BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS
Mr Hugh Willock, Registrar for New Ardrossan,
gives the number for his district as follows.
1872
1873
Births
149 155
Marriages 22
32
Deaths
79 85
Of the thirty-two deaths registered, sixteen or one-half were upwards of sixty
years of age which is surely a large proportion and indicative of the longevity
of the community. Marriages in New Ardrossan in 1873 were Church of Scotland
- 16, Free - 17, United Presbyterian - 5, Independent - 4. During part of the
year there was no United Presbyterian minister.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 3 January
1874
EARLY SNOWDROPS
At Seafield Tower (shown below as Quarriers in 2008), Ardrossan, the residence
of W G Borron, esquire, snowdrops were in bloom on 2 January. As a further proof
of the mildness of the season, March violets are also in bloom at Seafield Tower.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
10 January 1874
LETTER TO THE EDITOR - DARK
STREETS
Would you kindly inform me who is responsible for the lighting of the streets
of Ardrossan? On Sunday night, there was not a lamp lighted in the Crescent
(shown below as South Crescent in the early 1900s) or Princes Street and only
a solitary one in Glasgow Street. While passing along Princes Street about ten
o'clock, I found a respectable man groping about in the dark trying to find
his hat which had been blown off but which, owing to the darkness, he could
not find. Now, Sir, this is not the first time such a thing has happened in
our town this winter and it says a great deal for the conduct of a seafaring
town that it has not been attended with very serious consequences. I think the
attention of the powers-that-be should be called to this matter.
I am, Sir,
Yours most respectively,
A Householder
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
24 January 1874
NEW BUILDING COMPANY IN ARDROSSAN
It is proposed to establish in Ardrossan a building company with the view of
increasing house accommodation and enabling parties desirous of acquiring property
of doing so under favourable conditions. We hope, in the course of a week or
two, to have the opportunity of explaining more fully the proposals of the proposed
company.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
2 May 1874
BURWELL'S BAZAAR
It will be seen from the advertisement (shown below), that this old established
bazaar is just now in Ardrossan at the market place where it will be for a short
time. We took a run through it the other evening and were quite delighted with
the beautiful display of everything rich and rare. Then there are the attractions
of the lottery at which fortunes are often lost and won and which we are assured
contains all prizes and no blanks. During our visit, we saw drawn a number of
knick-knacks, Japanese fans, meerschaum pipes, finger rings, big dolls and ladies'
workboxes. The bazaar is well worth a visit.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
6 June 1874
ARDROSSAN CEMETERY
Since the cemetery (shown below in 2010) has been taken over by the Parochial
Board, very considerable improvements have been effected. The half formerly
in crop has been laid off and the and the back premises of the gatekeeper's
house have been enclosed. The cemetery is in fine order, almost every grave
having flowers in bloom. Other improvements might, at little cost, be effected
such as the planting of a few more shrubs where they could find the protection
of gravestones but, as it is, it is very creditable to the taste of the keeper
and we do not wonder that so many visit it.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
6 June 1874
ARDROSSAN REGATTA AND LAND
SPORTS
This regatta and land sports has once again been revived after being in abeyance
for some years and came off on Saturday last (30 August 1974) with great eclat.
Work was very generally suspended and the town wore a holiday aspect which was
more marked in the after part of the day and after the sports when large numbers
patronised the varied sites and amusements spread for their gratification on
The Inches (shown below left in 2003). The weather in the morning was unpromising
but cleared up early in the day and the large number of interested spectators,
many from a distance, that turned out to witness the several events must have
been proof, if that were wanting, of the popularity of such aquatic and land
sports. The varied arrangements, especially those relating to the regatta, were
carried out in an efficient manner and with a promptitude worthy of remark.
The Commodore's barge was anchored outside of Montgomerie Pier and the course
for rowing boats was round a buoy situated near the Horse Island (shown below
centre in 2011) and from thence to the Long Craigs (shown below right in 2010),
the winning point being at the Commodore's barge. The sailing course was twice
round the Horse Island. The spectators had a good view of the course from both
piers. Owing to the freshness of the breeze, it took careful management on the
part of the crews of the racing jolly-boats to tide over the broken water between
the barge and the outmost buoy which was in the vicinity of the Horse Isle.
