Argyll

The iron steamship Argyll was launched from the yard of Robert Duncan & Company of Port Glasgow (Yard No 224) on 5th May 1886.  She was was powered by a two cylinder direct acting compound steam engine manufactured by Muir & Houston of Glasgow delivering 80 registered horse power. She measured 139.9′ x 23.1′ x 9.4′ and her tonnage was 224 gross tons,  34 net tons. Initially owned and operated by her builder Argyll was sold to the Argyll Steamship Co Ltd (Henry Ward Little mgr) on 15th December 1887 and operated for this company until her loss six years later.

On her final voyage she departed from Glasgow on 16th September 1893 with a general cargo bound for Stranraer via Greenock and Campbeltown under the command of Captain Thomas McGibbon. He had a crew of nine men aboard.  At 11:50 pm, having offloaded most of her cargo, she departed from Campbeltown on the last leg of her voyage. By 2:20 am she was abreast of Ailsa Craig. At this point the mate, who was in command on the bridge at the time, called the captain, who was below in his bunk, back to the bridge to take command for the final leg of the trip.  However, at 3:10am, the captain was still below and Corsewall Light was nearly abeam. The mate altered course slightly to south by east and sent once more for the captain to return to the bridge.  Shortly after she ran aground on Milleur Point, Galloway.  She was badly holed on the rocks and sank shortly after going ashore. News of the accident quickly reached Stranraer and the schooner Scotia set out for the mouth of Loch Ryan to render assistance. The crew of the Argyll succeeded in off-loading 35 tons of her cargo into the Scotia leaving the remainder, which was waterlogged, in the hold.

Efforts to raise the wreck were made by the Glasgow Salvage Association over the next ten days and she was finally raised late on 27th September. Unfortunately the makeshift concrete repairs to her hull did not hold under pressure and she quickly sank again in four fathoms close to where she had originally stranded. A further attempt to refloat the Argyll the following day proved unsuccessful and she was finally abandoned. 

The wreck of the Argyll was sold at auction on 6th October for £74 with materials and fittings salved realising a further £60. The mate who had been on watch at the time, was blamed for the accident at the subsequent enquiry.

The remains of the Argyll, which was substantially salved at a later date, lie scattered among the rocks between 3 and 5 metres in approximate position 55° 01.150’N, 05° 05.950’W off Milleur Point.