Monday 31 October 2016

Old Postcards

If they can be found, old postcards form one of the best records of the history of an area, and Ardnamurchan is no exception. However, information to go with them is sometimes more difficult to unearth - neither Carabineer nor Carabruier bring up results on Google - but....

....Les Humphreys, who was kind enough to send me these prints, found a reference to this one in the book "Lochaber and the Road to the Isles". It shows a scene from the marriage of Charles Rudd's daughter to Sir Eldon Gorse, which took place in August 1903, when the celebration, on what was called the 'Strath of Laga', involved 800 guests. This occurred soon after Glenborrodale Castle was completed: Cecil Rhodes attended the house warming in August 1901.

Many thanks to Les for the pictures.

7 comments:

  1. There was a Carabinier, built as Albert Edward in 1878, operated with David Hutchison & Co 1893-1909.

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  2. Google lists David MacBrayne Ltd as having a PS Carbineer of 1878 but no other details.

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  3. Nigel Pearson writes, "There was a paddle steamer that operated under the name of Carabinier. She was purchased by David Macbrayne in 1893 and sold in 1909. She was built in 1878 for London and South Western railways, and is recorded as running the Oban, Tobermory and Loch Sunart route. She was replaced by the Lochinver, built in 1908 and powered by Gardiner engines, which was 188 tons gross and had a service speed of 8 knots.

    "This information was taken from the book " The Kingdom of Macbrayne " by Robins and Meek."

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  4. Paul Elletson and Graham Todd write, "The paddle steamer RMS Carabineer was owned by Macbrayne. It was built in 1878. See link. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_MacBrayne"

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  5. I agree that the steamer is PS Carabinier. The pier, however, is not in Loch Sunart.
    The Carabinier is alongside the old Salen Pier on the Sound of Mull. Some of the old piles from that pier can still be seen some 200 yards north west of the present pier. The old pier was difficult of access as it was sited rather close to a reef. The hills beyond are the ones above Lochaline as seen from Mull

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  6. Thanks to all contributors for this fascinating thread

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  7. Yes, PS (RMS) Caribinier delivered the mails up and down the sound of Mull and my Grandfather Capt. Robert Nisbet was in charge for most of that time. My Great Granddad James Nisbet retired (from the Glasgow Police) to Kilchoan and lived at Taigh Nisbet.

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