Mr Barbour as Commodore and Mr Hepburn, secretary, along with the committee,
did their duties in a manner that reflected much credit upon them and which
went far to make this revival of the Ardrossan Regatta a most successful affair.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
5 September 1874
ARDROSSAN TO WEST KILBRIDE
RAILWAY
The new railway works between Ardrossan and West Kilbride are proceeding. Ground
has been broken on the face of the hill on Montfode and Boydston Farms near
to Ann's Lodge. We hear that after harvest, a larger number of navvies will
be employed and the work prosecuted with more vigour.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
19 September 1874
FAST DAY
Wednesday first (30 September 1874) in Ardrossan and neighbourhood will be observed
as a fast day preparatory to the Autumn Sacrament which will be observed in
all the churches on the Sunday following (4 October 1874).
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald,
26 September 1874
ROBBERY ON SHIPBOARD AT ARDROSSAN
HARBOUR
Early on Friday morning last (9 October 1874), a robbery was discovered to have
been perpetrated on board the ship Jane Young lying in Ardrossan Harbour (shown
below in the early 1900s). Late on Thursday night (8 October 1874), a slight
noise was heard on deck but nothing to create alarm but next morning, it was
discovered that a number of articles, including a quantity of seamen's clothing,
had been stolen. Two men who are a-missing are suspected and the hue-and-cry
being out against them, it is expected that their apprehension will be accomplished
soon.
Ardrossan
and Saltcoats Herald, 17 October 1874
TERRIBLE SHIPWRECK AT ARDROSSAN HARBOUR
One of the most appalling shipwrecks which ever occurred on this coast took
place at Ardrossan on Wednesday morning (21 October 1874) so close to the harbour
that it was distinctly witnessed by hundreds of horrified spectators from both
piers. The ill fated vessel was a new iron paddle steamer from Glasgow for Shanghai
named the Chusan and belonging to the China Steam Navigation Company, the London
agents being Baring Brothers and Company. Her engines were nominally 300 horsepower
and her measurement 3500 40-94th tons; length between perpendiculars - 300 feet;
breadth moulded - 50 feet; breadth over sponsons - 83 feet; depth moulded -
13 feet. She was built by Messrs Elder and Company, Govan and was launched in
September last, her register tonnage being 1000 tons. Of a slender construction,
she was not at all adapted for weathering a heavy gale like that of Wednesday
morning and what was fitted to render her behaviour in such a storm of the less
seaworthy was that, after the fashion of American riverboats, she had a beam-engine
on deck. She was manned by a crew of forty-eight all told comprising engineers,
firemen, etc and had the channel pilot, Mr Moir, on board and one passenger,
Captain King, who was on his way to take the command of one of the same company's
steamers in China. The Chusan was under the command of Captain Johnson whose
wife and child of four years of age were on board with him. His wife's sister
was also on board in the capacity, it was stated, of stewardess. She had no
cargo with the exception of about 800 tons of coals to be used on the passage
out and £1000 worth of goods belonging to the captain who intended to
trade on his own account. Thus equipped, she left the Tail of the Bank, Greenock
on Wednesday 10th and got as far as Waterford in Ireland. There, on account
of some inspection of the vessel, she was put back to be strengthened for proceeding
on her voyage and was caught in the gale of Wednesday morning. At about two
o'clock in the morning, the vessel became unmanageable and would not answer
her helm. She was then off Ailsa Craig and the pilot determined to run for the
Cumbraes but could not get her to keep her course direct up channel. The captain
at that time sounded the hold and found it to contain no water. The whole of
the hands were on deck according to the statement of the boatswain, a negro
named Thomas James who had, by the captain's orders, roused the crew at about
half past twelve o'clock. It was found that the vessel had drifted towards the
land and, seeing that they would not be able to make up the channel, it was
resolved to run for Ardrossan harbour. The pilots on the lookout, seeing the
steamer making for the harbour thought it was the Belfast steamer putting back
and went round to the berth it usually occupies in order to get the moorings
ready. When the vessel came closer, however, they discovered their mistake and
were looking on when she struck on the Crinan Rock 
(shown
in the map right before the breakwater was built in the early 1890s) which is
about four hundred yards from the mouth of the harbour and whose presence is
marked by a beacon. Its sides are almost perpendicular and at low tide there
is a depth of eighteen feet alongside. She was making for the harbour well enough
and would have taken in, they allege, but not knowing the harbour and, finding
themselves close on the rock, the engines were reversed and at that time, the
storm getting complete mastery of her, she swung round and struck on the rock
amidships. She struck once and rose on the waves again, struck a second time
and rose but before she could get clear, she was caught in an eddy and striking
a third time, she parted amidships as clean as though she had been sawn right
through. The fires of the engine glared out on the raging sea as the stern half
sank and a scene of indescribable terror and confusion ensued. Part of the bridge
and paddle boxes remained above water and to these and the rigging those on
board clung, the water washing over them and knocking some of them adrift. The
fore part of the vessel, with a number of the crew on board, floated safely
into the old harbour, the ship having been built in watertight compartments.
