Site Record

Archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel are not confirmed as present at this location, but may be in the vicinity.

Event and Historical Information:
The AILSA was an iron-hulled steamship built by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd at Whiteinch, Glasgow, in 1869 (yard number 196). Technical and configuration specifications are given as 632gt, 404nt; 214ft length x 27ft 1in breadth x 13ft 9in depth; 2 decks, 4 bulkheads, passenger deck 102ft, forecastle 29ft;screw propulsion powered by a single boiler linked to an inverted compound engine producing 100hp; machinery by Hutson and Corbett & Co, Glasgow. At time of loss on 16 November 1880, the vessel was owned W Sloan and Co. of Glasgow. It was carrying 7 passengers (6 of whom were crewmembers of the steamship ATLAS which had arrived at Bristol from Quebec and one of whom was a soldier) and a cargo of iron hoops, lead pipes and hides. The AILSA left Bristol at 5pm on Monday and it was estimated that the steamship would have been passing St Govan's Head about 1 or 2am on Tuesday, at which time a strong south-southwesterly wind was blowing. All 20 crewmembers and 7 passengers lost their lives. At first it was thought that the wreck was that of the PRINCEESS ALEXANDRA (a screw steamer of the same line), because one of the bodies washed ashore had a small book in his pocket in which that name was written. However, agents of the line stated that the PRINCEESS ALEXANDRA had not left the port until Wednesday. A Lloyd's agent subsequently discovered the word AILSA on a piece of wreckage, which established the identity of the wreck.

Sources include:
Board of Trade Wreck Return 1880 Appendix Parts I-IV pg113 (383)
Bristol Mercury, 20 November 1880, issue 10146
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyds Register of British and Foreign Shipping, 1 July 1880 - 30 June 1881, number 307 in A

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, October 2010.