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This page last updated July 2009.

This list started from the McIntosh section in the booklet 'Sail & Steam' by Ron Stewart. Apart from some minor alterations & a slightly different format, Ron's list was as shown here. Extra information was obtained from old newspaper articles as well as 'Steam Drifters Recalled - Portgordon to Portsoy'. Please contact me for comment or if you can help with extra information.
The following list is categorised into

HOMEPORTS

BF Banff on page 1
BCK Buckie, INS Inverness, SY Stornoway, A Aberdeen, WK Wick. on this page 2

Boat types

Zulus & Steam Drifters as well as 1 Lugger & 1 Steam Liner

Time periods

Pre 1893 - Prior to William's (son of founder) death in December 1893
1893 - 1900 - December 1893 to August 1900 when John ran the Portessie yard & William R. ran his own yard in Ianstown.
1900 - 1912 - After August 1900 when William R. owned both yards even though John was in the employ of his younger brother until his death in February 1912 when the Portessie yard was closed.
Post 1912 - After John's death when sole credit must go to William R.

From newspaper clippings it is apparent that the two brothers worked closely together both before and after the apparent bankruptcy of John in 1900.
Page 2

BCK Buckie
As the BCK Buckie reg. no's didn't commence until 1908 they all fall into the 1900 - 1912 and Post 1912 time periods.

Zulus

BCK 314 Thistle (see pic opp) This is apparently a Zulu converted to engine power as many were. Unknown date of launch. Advertised for sale March 1920 as being built by Mackintosh, Portessie, Length of keel 58'. Fitted in July 1919 with a Gardner engine - 4 cylinders KM 75. Owner George Smith, Gordonsburgh.

BCK 75 M Slater Jan 1910 for Mr. John Slater, Buckpool. Keel 57ft, LOA 77ft, Beam 20ft, Depth 12'6".


BCK 314 Thistle

Steam Drifters

1900 - 1912 Portessie &/or Ianstown

BCK 363 Hope (Originally BF 573) Feb 1907 for Alexander "Jeam" Smith & Sons, Portessie.

BCK 9 Fear Not (see pic below) Jan 1908 for J. Smith "Jake Fling", J. Smith jnr., & others, Portessie. 101 GRT, length 88'6", breadth 19'6", depth 9'3". 16 inch triple expansion engine by Clyne & Mitchell, Aberdeen - 27hp. Requisitioned for war service 1915 - 1919. Temporarily renamed Fear Not II (Pennant No. 2415), as an anti-submarine net vessel fitted with a 6 pdr gun. Sold for scrap May 1938.
NEW - April 2007 Photo of BCK 9 FEAR NOT unloading herring - by ally HERE


BCK 13 Bramble (see pics below & opp) April 1908 for W. Smith ("Bramble Bill") Portessie & others. 91 GRT, length 84'4", breadth 19'4", depth 9'2". 16 inch compound engine by Clyne & Mitchell, Aberdeen - 25hp. Boiler by A.& W. Dalglish of Pollokshaws, Glasgow - 140lbs. Re-registered 1913 as BCK 137. Requisitioned for war service 1915 - 1919, temporarily renamed Bramble II, (Pennant no. 2187), as an anti-submarine net vessel fitted with a 6pdr. gun. 1936 sold to The Herring Industry Board for scrapping.

BCK 20 Hazael April 1908 for A. "Andra Bainy" Wilson & G.W. & A. Smith, Ianstown. 85GRT, length 84'7", breadth 19'5", depth 9'3" - 16 inch compound engine by McKie & Baxter of Glasgow - 31hp. Requisitioned for war service 1915 - 1919 (Pennant No. 2087) employed on miscellaneous service. 1927 sold to J. & G. Murray, Buckie. Sept 1935 sold for scrap
BCK 45 Con Amore 1909 for J. Imlach Jnr. & others, Ianstown. 88 GRT, length 86'3", breadth 19', depth 9'3" - 16 inch compound engine by Lewis of Aberdeen - 25hp. Requisitioned for war service 1915 - 1919 (Pennant No. 1784) as an anti-submarine net vessel fitted with a 6pdr. gun. 1919 sold to J. Addison, Cullen & re-registered in Banff BF 210. 1924 sold to W. Smith, Buckie & re-registered BCK 76. 1937 sold for scrap.