It was blown right up to the top of the harbour and grounded without doing any
injury to the vessels moored there, settling into the best and safest spot that
could possibly have been selected. Not more than five minutes elapsed between
the time when the vessel struck and the instant she parted and, as soon as the
disaster was witnessed, one of the pilots rushed off to the residence of the
coxswain of the lifeboat where the keys of the lifeboat house are kept. The
house was locked up, Phillips being absent at drill and another set of keys
being in possession of the harbourmaster, Mr Archibald Steel, access was had
to the lifeboat and a crew consisting of one of the pilots and a number of carpenters
was hastily extemporised. The tug, meanwhile, had got her steam up and was alongside
the wreck but the number of men on board were too few to cope with the task
before them. A line was thrown to the wreck and was caught by Captain Johnson
who made it fast to his wife. Seizing hold of it himself, he sprang into the
water along with his wife. The weight was too much. Those on board the tug could
not draw them up and the water kept rushing over them and dashing them against
the paddle box. Captain Johnson put forth every effort to keep his wife's head
above water and at last let go, sinking with his right hand raised and in the
act of pushing his wife towards the tug. The second line thrown from the tug
was caught by the boatswain, Thomas James, a negro, who was hauled on board
the tug and who for several minutes, as far as he could judge, was about three
minutes on board the tug before Captain Johnson's wife was rescued. James says
he had been shipwrecked more than a dozen times and has seen women saved from
wrecked vessels but never saw one who held out so well as did Mrs Johnson. She
was, however, very far gone when rescued. Her state is now regarded as most
favourable, she being near her confinement. The fourth engineer, George Mair,
catching a line twisted it round his arm and was easily hauled up. The first
engineer, Mr William Gardner of Glasgow, however, had a very narrow escape.
He was fresh from the hot engine room and missed the line which was thrown to
him. Though unable to swim, he jumped into the sea and caught hold of it. The
rope was a rather thin one and his hands getting numb, he felt it slipping and
he had almost given up hope but he stuck to it till taken hold off and was dragged
on board the tug. The second engineer, William Ortwin and the third, John Wrench,
were also saved. A number more were picked up and the tug brought them ashore.
Other three were floated on pieces of wreck to the pier-head and were rescued
at the imminent risk of the lives of those who saved them. Some of those who
tried to reach land by means of pieces of wood were carried to sea and lost.
The water was breaking in solid masses over the pier but the Captain of the
Newry steamer Amphion, the pilots and a number of carpenters succeeded in saving
the three who came within reach of the lifebuoys. The captain of the Amphion
hauled one of them up with his own hands and the three were very handsomely
treated on board his vessel. A number, however, who came very near the lifebuoys
were carried past by the back set of the water and, drifting out to sea, were
drowned. The first mate, Mr Johnstone, was saved but the second mate, Mr Miller,
was drowned. On enquiring at the boatswain and engineer as to how he had failed
to catch a line, the other white men on board having done so, we were informed
that neither of them had seen him during the whole time of the disaster, and
one of the crew who was present at this interview, said he saw the second mate
drifting out to sea on a fragment of the wreck. Mr Miller's chest came ashore
in the course of the afternoon and was taken into the pilot house and is now
in the custody of the Collector of Customs. It contained, among other things,
a bank book showing a deposit of £35 at his credit. The most heart-rending
scene of all was the spectacle presented by a poor fellow who got jammed at
the stern of the vessel and the brave attempts to rescue him made by four carpenters
who, notwithstanding the violence of the storm, went out in a boat belonging
to the pig-iron men, deserving of the greatest praise. They got near enough
to speak to the poor fellow and throw him a line but it proved to be of no use.
They then rowed close up and one of them seized him but only succeeded in pulling
the poor fellow's clothes off his shoulders. The sea rose and fell over him
continuously and for more than an hour, he kept his erect position, visible
but for a moment then hid again by a heavy sea. At last, he was seen to fall
on his side and after a long an weary watching for a chance of escape, he was
lost from view altogether. The tug meantime, having returned to the harbour
and towed the lifeboat on to the scene of action and allowed it to drop down
on the weather side. After several attempts, they succeeded in fixing her grapplings
on to the stern of the steamer within a distance of not more than fifteen or
twenty yards of the six persons still clinging to the wreck. Strenuous efforts
were made to get them off. One of the crew had taken refuge in the rigging and
so was not at the mercy of the waves as were those on deck. Miss Elliott, along
with the Captain's child and one of the crew, had a rough time of it on the
main boom of the ship. Having got themselves firmly fixed between the wire rope
and the end of the boom, they maintained their position for nearly an hour,
being swung to and fro clear of the deck of the ship by the great violence of
the waves. For long, the pilot on the bow of the lifeboat tried to cast a line
over them but was for a time unavailing. With every failure, Miss Elliott was
observed motioning with her hand as if signifying the hopelessness of the efforts
that were being made to rescue the sufferers in the face of such a furious storm
and blinding rain from their dreadfully perilous position. At last he succeeded
and one by one the sufferers were drawn through the angry waves and safely lodged
in the lifeboat. It may be mentioned here that twice the child fell into the
water and twice one of the engineers got hold of him and brought him up again.
