Bisco 9: Black Bay, Kintyre, Kilbrannan Sound, Firth Of Clyde
Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Bisco 9: Black Bay, Kintyre, Kilbrannan Sound, Firth Of Clyde
Classification Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Colonial; Assyria; Ypiranga; 'four Miles North Of Campbeltown'; Outer Clyde Estuary; Bisco 9 (Ex. Colonial, Assyria, ...)
Canmore ID 114909
Site Number NR72NE 8002
NGR NR 7776 2674
Datum Datum not recorded
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/114909
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NR72NE 8002 7776 2674
N55 29.03 W5 31.06
NLO: Black Bay [name: NR 787 266]
Kilbrannan Sound [name centred NR 83 40]
Campbeltown [name: NR 720 204].
(Classified as steel steamship: no cargo specified, but former names cited as Colonial, Assyria and Ypiranga, and date of loss as 19 September 1950). Bisco 9: this vessel broke from tow on route to breaking up, and was wrecked four miles North of Campbeltown.
Registration: Bermuda. Built 1908. 8371grt. Length: 137m. Beam: 17m.
(Location cited as N55 29.03 W5 31.07).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location assigned to this record remains unverified.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 27 January 2003.
NR 7776 2674 Site identified as part of a coastal zone assessment survey.
M Cressey and S Badger 2005.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 5675
Name : BISCO 9 (EX. COLONIAL, ASSYRIA, ...)
Latitude : 552902
Longitude : 53104
Date Built : 1908
Registration : BERMUDA
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 8371
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 137
Beam : 17
Draught : 9m
Loss Day : 19
Loss Month : 9
Loss Year : 1950
Comment : Broke from tow on route to BU and wrecked 4 miles north of Campbeltown.
Desk Based Assessment (27 November 2014)
Bisco 9 was built by Fred Krupp, Keil. Launched in 1908 (Moir & Crawford, 1994: 19-20)
Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology), 27/11/2014.
Project (October 2014 - April 2015)
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
