(The James Craig about 2001)

In 1873, when he placed an order for a new iron barque with Bartram Haswell & Co. Sunderland, Thomas's shipping business took a leap forward.  The vessel, the Clan Macleod (68086), which cost £11,375 to build, was launched in February 1874, and was the first of Thomas's Clan Line of sailing ships.  That vessel is today (February 2004) owned by the Australian Heritage Fleet, and is sailing in great majesty, but as the James Craig, the name given her in 1905 after being sold to J. J. Craig of New Zealand in 1900 and entering the trans-Tasman trade in 1901.  The Clan Macleod was a three masted barque, built of iron, 179 feet long, 31 feet in breadth, 17 feet deep, and 646 net registered tons.  She sailed from Sunderland on her maiden voyage on 6 April 1874 under the command of Captain William Alexander (32771) with a cargo of coal for the west coast of South America.   (My thanks to the Australian Hertitage Fleet for much of this information.)

Launching the M. V. Queen Victoria from Barclay, Curle & Co.'s yard in 1936.
The launch was performed by Miss Dorothy Frances Dunlop, and observed by
Thomas Dunlop her father, and by Sir Thomas Dunlop, her grandfather.
(Click on the image to see the full platform party, and click on your browser's back button to return here.)

Thomas's first steamship was built in 1883 and given the name of Clan Davidson, but because of confusion with Cayzer and Irvine's Clan Line of steamships, all his steam and motorships thereafter were given the prefix of Queen.

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