David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Note 18
18. KILMUN
Two years after acquiring Glenshellish, in 1828, Mr. Napier purchased "the land on the north shore of the Holy Loch" from Mr. Campbell of Monzie, extending from the old hamlet of Kilmun to Strone Point, and a later purchase embraced the stretch of shore ground from Strone to Blairmore, in all about three miles, the latter place being then known as Portinstuck. The original Kilmun contained but a few cottages adjacent to its ancient church. Recognising the growing popularity of coast watering-places, which the Clyde steamboats were now making easily accessible, Napier appears to have reckoned that, by acquiring the ownership of this desirable district, he would not only ensure employment for some of the river-boats he proposed to build, but be able also to protect himself from the excessive competition that already prevailed in the coast passenger traffic. He commenced operations at Kilmun by erecting some work- men's houses and a number of villas, the latter still forming the principal feature of the place. He further built a pier and the hotel, which also remain, formed good roads around the shore, and did much to improve the country road between Holy Loch and Loch Eck. Shortly thereafter he built for himself the mansion-house of Finnartmore, [1] and used it for a number of years as a coast residence when that was found more convenient than travelling to Glenshellish. An advertisement of 1829 announced: "At Kilmun there is now a substantial quay built, where passengers can land at all times. Houses to let, ground to feu." Feuing and building operations gradually extended along the shore from Kilmun to Blairmore. In addition to the piers at these places, one was also built at Strone, and the passenger traffic was carried on by Napier's steamers Kilmun, Earl Grey, and others. At the same time the "new route to Inveraray" mentioned in the Memoir was opened up, passengers being conveyed by coach from Kilmun to Loch Eck, to the north end of the loch by the Aglaia, thence by coach, passing Glenshellish to Strachur, and by another steamboat over Loch Fyne to Inveraray. A number of the coast-town piers on the Clyde were at this time in the hands of private proprietors, while others were managed by local bodies who in some cases levied rates on steamboats, passengers and goods, without any legal authority having been obtained for so doing. Among those was Rothesay pier, [2] which some of Napier's boats used, and on his objecting to the payment of dues not legally authorised, the Town Council found it necessary to put themselves right by obtaining statutory powers from Parliament. Some years later, however, the piers question came before Napier in a reverse form, when a claim was made by certain steamboat owners that they were entitled to use the Kilmun pier without his sanction. Being then in London, he had given up the running of steamers on the Clyde, and had leased this pier to the "Castle Steamboat Company", managed by Messrs. Burns, who meant it to be used only for their own boats. This arrangement was however keenly resented by other competitors for the local trade, and for a time they persisted in making use of the pier, despite the remonstrance of the lessees. This led to what was quaintly described as "unpleasant doings," and ultimately Mr. Napier was appealed to. As it happened, one of the aggressive steamboats was owned by relatives of his own, and Napier had therefore a delicate task to deal with. His first letter being ignored, a more peremptory notice to stop the "encroachment" followed. "If I were on the spot," he wrote, "I think I could do it without putting either to much expense," adding diplomatically, "I cannot for a moment doubt that your sending the steamer to Kilmun was for the purpose of accommodating my feuars with a superior boat. I therefore beg you not to put me into the dilemma of appearing so odious as I will be by taking legal measures to prevent my tenants having the best accommodation." This stopped the unauthorised use of the pier, although it is said the steamer in question continued her traffic to Kilmun for a year or two longer, using instead of the pier a long wide gangway, mounted on wheels, which was run out into the water for the landing and embarking of passengers and goods. Another steamboat placed under the same interdict carried on its Kilmun service for some time by the use of small boats. On expiry of the lease, however, the pier was rented to a neutral collector, and in his bands became available to all comers. Some of the Kilmun houses were disposed of in Mr. Napier's lifetime, but the shore property generally, and the feu-duties connected therewith, remained in his possession till his death.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ An incident characteristic of Napier may be given as communicated to the late Mr. McColl, Piermaster, Kilmun, by an old residenter, who, one Sunday morning in winter, on his way to church at Kilmun, overtook Napier while occupied sketching out the details of a drawing with his walking-stick on the snow by the road-side. Enquiring what was this that Mr. Napier was busy with, he replied to the effect that as an improvement on the steam-engine had suggested itself to him, he could not resist the desire to see, if possible, how it would work out practically. His drawing, he said, had now satisfied him on that point; he could now dismiss the subject from his thoughts, and would be able to give his attention, as he could not have done otherwise, to what the minister might have to say at the kirk.
- ↑ "The first reference to steamboats in the records of the Burgh of Rothesay is on 10th May, 1816, when it was agreed that five guineas should be accepted from each of the steamboats Rothesay Castle and Dumbarton Castle as a composition for harbour dues for twelve months, and the magistrates were authorised to make as advantageous arrangements as possible with the masters and owners of any other steamboats coming to the port" (Reid's History of Bute).