The iron steamship Strathdee was launched from the Grangemouth yard of Dobson and Charles Ltd (Yard No 62) on 17th May 1881. She measured 141.2′ x 21.7′ x 11.2′ and her tonnage was 266 gross tons, 169 net tons. She was powered by a 2 cylinder compound steam engine by Scott Brothers Ltd., Glasgow delivering 50 nominal horse power. She was ordered by J Hay and Sons Ltd., Glasgow and registered in that city on 9th August 1881. Her official number was 84335.
Profile plan Strathdee
Lloyd’s register 1883
She was lost in collision with the 4005 gross ton Allan Line steamship Buenos Ayrean on Tuesday 20th February, 1883. The Buenos Ayrean was inward bound to Glasgow from Le Havre in ballast under the command of Captain Scott. The weather at the time of the collision was calm and clear so the reason for the incident is unclear and the reports of the crews involved differed in reports made later.
SS Buenos Ayrean
The small coaster, en route to Dublin with a cargo of coal, had departed Glasgow early that morning under the command of her skipper Richard Wilson who had a crew of eleven men. Around 6:30 am she was steaming south in a position approximately two miles east of Holy Isle, Arran. The single survivor from the Strathdee, the fireman Robert Graham stated that they had spotted the large steamship, which turned out to be the Buenos Ayrean, steaming towards them off Lamlash. The Strathdee continued on a correct course before the Buenos Ayrean bore down on them and smashed into them before they could take any evasive action. Captain Scott maintained that the Strathdee was steering erratically and that, in his opinion, no-one aboard the Strathdee was paying much attention to the course they were steering or their surroundings. He added that a final lurch to starboard, assumingly designed to avoid the collision, in fact turned the Strathdee towards the oncoming steamer and under her bows.
Dundee Courier 21st February
Either way what is clear is that a violent collision occurred which severely damaged the Strathdee completely removing her stem and foredeck. The Strathdee sank bow first in two minutes with the loss of all her crew except for the lone survivor Robert Graham. The Buenos Ayrean circled the area for over an hour but could only find the one survivor from the crew of twelve which had been aboard the Strathdee.
The wreck of the Strathdee is one for our intrepid deep diver brigade who are gradually exploring and identifying some of the unknown deeper wrecks of the Clyde estuary. The reported location ‘off Lamlash’ is vague and not very helpful. The water east of Holy island quickly plunges to deep water but clearly the wreck of the Strathdee, as yet uncharted, is there somewhere awaiting discovery. We have assigned a nominal location east of Holy Island for the purposes of this article.
