in calm weather.
These fishing boats, often described as one of the prettiest of fishing boats, formed the backbone of the herring fishing fleet but only for a short time as the use of skiffs declined when steam powered boat engines became more popular. Steam-powered engines were more reliable and could get the ship safely back to port even if there was no wind.
Many skiffs were refitted for use as leisure sailing boats. One of the last known surviving skiffs was built in Ardrishaig in 1911 by Munros. She was named Clan Gordon and, after use as a herring boat, it was used as a lighthouse ship. It was last sold about 13 years ago to brothers Gordon and James MacGregor who had her restored and she is now a pleasure boat.
Sailing the west coast, George Gray would doubtless have seen plenty of men hard at work on these boats. If you look carefully at the right of the picture you can see a man rowing his boat ashore just next to the boathouse. Further out, there’s another couple of men making their way out on a rowing boat.
George’s tour would have come ashore in Tarbert for a short time and this picture is clearly taken from the land looking across to where the Tarbert harbour office is now.