The above postcard image featuring one of the Galloway steam boats at Largo Harbour dates to the 1890s. This was the very end of the era of such visits but offers a striking image of what was once a common sight here. For decades, a number of different steamers had been frequent visitors to Largo, offering pre-railway ferry services and pleasure cruises. The table below lists the main regular callers at Largo - starting with 'Surprise' - a wooden paddle steamer built in 1821, only to be wrecked off Leven early the following year.
Four years later 'Victory' took up the Newhaven-Largo route but by 1830 it had competition from 'Rapid'. However, the latter would be as short-lived and unfortunate as 'Surprise'. On 7 April 1831, the Fife Herald reported "Loss of the Rapid Steam-Boat", stating that it was "totally destroyed by fire on the morning of Friday last". This incident occurred off Dysart and the description continued...
"The inhabitants were awoke suddenly by the sound of the fire-bell, occasioned by the Rapid steam-boat catching fire in the Roads, opposite the harbour. Her crew were made aware of their danger by the sense of suffocation, and after several vain attempts to extinguish the flames, left her to her fate. The view of the conflagration, as seen from the shore, was awfully grand."
Around this time 'St George' became a regular visitor to Largo and would continue to call for around twelve years. Sadly, this boat was involved in a fatal accident at Largo in 1843, when one of her 'florry boats' went down while transferring passengers to the shore. Overlapping in time with 'St George' was 'Ben Ledi' which called at Largo between 1838 and 1846, when she was broken up. Sometimes marketed jointly with 'St George', 'Royal Tar' was another 1840s steamer - completely refitted in 1845 and marketed as "without exception, the swiftest-sailing Steamer crossing the Firth".
"The inhabitants were awoke suddenly by the sound of the fire-bell, occasioned by the Rapid steam-boat catching fire in the Roads, opposite the harbour. Her crew were made aware of their danger by the sense of suffocation, and after several vain attempts to extinguish the flames, left her to her fate. The view of the conflagration, as seen from the shore, was awfully grand."
Around this time 'St George' became a regular visitor to Largo and would continue to call for around twelve years. Sadly, this boat was involved in a fatal accident at Largo in 1843, when one of her 'florry boats' went down while transferring passengers to the shore. Overlapping in time with 'St George' was 'Ben Ledi' which called at Largo between 1838 and 1846, when she was broken up. Sometimes marketed jointly with 'St George', 'Royal Tar' was another 1840s steamer - completely refitted in 1845 and marketed as "without exception, the swiftest-sailing Steamer crossing the Firth".
The late 1840s saw the first visits of iron paddle steamers to Largo - with 'Queen' and 'Fair Trader' but by 1850 visits to Largo seem to have become erratic. In 1854, 'Maid of Leven' was calling here but on 6 July that year the Fife Herald notes that "we are sorry to state that the Maid of Leven steamer has suddenly ceased plying between Largo, Leven, Buckhaven, Dysart, Kirkcaldy and Leith as formerly...much to the disappointment and annoyance of numerous passengers, no notice having been given of the intended stoppage, or the cause of it." Perhaps the customers ought not to have been too surprised, as the railway to Leven opened that summer.
As mentioned in the previous post, the 1880s were the heyday of pleasure steamers. Perhaps by this stage, people had become so accustomed to travelling by rail that the steamers offered a novel and more leisurely mode of transport. And no doubt the levels of safety and comfort had greatly improved since the days of 'Surprise' and 'Rapid'. As the 'Galloway's Tourist Guide' suggests "the tourist in search of enjoyment" and who "naturally is anxious of spending to the best advantage his well-earned holiday" should look no further than their "magnificent new saloon steamer" complete with on-board refreshments.
As mentioned in the previous post, the 1880s were the heyday of pleasure steamers. Perhaps by this stage, people had become so accustomed to travelling by rail that the steamers offered a novel and more leisurely mode of transport. And no doubt the levels of safety and comfort had greatly improved since the days of 'Surprise' and 'Rapid'. As the 'Galloway's Tourist Guide' suggests "the tourist in search of enjoyment" and who "naturally is anxious of spending to the best advantage his well-earned holiday" should look no further than their "magnificent new saloon steamer" complete with on-board refreshments.
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