Lady Maxwell

Today's the day ………………………. to talk of ships

This is the 41ft-long, single-masted sailing ship or sloop, the Lady Maxwell , at berth in Kirkcudbright Harbour.  She was built in 1832 in Annan and was owned by William Smith, a merchant in the town.  The following year, William Smith sold her to a John Mitchell of Tongland, 'tacksman'  of Tongland Tollbar.  John Mitchell was the man who built our house in 1842 - and lived here until his death in 1881.

John Mitchell was what you might call an 'entrepreneur' - with a finger in lots of different pies.  His daughter Margaret was married to a mariner - John McMillan - and he became the Master of the Lady Maxwell.  After a year in 1834, John Mitchell sold 16/64 shares in the boat to his son-in-law. 

In the following years, the Lady Maxwell  sailed between ports on both sides of the Solway Firth and across to Ireland - carrying cargoes of coal, lime, cement, herring, oil cake and bone dust.  John McMillan's son - also called John - eventually joined his father and learnt the trade until he too became a Master Mariner.

On a Sunday in March 1888, the Lady Maxwell sailed from Whitehaven bound for Kirkcudbright.   Captain John McMillan jnr and a boy were on board. A stiff breeze was blowing when she left and afterwards a prolonged snowstorm set in. She never arrived in Kirkcudbright and in the absence of news, she was believed to have gone down. In due course, a portion of her wreck was found on the Scottish coast.

It will never be known what happened that day.  A sad end to the Lady Maxwell - and to the loss of her crew ……………………