It was about nine o'clock when the lifeboat came off with the last of the crew
who had upwards of three hours borne their fate gallantly. All save one were
helpless and unconscious on coming ashore. Mr Moir, the channel pilot was taken
off by the lifeboat along with the others, all of whom were drawn through the
sea to the boat by means of a line which was passed round the body of one of
the crew who showed great agility and strove hard and succeeded in doing for
the others what they could not do for themselves when paralysed by fatigue and
cold. All the crew with the exception of the officers and engineers were coloured
men. They received every attention as they came ashore, some of the young men
standing by as they were brought ashore pulling off their jackets and giving
them to the half-drowned men. The steward stripped and swam ashore. He was the
only one of whom we could discover to have accomplished this feat. Dr Stevens
sent them down a suit of clothes and along with Dr Wallace was most attentive
to Mrs Johnson, her child and sister. Captain King, who as we have mentioned
had made up his mind to stick by the wreck was washed against the rail by a
heavy sea and was latterly washed adrift, thereafter caught hold a piece of
wood on which he managed to get ashore. He was hauled on board the tug boat.
The paddle boxes were above water during the whole day and portions of the wreck
kept drifting to the harbour. The scene was visited by thousands during the
day. Yesterday, Friday, it was ascertained that nine lives had been lost. Thursday
last being Glasgow fast day, large numbers from the city visited the scene of
wreck and looked with a melancholy interest on the noble ship which had so lately
left their river, now such a wreck and on the spot where she lay which will
long be remembered as the scene of one of the most heart-rending disasters in
the wreck register of the west coast of Scotland. We may add that Mr Gross,
procurator fiscal, was at Ardrossan on Wednesday and Thursday making investigation
into the whole circumstances of the wreck. Mr Wilde, surveyor to the Underwriters'
Association, will excuse us making any attempt to name those who rendered special
assistance - deeper interest in distressed men and stronger desire to give help
of any kind, whether in food or shelter, could not possibly have been shown
by any community. Mr Steel, harbour master of Ardrossan, states: I was on duty
when the vessel came in sight. I observed that she was in danger and seemed
to stand right to the harbour. I was so convinced of this that I ordered the
men to stand on the pier and they were there ready with heaving lines in case
she should manage to reach the harbour. All at once, the vessel canted or swung
round to the north and afterwards appeared on the other side of the Crinan Rock
which is four hundred yards from the other side of the shore. She was distant
from the rock about half a boat's length. She occupied this position for about
a quarter of and hour after we first noticed her. She was very much stressed.
The only thing we could make out was that her engines were working. We observed
that she reversed her engines and she was backing towards the sea. She continued
backing when the smash occurred. The engines seemed to be still going but at
this point they appeared suddenly to stop. She was contending against the elements
but had not struck the rock at that time. After that, she stuck upon the rock
as it appeared to us. It was grey daylight at that time. She first drifted down,
then her engines stopped then she struck the rock knocking away the post or
beacon which stood there as a signal. There was no light on the rock at the
time. Just as she struck on the rock, a heavy sea came and the fore end of the
vessel rose and she seemed to us to part in two exactly at the middle. The fore
end of her fell clear of the rock coming in and striking the pier. Three of
the men who were on this part of the vessel made an attempt to run for the shore
and two of them succeeded. Those who were on shore cried to the third not to
attempt it as the vessel was then rebounding from the pier and his chances of
getting on shore were correspondingly diminished. They threw lifebuoys and made
every effort to save him but the current was so strong that he was swept out
and lost. There might have been a dozen on the fore part 
(shown
right in a print reproduced by kind permission of the copyright holders Illustrated
London News / Mary Evans Picture Library and available from www.prints-online.com)
when it came into the harbour. With the exception of that man, all the others
who were on that part of the vessel were saved. This occurred at the steamboat
pier which is the middle pier. The fore part of the vessel drifted into the
harbour and came right up till she stuck at the top. When the accident occurred,
the after part of the stern seemed to keep tight and men all ran to it. We heard
them screaming. About twenty minutes or half an hour after that, part of the
ship went down. Although it did so, however, it remained sufficiently above
the water to have saved anyone who had gone on the paddle boxes but there was
a great confusion and it did not seem to occur to the men to go there. They
remained on deck and a lot of them were washed away and drowned. Before the
vessel struck, I despatched one of the pilots to get together the lifeboat crew.
