The ship replaced the old "St. Giles", which had been lost after running aground in thick fog on Rattray Head in 1902. The new vessel came into service in 1903 and, according to Alastair McRobb's excellent little book, The North Boats, was placed on the direct route, so the ship may never have been in St. Magnus Bay at all. Not for the first time, my depiction could be a "dadbusted lie", as the magistrate said in the Comancheros film!
What McRobb's book does not tell us is what end the second "St. Giles" made. Was she sold for further trading, or did she become a grounding casualty like her predecessor of the same name? She is not in the author's list of north boats sunk by enemy action in World War I. I would be very interested to know what became of this ship.
Last night I updated the website www.tait-gallery.co.uk by uploading the recently completed artworks (including the above) to the Gallery Shop pages. If you live in the islands, come and visit my stall at the Toll Clock Centre in Lerwick on Saturdays 8th and 15th December. The usual selection of prints and cards, including the new stock additions, will be on offer, and commissions can be discussed there too! All of it is also available to buy online through the website. Visit me on- or offline!
