A ferry instutution with 150 years of history

摘要

Russell Plummer looks back at a remarkab record of service to Scotland's Western Isles. It might seem something of a contradiction that a company formed as recently as 1973 should this year be celebrating its 150th anniversary. However, in the case of Caledonian MacBrayne, which until recent times boasted the largest British registered fleet, it is entirely appropriate as 1851 was a milestone year in the history of each of these famous constituent organisations. Back in 1851, David MacBrayne joined David and Alexander Hutcheson in the formation of David Hutcheson and Company, the new concern taking over the Highland fleets of G. & J. Burns and Thomson & McConnell. When the Hutcheson brothers retired a couple of years apart in the late 1870s, MacBrayne became the sole owner although it was not until 1905 that the company finally took his name with the creation of David MacBrayne Ltd.