A scratch crew were got together and the boat was launched but the sea was so
strong that, pull as they may, they could not get out. The lifeboat was a first-class
one and was in good order. The harbour tug was despatched with what expedition
it could. This was before the lifeboat went out. It went as near the vessel
as it could and picked up two or three of the wreck. Finding that the lifeboat
could not get out, we signalled to the captain of the tug to come back if possible
to take it out but the storm was so great that he could not get his tug in position
to come back and some time was lost in that way. When he did return, however,
the lifeboat was towed out to the windward of the wreck and anchored. The lifeboat
was under the charge of Mr Breckenridge, pilot (for whose widow and children
a benefit football match was
played in 1880). The lifeboat went as near the wreck as it possibly could to
save those who were still remaining, five in number. Mr Bannatyne, captain of
the tug which went to the rescue of those on the after part of the vessel says:
We did all in our power to rescue the people but, in trying to reach the wreck,
our vessel always went to windward and we could not get at her. With considerable
difficulty, we did get pretty near. We took nine persons off, including the
Captain's wife. We threw out lines to them all and pulled them up in that way.
The Captain and his wife were lashed on the one line but it is not true that
the Captain's wife's sister was lashed on the same line. We were doing the best
we could to save them and we had brought his wife on board and had almost succeeded
in bringing himself in when he appeared to become very much exhausted and slipped
from the rope. The Captain did all he could to hold his wife out of the water
while we were bringing them across. Four men went out in a little boat at the
same time as we did but they did not succeed in rescuing anybody. They went
out in a little lull but the weather soon became stormy again and they could
do nothing. John Murdoch Johnstone, first mate, states: We left Glasgow on Saturday
10th bound to Shanghai with a channel pilot and two passengers on board. We
put into Waterford for the purpose of landing the pilot. We found that the ship
was unseaworthy and that she had broken some of her frame. The fore part of
the ship was all adrift. I think it was want of strength in the construction
of the vessel. She was condemned as unseaworthy in Waterford by the surveyors
and was coming back to Glasgow for repairs and to get strengthened. We left
Waterford with a fine night, moderate weather and wind from the north-west.
When the ship was abreast of the Maidens, the wind veered round to the south-west
and we held away on the other shore as the weather got thick. We steered for
the Cumbrae. The gale increased, the wind from the north-west till it blew a
hurricane. The ship would not answer her helm and was unmanageable. There were
four men at the wheel, a second officer named William Miller, two quartermasters
and a seaman. Three were washed overboard, the second officer and the two quartermasters.
The steamer was intended as a riverboat and could not stand a heavy sea. She
was 300 feet long and 33 feet beam. We made for Ardrossan to prevent the vessel
going in pieces and on entering the harbour, we struck against a rock. There
were four quartermasters, three of whom were drowned. Before the vessel struck,
one of the quartermasters got three of his fingers cut off by the wheel. He
was taken below to the cabin and was lying there when the accident occurred.
We had no time to get him out, however, and so the poor fellow was drowned.
