Graeme Hogg, CRSC President for the 2024-25 session, prepares to give his President Address
Following his election at the AGM as CRSC President for 2024-25, Graeme Hogg delivered his Presidential Address at the Maldron Hotel in Glasgow. Graeme was introduced to the members present by Iain Quinn, who reminded us that Graeme had previously served as CRSC President in the 2005-6 session. We are, of course, more used to his contribution in recent years as Auditor of our accounts. Andy Anderson reports on the meeting.
The first image of Graeme’s address was an early representation of a hand-drawn map dating from the early 1800s of the area we would describe today as “the Kyles”. This had no mention of Tighnabruaich, but a notable referral to “Innens Wharf” (quay) was an early identification that some sort of structure stood by the water (almost) exactly where we would nowadays find Tighnabruaich. We were taken through the ensuing years when the landing of goods and passengers from the sea became fundamental to this part of the country as access by road was limited until as recently as 1968. Communication, being far easier by sea, gave rise to a natural growth of shipping services to many parts of the Firth of Clyde and connected waters.
PS Grenadier approaches Tighnabruaich Pier on MacBrayne’s winter mail service to Ardrishaig
A chronological display of vessels gave us some excellent images, showing the rivalry of competing steamers: MacBraynes, the Caledonian Steam Packet, LNER, Williamson Buchanan, and of course the puffers.
Pictures which really stood out included Columba, Lord of the Isles and Ivanhoe who all plied their trade in these waters. The mind boggles at the actual number of steamer calls at what is now Tighnabruaich pier, often more than twenty calls in a single day.
Many of the images Graeme showed were the work of a local photographer, Cuthbert Spencer, but many were his own collection or from CRSC archives.
We were treated to an impressive collection of the variety of ships calling at Tighnabruaich over the years: Jeanie Deans, Queen Mary II, Saint Columba, Caledonia, Talisman, three ‘Duchesses’, the wee ‘Maids’, and of course the sole survivor Waverley. In the 1990s there were also regular calls from the three streakers, but it is now 21 years since a CalMac ship last called at Tighnabruaich, when Pioneer visited in 2003.
Waverley shares the pier with the little Countess of Breadalbane – berthed for the night – in the early 1960s
The Tighnabruaich Pier Association, of which your President is a leading light, achieve admirable results in terms of maintaining the pier structure over many years, in conjunction with Argyll and Bute council. Without piers where would Waverley sail to? Equally without her what would be the future of such piers, not only here in Scotland but all over the UK? I share our President’s view that Steamers need Piers, and Piers need Steamers, making the efforts of the Tighnabruaich Pier Association and others well worthwhile.
All in all, an excellent address. Thank you Graeme.
When you start the video, please click the box on the lower lefthand side to get the full screen version.
Thanks to Robert Newth for producing the video.
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Published on 23 October 2024