More BCK 137 Bramble

Post 1912 - Ianstown

BCK 190 En Avant (see pic below) April 1914 for J. "Swaby" Slater Snr., & J. Slater Jnr., Buckpool & others. 90GRT, length 87'6", breadth 19'2", depth 9'3". 16 inch compound engine by Plenty of Newbury - 30hp. Requisitioned for war service 1915 - 1920 (Pennant No. 914), as an anti-submarine net vessel/minesweeper fitted with a 6 pdr. gun. March 1937 scrapped.

BCK 209 Jeannie McIntosh (see pics below) Feb 1915 for himself (W.R. McIntosh). 88GRT, length 91'7", breadth 19'7", depth 8'11". 18 inch triple expansion engine by Rose Street Foundry of Inverness - 40hp. Named after his eldest daughter Jane, who was known as Jeannie. Requisitioned for war service 1915 - 1919, as a boom defence vessel/water carrier. 1919 returned to owner. 1925 sold to Alexander Smith Buckie. 1927 sold to G. "Swanson" Smith, Gordonsburgh & others. 1934 sold to Alexander & Arthur Smith, Buckie. 1939 owner given as Mrs. Margaret A. Smith, Buckie. Requisitioned for war service 1940 - 1945 as a minesweeper & auxiliary patrol vessel (Pennant No. FY 1635). Served as one of the 'little ships' in the evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940, but suffered structural damage which ended her war service. 1945 condemned and sold for scrap - bought by Claud H. Cann, Harwich. She was then employed to service the Rough Fort, about seven miles off Harwich, Essex. When the Thames estuary forts were closed in 1956 she was abandoned in Bathside Bay, Harwich and her remains can still be seen at low tide (2005). Update - her remains can still be seen at low tide June 2009.


More BCK 137 Bramble

BCK 137 Bramble used in painting on mural at beach at Cullen. (2005)

INS Inverness

Zulus
(April 2007 - 5 INS numbers have now replaced ? thanks to info provided by George Reid)

pre - 1893

INS 538 Rose Feb 1886 for Robert Main "Ellen", Nairn. Sold to David Barron, Nairn, by 1890. O'all 63'6", keel 49', beam 18', depth 9'10".
INS 25 Thistle April 1891 for Mr. Jas Ralph, Nairn. Later sold to D. Main, Nairn.

1893 - 1900 Portessie

INS 2532 Maggie Ann June 1898 for George Jack & Sons, Avoch. O'all 68'6", keel 51', beam 19', depth 11'3".
INS 95 Glen Cawdor June 1899 for Messr's D. Main, R. Main, A. Ralph & I. Ralph, Nairn. (possibly INS 25)
INS 263 Violet M. Hope May 1900 for Messr's Hugh, Donald & William McLeman, Avoch. O'all 72', keel 54', beam 19', depth 10'6"

1893 - 1900 Ianstown

INS 2204 Frigate Bird March 1896 for Mr. Isaac Main "Bunker", Nairn. O'all 70', keel 53', beam 19'6", depth 11'.
INS 2229 Violet April 1896 for David Main "Ellen", Nairn.
INS 2444 Nansen (see pic below) May 1897 for John Barron, Nairn. Sold on to fishermen at Stornoway in 1914 (Alan Barron)


INS 46 Loch Loy April 1899 for Mr. James Main "Ellen", Nairn. O'all 74', keel 55', beam 18'8", depth 10'6".
INS 195 Glenferness April 1900 for John Main, Nairn. O'all 74', keel 55', beam 19'6", depth 11'6".

1900 - 1912

INS 314 Glenmorrison April 1901 for Robert Baillie & David Main, Nairn. O'all 63'6", keel 49', beam 18', depth 9'10".
INS 420 Brodie Castle April 1902 for James & Alexander Main, Nairn.
INS 421 Venture April 1902 for James Wilson
INS 542 Crown (see pic opposite) April 1903 for James Main "Callie", Nairn. Fitted with 30hp engines April 1918.