The second mate was at the wheel when the vessel struck and immediately the
rudder touched the bottom and lifted him into the sea and no more was seen of
him. The vessel's decks were iron and they were all contracted before we came
to run into this place at all. She was measured for 3590 tons, builder's measurement
but was only half-fitted up, the intention being that when she got out to China
she could be fitted out completely in the same style as the river steamers in
America. When she left Glasgow, we had on board 840 tons of coals and water
and provisions which would bring up the weight to 950 tons. The ship is registered
in Glasgow as belonging to Messrs Russell and Company, Shangai, Messrs Baring
Brothers, bankers, London and Company being the agents in this country. Mr Moir,
pilot whom we took out with us from Glasgow came back with us from Waterford
and he had charge of the ship. She broke clean in two at the fore compartment
where we had discovered a defect on the passage to Waterford. The night was
as black and dirty as I have ever seen. I have been nineteen years at sea and
I never before saw such a bad night so far up the channel. This is the second
time I have been shipwrecked but the first time was nothing to this. Twenty-five
men came into the harbour on the fore part of the ship. The clothes of all the
men were in the fore part and have thus all been saved. None of the officers
saved any of their clothes. We struck about six o'clock. The ship was just a
perfect shell, not fit to contend with wind and water and sea. William Ortwin,
second engineer says: The ship parted immediately she struck. The fore part
drifted into the harbour but no white men were on that part. Those who remained
were left on the poop. There were three boats and we tried to get them out but
the men were washed away from them as fast as they got near them. They took
refuge on the quarterdeck. The pier was crowded with people but no assistance
came until about three-quarters of an hour after we struck. None of the ship's
boats were got out. They were all smashed by the heavy seas which blew across
the deck. The tug steamer was the first to come to our assistance. They made
four efforts to get close to us before she succeeded. Several of the crew jumped
into the water and ropes were immediately thrown out to them from the tug and
by these they were hauled on board. Others got hold of pieces of wood and tried
to save themselves by floating ashore on them. About six or eight got into the
tug at that time. The reason they the tug did not take us all off at once was
that the heavy sea which was running rendered the tug unmanageable. The Captain
and his wife were trying to get on board the tug and were being pulled by means
of a rope to the deck of the tug when the Captain became exhausted and had to
let go and was drowned. His wife was got on board. The tug took out the lifeboat
which let go her grappling irons and drifted astern of the steamer. It was with
great difficulty that those who remained were got into the lifeboat. A rope
was thrown to them and they were at last got on board. The order in which they
came was as follows: Miss Elliott, the Captain's sister-in-law; the Captain's
son, the first mate; Ortwin, Humphreys and the pilot. After much exertion, we
cleared the pier and got into the harbour. The crew of a vessel in the harbour
whose name I do not know, got out their own lifeboat and came out to the wreck
and did all they could to render assistance. H Lipscome, coastguardsman, Ardrossan
says: There are altogether five coastguardsmen here, the chief being George
Mays. Mays and two others are present on drill at Greenock and the fourth is
at Lamlash. Just now, I am the only man on duty here. Nine persons were rescued
by the steam tug, six by the lifeboat, six or seven by floating pieces of wreck
and several by the pilots throwing lines from the end of the pier. The rescued
persons are distributed among private houses in Ardrossan. The perilous position
of the vessel was not observed until about seven in the morning. It was not
quite daylight till that time. The lifeboat returned from the wreck at about
nine o'clock. There was a terrific sea running and it was with great difficulty
the people were brought in. Lines were thrown from the lifeboat to the sinking
vessel and the crew got hold of them and were dragged through the water. Thirty-six
are believed to have been saved leaving sixteen drowned. The three coastguardsmen
left for Greenock on Monday week and the man who went to Lamlash went on the
same day. I do not know when they are coming back but I telegraphed for them
today. Government sends us to drill any time it pleases. Additional and most
interesting particulars in connection with the melancholy loss of the Chusan
are supplied by the pilot in charge of the vessel, Mr R W Moir, Greenock, who
arrived at his home from Ardrossan in a very exhausted state on Wednesday evening.
The substance of his narrative is: I am a pilot in the Greenock district and
have acted in that capacity for about twelve months. Previous to that, I was
a shipmaster and I got my Master's Certificate in 1864. I left the Tail of the
Bank on Saturday 10th in charge of the Chusan and was to take her down-channel.
She was on her way out to China. We put into Waterford as it was found that
the vessel was not behaving satisfactorily. We had fine weather, a calm sea
and a slight breeze ahead but the vessel was making only about six knots an
hour and the bow was working up and down like a hinge. The engineers were also
wanting something to be done to the engines. Some of the officers and crew formed
a very bad opinion of the vessel and did not believe she was seaworthy. At the
request of the Captain, I remained on board till he would communicate with the
agents in London to see what would be done. Mr May, the surveyor to the company
that the Chusan belonged to came down from London to Waterford last Monday and
inspected the vessel along with the Captain and officers. It was found that,
besides the weakness in the bow, five of the frames on the starboard side and
two on the port side had given way. The judgement of the surveyors was that
she was not fit to go to China but she was fit enough to go back to Glasgow
where she would be thoroughly overhauled. The weather at this time was beautiful,
the wind from the west, the sea calm, the glass had been steadily rising and
the Captain resolved to start for the Clyde at once. We accordingly left Waterford
anchorage between nine and ten on Monday night. I studied to keep the vessel
in calm water and brought her all along the Irish coast. From Wicklow Head,
the wind began to increase and gradually it came on to blow a strong breeze.
