FLEET FEATURES |
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Fleet Features
SS Hebrides 1898 - 1955 |
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SS Hebrides 1898 - 1955
SS Hebrides | 585 Tonnes
| Completed: 1898
| Acquired: 1948
| Sold: 1955
A brief insight into
what was a vitally important vessel for the communities of the Outer
Hebrides for many years...
Pictures & Drawing: Ewen McGee
| Text & Map:
ShipsofCalMac.co.uk | Resource: Royal Road
to the Isles
Once the flagship for 'friendly rivals' McCallum & Orme as their Hebrides
and St Kilda vessel, Hebrides was chartered to David MacBraynes
during WWII and eventually combined into the fleet in 1948 as MacBraynes
became the dominating company. She was to mainly serve on the Glasgow -
Outer Hebrides and St Kilda cargo roster for the company for many years
while also helping to evacuate islanders off Soay in 1953. The newly
arrived Loch Ard later took over from her at the end of her
career in 1955, upon which she was sold for scrap.
The designer of the Hebrides, Mr G L Watson, was perhaps better
noted for his racing yachts. In 1873 George Lennox Watson established
the first yacht design office in the world. Initially specializing in
sailing yachts he achieved international acclaim with his America's Cup
challengers Thistle, Valkyrie II, Valkyrie III and Shamrock II. His
legendary Britannia remains the most successful racing yacht of all
time. G L Watson is also known for the Watson class of lifeboat designed
for the R.N.L.I. The firm of G L Watson is now based in Liverpool.
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One of HEBRIDES Routes
to the Outer Isles of Lewis & St Kilda
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Above:
A Pictorial Representation of the Vessel Plan
LARGER IMAGE
Drawing: Ewen McGee
Below: HEBRIDES at Stornoway in 1923
ferrying passengers to the C.P.R. Liner
METAGAMA.
The
METAGAMA
was to ferry 300 Lewis immigrants to Canada and in such create a turning point
in the islands history. |
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HEBRIDES in Arinagour Bay, Coll
c1898 - 1913
LARGER IMAGE |
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THE CREW |
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The SS Hebrides had three captains who were born and brought up
on the island of Coll. The third one was a Donald McFarlane (also known
affectionately as "Domnhull-na-Heb"). One of Donald's seamanship skills
was demonstrated in the narrow channel leading to Loch Eport. There he
used to lay the Hebrides alongside an unusual sloping cliff where
cattle and sheep could be driven directly on to the ship's deck, thus
saving the drovers miles of difficult overland travel to the pier. In
January 1946 he received notification that he had been appointed as a
Member of the Order of the British Empire for 'meritorious Sea Service
in the Merchant Navy'. He had engaged in a well-executed rescue of life
at sea and successfully extinguished an on-board fire. |
Captain Donald McFarlane, his Passengers and Crew Pictured on the Stern
of SS Hebrides c1937
LARGER IMAGE |
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Above Left: Arriving at Oban
From a 1923 Film
Above: Captain John Campbell c1910 - 1920
LARGER IMAGE
Left: Rope Handling Onboard
From a 1923 Film |
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Right: Lorna and Alison, two
great-granddaughters of John Campbell, the first Captain of the first SS
Hebrides are pictured here with the original bell from the 1898 built
vessel.
It now sits proudly aboard the third and current Hebrides in service with
CalMac today on the Uig - Lochmaddy / Tarbert roster in the Western Isles. |
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ARTEFACTS |
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A Early Napkin From Aboard the Vessel before McCallum
& Orme companies merged..
LARGER IMAGE |
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Captain John Campbell's Submarine Menace Course Certificate.
LARGER IMAGE |
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ARTICLES |
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The Marine Engineer,
May 1 1898
SS Hebrides Launch
LARGER IMAGE |
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The Marine Engineer,
July 1 1898
SS Hebrides
Article
LARGER IMAGE |
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Death of Hebridean Shipmaster
Captain John Campbell
LARGER IMAGE |
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A Noted Clyde Captain
Captain John Campbell
LARGER IMAGE |
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SoC LINKS: |
SoC Past Crew
Vessel - Hebrides (III)
Route - Uig -
Lochmaddy / Tarbert |
SoC
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