Living in Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie, I often took my children and their friends to play in the grounds of the demolished Burns’ home at Castle Wemyss in Wemyss Bay near the Clyde shoreline, which was the Burns’ home for many years, and which site is now a new upmarket housing estate, all traces of the former castle which hosted many celebrities and world leaders of the day, having long gone.

Quite fitting in many ways, as I work for Denholm Barwil Ltd., the company which provides Cunard Port Agency services at Greenock and other UK ports…so I too (with my wife and daughter) had a good day onboard QM2 at Greenock, albeit in working mode (for me at least!)
Denholm has been involved with ship agency, shipowning and ship management in various phases since 1866 and the Head Office is still in Glasgow!

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A G & J Burns timetable, 1921.

Two merchants, the brothers James (1789-1871) and George Burns (1795-1890), laid the foundations for the firm as early as 1821 when they introduced a passenger steamer service between Glasgow and Ayr. They introduced services to Liverpool and Belfast in 1824, and in 1830 became partners with David and Charles McIver in the City of Glasgow Steam Packet Co running passenger and mail services between Glasgow, Liverpool, Belfast and Londonderry. In 1839 George Burns was co-founder with Samuel Cunard and David MacIver of the firm that became the Cunard Steam Ship Co and which won the lucrative contract to carry the transatlantic mail.

The firm, originally J & G Burns, became G & J in 1842. George’s son John, 1st Baron Inverclyde (1829-1901) became chairman of Cunard and sole partner in G & J Burns. The company was acquired by Coast Lines in 1919 at the same time as Laird Lines, and the two subsidiaries were amalgamated in 1922 to form Burns & Laird.

It was a really memorable event, made particularly special by the welcome we were affrded by the local people gathered at each port. Greenock was special but Liverpool was magnificent and one could sense the genuine pride and the feeling of association amongst the local community, who turned out in large numbers.

Another fantastic entertainment was providec by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra plus two outstanding singers, who performed a Promenade concert in the Royal Court Theatre. This was themed to relate to the 5th Birthday and to the history of Cunard and was expertly achieved and they rightly received an ovation.

They were followed later in the evening by a superb Beatles Tribute band who played in the Queen Anne Ballroom. They not only sounded like the Beatles but had an uncanny look of them as well.

Yes, all in all an excellent cruise and the unique experience of a week on the world’s only genuine liner, was as usual an absolute delight. The weather could have been a little kinder but that did not dampen the wonderful time had by all who had the privalege to be present on such a mementous cruise.