I brought the vessel up into the smooth water past Belfast Lough and, with the
object of running before the sea, allowing that the wind would stop at west,
I headed for the Maidens. Off the Maidens, the wind changed to the south-west
and it was noticed with alarm that the glass was falling very rapidly and that
a storm was brewing. We then shaped the course for Pladda which we made for
three or four o'clock on Wednesday morning. The wind here slapped into the west
again and the storm had come down upon us with frightful violence. As we shaped
for the Clyde, we came across the north channel. There was something awful,
the seas running mountains high and the spray was blowing over the vessel, perfect
clouds. She was getting positively unmanageable and although four men were at
the wheel, the vessel could not answer her helm. After we got inside Pladda,
she would do nothing with us. The squalls were striking her broadside on and
she was at times entirely beyond our control. The morning was beside pitch dark.
The storm had waxed into a tempest, the vessel was drifting fast to leeward
and was only steaming eight or nine knots an hour and to add to our misfortune,
we had almost no idea where we were. This state of matters lasted for about
two hours and the only thing that I could find to tell me where we were was
the reflection in the sky from the ironworks in Ardrossan. The wind I know was
blowing us bodily to leeward but it would have been madness to try and force
the vessel into the storm. She was not fit for that and when we tried it, something
terrible would have happened. About dawn, when the weather had cleared up a
little, I made out Ardrossan lights on the lee bow. I knew then that it was
hopeless to try and weather Ardrossan for even though we had been able to 'wear'
the Chusan, she would afterwards have run right into land. We were being rapidly
being driven to the lee shore and I warned the Captain to prepare for the worst.
I was intimately acquainted with the entrance to Ardrossan harbour, knew thoroughly
both the position of the Horse Island (shown
right in 2011) and the Crinan Rock and as I made out the light on the pier-head,
I told the Captain that our last chance would be to try to enter the harbour.
He said not to mind much what might happen to the ship but to do my utmost to
save the lives on board. The engineers and stokers were below getting up the
steam as much as possible but I was told it was never higher than thirty pounds.
We were making for Ardrossan from the south-westward and the wind was carrying
us to leeward, broadside on but we used the most strenuous efforts to get the
vessel's head right into the harbour. The entrance is a very dangerous one at
any time even with a vessel that steers well but with the Chusan, the risk was
dreadful. The squalls were coming down on her from all directions, catching
her big paddle boxes and and the great covering of her boilers like big sails
and I saw that the only possibility of getting her in was by working her engines
ahead and astern and to allow her to drift broadside in. I verily believe we
would have managed that but by some unfortunate or overlook, the engines would
not work reversely by steam and the working of the valves had to be done by
manual labour. When the vessel was manoeuvring in this way, she was struck by
a sea and borne onwards but instead of the stern remaining fast on the rock
and the stern slewing in as we had calculated, the vessel parted and the after
portion sunk and the fore compartment floated into the harbour. Even then, had
the people on shore been able to work the rocket apparatus, not a person on
board need have been lost as we were quite close to the pier. I had kept my
post all the time and was left in the after portion of the vessel along with
the Captain's son, Miss Elliott, the second engineer, the mate and the purser.
I was the last man that was got off the deck alive. I was in a very exhausted
condition for I had been clinging to the masthead for nearly two hours and by
that time had scarcely any clothes on. I had besides nearly two or three times
been swept away. I cannot too warmly express my thanks for the kind way that
the people of Ardrossan treated me. I was taken to the house of Mr Robertson,
assistant harbourmaster, and after recovering somewhat, I was supplied by him
with clothes which enabled me to set out for Greenock. My conscience is clear
that I did the very utmost that lay in my power to save the vessel and those
on board. From six o'clock on Monday morning to the wreck on Wednesday morning,
I had never had any rest except two hours that I lay down below before the storm
had come on and all the time the storm lasted I was never off the bridge except
occasionally when I assisted the men at the wheel. The crew consisted of George
C Johnson, master, belonging to Salem, United States of America; John Murdoch
Johnstone, first mate, belonging to Glasgow; William Miller, second mate, belonging
to Fort William; William Gardner, chief engineer, belonging to Leith, a married
man with a family; William Ortwin, second engineer, belonging to Liverpool where
he was married only four weeks ago; William G Wrench, third engineer, belonging
to Abernethy; George Marr, fourth engineer, a native of Aberdeen but residing
in Glasgow and Edwin Humphreys, purser, belonging to Salem. These were whites
and there were also the following coloured men: three stewards, two cooks, fifteen
firemen and eighteen sailors. Besides these, there were on board Mrs Johnson,
the Captain's wife; his son George, about four years of age; his wife's sister,
Miss E Elliott; Captain King, a passenger and Mr Moir, the pilot in charge of
the vessel. Of those drowned, with the exception only of two, the Captain and
the second mate, were coloured men. The latter part of the ship still lies aground
close to the rock. The boilers and machinery are lying about eight or ten feet
under water and are apparently quite sound. The paddle boxes rise above water
and about eight or nine feet of the funnel is also observable. On Wednesday
night, several of the crew slept in their usual berth as comfortably as nothing
has On Wednesday night, several of the crew slept in their usual berths in the
forecastle as comfortably as nothing has happened to the vessel. The Chusan
was fully insured. Grappling operation were carried out on Thursday and several
articles were recovered from the wreck. Lord Eglinton visited the scene of the
wreck today, Friday. The chronometer of the ill-fated vessel was taken ashore
on Thursday afternoon and was found to have stopped at five minutes to seven
o'clock. Eighty-one pounds of tobacco was also brought ashore and was seized
by the coastguard. Two bracelets were picked up and one of them was said by
the Captain's sister-in-law to be from a box containing twelve rings and twelve
bracelets belonging to Captain Johnson. The box has not been recovered. Today
Friday, the men were mustered at the Custom House (shown
below in 2007 prior to its demolition in 2010) for the purpose of being discharged.
