Speaker Craig Mair

Rotary club of Stirling meeting of 21st April 2017.

President Alan Rankin welcomed our speaker, well-known local historian Craig Mair, to our Friday meeting.  SVP Stewart Wilson reminded members of our involvement at Gardening Scotland on 2nd to 4th June. We need to man our stand for morning or afternoon sessions on each day.

Craig Mair's subject was a ship, the Tambar, a model of which had sat in his boyhood home, given as a gift to his GP father. Despite his familiarity with the model he knew little about the history of the boat.
As a historian research into its origins was inevitable.  He discovered that the ship was purpose built to operate along the coast North of Sydney, then a much smaller place without its famous bridge. It had a shallow draught, carrying cargo and passengers in coastal waters serving small communities along river estuaries, and in many cases, it was the only means of accessing these small towns, bringing in essential supplies and taking away local produce, from butter to timber. these shallow waters were dangerous and in fact it's predecessor, the Rosedale, had been wrecked. Even sailing such a flat-bottomed boat from Scotland across the open sea via the Suez canal and India was a challenge, and in Australia ever changing depth in these tidal rivers, required care and good local knowledge. The Tambar operated from 1912 to 1960, by which time improved local communications had rendered in redundant. The vote of thanks was given by Tom Wilson.  Our next meeting on 28th April.  Speaker's host Sandy Level, Visitor's host Derek Robertson.   
For more info www.stirling.rotary1010.org

Ian Richardson