Marjorie Seed: Lady Isle, Ayr Bay, Firth Of Clyde

MARJORIE SEED, stranded at 6pm 26 December 1924 at Lady Isle, Troon. Diver and chartered lighter STARLIGHT attended but the vessel had meantime gone down and all hatches submerged and salvage not recommended.

Source: Glasgow University Business Archives, UGD95/1/4 Glasgow Salvage Association, minutes 8 Jan 1925.

(Classified as Cargo Ship, with cargo of coal and coke: former names cited as Baron Cathcart, Amphion, Westhampton, and Elli Westhampton, and date of loss as 25 December 1924). Marjorie Seed: this vessel stranded off the N side of Lady Isle.

Registration: Newcastle. Built 1907. 1860grt. Length: 83m. Beam: 12m.

(Location of loss cited as N55 32.15 W4 43.45).

I G Whittaker 1998.

Quality of fix = EDM

Evidence = Echo sounder

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 22

Orientation of keel/wreck = 110290

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The MAJORIE SEED was wrecked off Lady Island, Ayr Bay, while on passage Glasgow to Huelva.

Source: Dictionary of Disasters at Sea.

Surveying Details

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11 February 1925. The stranded vessel was reported at 55 32 00N, 004 43 00W approximately, or bearing 234 degrees, 1.5 miles from Troon west pier light; 045 degree 1390 metres from Lady Island lighthouse. The site was marked by green conical buoy.

Source; Northern Lighthouse Board, Notice to Mariners 1/25.

3 October 1947. The stranded wreck notice and buoy are to be deleted.

Source; Northern Lighthouse Board.

5 May 1977. The wreck was located at 55 32 37.47N, 004 43 09.8W. The least echo sounder depth was 14.6 in a general depth of 22 metres. A scour pit of 0.6 metres deep was observed. The keel lies on an orientation of 110/290 degrees. The length is approximated at 88 metres (288 feet), and the width at 20 metres (65 feet). Decca [n brit] red d 2.60, green a 32.84, purple i 62.47. It is considered that 14.6 metres is the least depth obtainable. Transits to relocate the site are as follows:- (1) Lappock Beacon/2nd block of flats from left at Irvine; (2) concrete base of disused crane on west pier, Troon/radar aerial (conspicuous). The site was examined on the 19 May 1976.

Report by HMS WOODLARK, 21 December 1976.

Hydrographic Office 1995.

The location and equation cited by UKHO are accepted.

Ayr Bay is not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map. UKHO chart no. 2126 (1975, amended 1992) applies the name to the broad embayment between Irvine [name: NS 325 395] and Heads of Ayr [name: NS 284 188], and places the name around N55 29.4 W4 46.5 [NS 247 253].

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 2 February 2007.

Whittaker ID : 344

Name : MARJORIE SEED (EX. BARON CATHCART, ...)

Latitude : 553209

Longitude : 44327

Date Built : 1907

Registration : NEWCASTLE

Type : CARGO SHIP

Tonnage : 1860

Tonnage Code : G

Length : 83

Beam : 12

Draught : 6m

Position : Exact Position

Loss Day : 25

Loss Month : 12

Loss Year : 1924

Comment : Stranded off N side of Lady Isle

Cargo : COAL AND COKE

UKHO Identifier : 004075

Feature Class : Wreck

Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck

State : LIVE

Classification : Unclassified

Position (Lat/long) : 55.54372,-4.71939

Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)

WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.54369,-4.72058

WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)

Previous Position : 55.54362,-4.71945

Position Method : Electronic Distance Measuring System

Position Quality : Surveyed

Position Accuracy : 25.0

Depth : 14.6

Depth Method : Found by echo-sounder

Depth Quality : Least depth known

Water Depth : 22

Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged

Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide

Name : MARJORIE SEED

Type : SS

Flag : BRITISH

Length : 85.0

Beam : 12.2

Draught : 5.5

Sonar Length : 88.0

Sonar Width : 20.0

Orientation : 110.0

Tonnage : 1860

Tonnage Type : Gross

Cargo : COAL & COKE

Date Sunk : 25/12/1924

Scour Depth : 0.6

Contact Description : Entire wreck

Original Sensor : Observed Sinking

Last Sensor : Acoustic Sensor

Original Detection Year : 1925

The Marjorie Seed is recorded as having been built in 1907 by Osborne & Graham, Sunderland (Moir and Crawford 2004: 146).

Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology), 28/11/2014.

The maritime archaeology of the Clyde has been identified as a focus for a major study of human interaction with the river through time by the RCAHMS following on from recommendations by the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF). Source to

Sea has been developed as the long-term research programme, of which the research into human connections with the River Clyde forms part. This project has comprised a study of the surviving shipwreck heritage of Clyde-built vessels lost within the Clyde estuary and Firth of Clyde.

This project has collated information from a range of sources and has enhanced knowledge of Clyde-built wrecks within the Clyde. In particular information from recreational divers has proved invaluable and has been the source of detailed information about the current condition of many Clyde-built wrecks, useful for on-going management. A number of wrecks previously recorded as of unknown identity in the RCAHMS database were positively identified during the project and more accurate positional information was established for a number of other wrecks. Additionally, the project identified a potentially significant wreck (Margaret Niven) the remains of which were not previously recorded. This project has also identified a number of other potentially significant wrecks within the Clyde, which reflect both its unique contributions to world-wide shipbuilding and local connections. These wrecks include paddle steamers (Lapwing and Princess of Wales), Clyde Puffers (e.g. Margaret Niven), steam-yachts with military connections (HMS Breda), a dredger (Greenock) and an 18th-century West Indiaman (Lady Margaret). Numerous other wrecks have been identified by this project, and all display some degree of significance.

Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology) April 2015