Steam Drifters


INS 372 Holme Rose Official Number 132792 - (See pics below & opp) August 1913 for J. & A. Barron, Nairn & D Munro, Bank of Scotland Nairn. Length 85', breadth 18'9", depth 9'6". 16 inch triple expansion engines fitted by Messr's Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen. Tonnage 89 gross tons, 37 net tons, 35 nominal horse power. Scrapped in 1937.
(From Alan Barron Jul 2009) - The Steam Drifter, Holmerose INS 372, was bought by the Barron family in 1913 and sold for scrap in 1937. She was commandeered by the admiralty during WW1 and carried a 6 pounder gun whilst on piloting duties in the Cromarty Firth/Invergordon. My Grandfather got £20 scrap value for the Drifter in 1937. My dad held onto the 12 foot lifeboat from her and sold it for £30 when he came home from the 2nd World War, £10 more than the 90 foot Drifter raised.


Holme Rose at Yarmouth


Holme Rose c1932


Holme Rose during WW1

SY Stornoway

Zulus

1893 - 1900 Portessie

SY 1108 Caberfeidh Jan 1896 for Alexander McLeod, Knock, Stornoway. O'all 71'9", keel 55', beam 19', depth 11'. The first Stornoway boat to prosecute the East Anglia fishing.
SY ? Handsome June 1896 for Murdo Campbell, Garrabost, Stornoway. O'all 72'6", keel 54', beam 19'6", depth 11'.

1893 - 1900 Ianstown

SY 56 Babyblehead May 1899 for Mr. Colin McLeod, Stornoway. O'all 72', keel 54'6", beam 19', depth 10'6".

1900 - 1912

SY 486 Muirneag (see pics opp & below) May 1903 for Alexander "Sandy" MacLeod, Knock Point, Stornoway. O'all 82', keel 61', beam 21', depth 12'. "Sandy" worked her continuously until 1939 under sail power alone - being the last herring drifter in Britain to do so. Sold at auction at Stornoway in 1949 for 50 & broken up for fenceposts. Plans were drawn as she was broken up, & are still available.




Gordon Williams of Monmouth, Gwent, built a model of the McIntosh built Zulu - SY 486 Muirneag - after doing VERY extensive research. This is reflected in the excellent quality of his model. This is a MUST SEE SITE for an intimate look at a Scottish Zulu.

THIS MODEL IS NOW THE PROPERTY OF
MUSEUM NAN EILEAN (The Museum of the Western Isles)
Francis Street, Stornoway.

A Aberdeen

Zulus

1893 - 1900 Ianstown

A 162 Children's Friend March 1900 for Alexander Lees, Stonehaven. O'all 74', keel 56'6", beam 19', depth 11'.

More info on Stonehaven

Steam Liner
(Probably used as Steam Drifter for much of her life)

1893 - 1900 Portessie

A 149 White Rose (ON 112907) Nov 1899 for Johnson & Co., Aberdeen. O'all 92'6", keel 85'6", beam 19'2", depth 11'6". 1913 owner John Craig Senior, 26 Wood St. Torry, Aberdeen. Also 1913 owner shown as James Muir, Cellardyke, Fife as KY 179. Requisitioned for war service 1915-19 (Pennant No. 1247) fitted with 6pdr gun, used as anti-submarine net vessel based at Immingham. 1922 sold to Pomona Steam Fishing Co. Ltd. Grimsby. Renamed 'Silverna' GY 41

Steam Drifter???
(Probably a Motor Drifter - source: David Williamson & David Mair)

Post 1912 - Ianstown

A ? Eliza F. Craig Jan 1914 for George Craig, fishcurer, Aberdeen.

WK Wick

Zulu

Pre 1893

WK 263 May - Duchess of Sutherland July 1889 for Mr. Donald Sutherland, fisherman, Golspie.

Sources & acknowledgements
Mr. Ron Stewart "Sail & Steam"
Moray District Library
Buckie District Fishing Heritage Museum
Banffshire Advertiser
"Steam Drifters Recalled - Portgordon to Portsoy"
David Mair
David Williamson
Mr. Andy Adams, Harwich
Mr. Gordon Williams, Monmouth, Gwent
Mr. Robert Dennis, Taunton, Somerset
McIntosh family history sources
Ian McIntosh - Great grandson of W.R. McIntosh
The Leopard Magazine
George Reid
George Young
Alan Barron - Nairn Museum
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