Complaint about a steamer

Dear blog reader

I always find people’s letters fascinating for all that they tell us about the writer. Here is an interesting letter from, I believe, a holiday maker staying at Shandon attempting, and failing, to catch a steamer.

I hope you find the letter as interesting as I do.

Jacqueline

*********************

GLASGOW HERALD MONDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 1895

THE LORD OF THE ISLES

WEST SHANDON HOUSE, SHANDON, N. B. [NORTH BRITAIN?], SEPTEMBER 20 1895

Sir, – On Wednesday morning last my daughter and myself left this place early in the morning to join the Lord of the Isles at Helensburgh, in response to an advertisement for a trip to Inveraray on that day.

The steamer came within sight of the pier, but turned about and left us. It was the Helensburgh tradesmen’s yearly holiday, and 50 trippers from there were on the quay ready to start, and the pier master informed me that he sent 30 more away when he saw the steamer depart. The pier master said that the steamer could have come alongside without danger; but however that may be, I think that the captain of the Lord of the Isles should have arranged with the Elaine, which passed close by, to take us over to Greenock to join the steamer for Inveraray there.

I wrote the owner of the Lord of the Isles to this effect, and, further, that I thought, under the circumstances of a spoilt day, that he should send me a couple of tickets for another day at the reduced fair. He writes me merely that as it was dangerous for the steamer to come alongside the pier she went back to Greenock.

If any of my fellow-sufferers will communicate with me, steps might perhaps be taken to test this matter – at all events, I think it is desirable that the public should know the facts of the case. – I am, etc.,

Robert C Clephan, of Newcastle-on-Tyne