It appears they got a month's pay in advance and the proposed settlement is
that the men accept of a free pass to Glasgow furnished by Mr Arthur Guthrie,
the honorary secretary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute here and accept
a gratuity of five shillings each given in the name of Captain King. The mate,
Mr Johnstone, who exerted himself so heroically and has lost everything, they
propose to treat in the same way. The suit of the clothes he is going about
in have been lent him by some benevolent person. The men have refused to accept
these terms and declare their intention to stick by the part of the vessel which
floated into the harbour. The ship's articles were signed by the men
for six months. Most of the men have their effects safe in the fore part of
the ship but Mr Johnstone's case is one of particular hardship. Two lads of
colour who had swam ashore were taken on board a brig in the harbour and, as
they were greatly exhausted, they were kindly entertained by the master till
Thursday morning when they were able to step ashore and present themselves to
their comrades. Most cordial were the greetings they received from those warm-hearted
fellows, one of them remarking he had passed a very sad night on account of
these boys as he thought they had been lost. Another man on Tuesday morning
unexpectedly made his appearance on board fore part of the Chusan where a number
of crew had passed the night. They asked him where he had been when it turned
out he had been taken in by some kind person and lodged for the night.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 24 October 1874
CAPTAIN JOHNSON'S BODY SHIPPED HOME
Captain Johnson's body was washed ashore and taken by ship to his home town
of Salem, Massachusetts in the United States of America. He is buried in Walnut
Grove Cemetery, Danvers, Essex County, Massachusetts.
www.FindAGrave.com
A memorial stone was erected in Ardrossan Cemetery in honour of George Johnson,
William Miller and the Chusan crew. Its inscription, now partly-eroded, is 'In
memory of George C Johnson, Master and William Miller, Second Mate and the crew
of the steamship Chusan who were drowned off the Harbour off Ardrossan on 21
October 1874. Erected by subscription'. The words Faith, Hope and Charity are
engraved on the pillar.
AWARDS FOR BRAVERY
John Templeton, ship carpenter; Gavin Keen, ship carpenter; Archibald Boyd,
ship carpenter and Patrick Mackay, pig-iron labourer, all of Ardrossan, were
awarded £3 each from the Mercantile Marine Fund for having put out in
a small boat, at considerable risk, to aid some of the crew of the Chusan who
were struggling in the water when it was wrecked at Ardrossan. They afterwards
pulled to the wreck and made several gallant but ineffectual attempts to rescue
a man who was in a dangerous position at the taffrail and did not desist in
their efforts until their boat was half-full of water and nearly swamped.
www.ScotlandsPlaces.gov.uk
ARDROSSAN MUNICIPAL
ELECTION
There will be no poll this year in Ardrossan in connection with the municipal
elections. The three persons whose term of office has expired, Messrs Thomas
Gilfillan, John Boyd and John Logan, being the only persons nominated, are re-elected.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald,
31 October 1874
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Christmas services were celebrated in both the Episcopal Church, Ardrossan and
Roman Catholic Church, Saltcoats. Both places of worship were beautifully decorated
with evergreens and festoons of flowers. The various services throughout the
day and evening were exceedingly well attended.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald,
26 December 1874
COLLECTION FOR THE POOR
OF ARDROSSAN
We understand that the annual collection for behoof of the poor in New Ardrossan
parish will be made in Mr McCall's church, tomorrow Sabbath (27 December 1874).
In the face of such an inclement season, it is hoped that there will be a liberal
response to this Christian call.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald,
26 December 1874