IN August of 1871 the annual outing of youngsters who attended five Sabbath Schools, later to be known as Sunday Schools, associated with Greenock’s Mid Parish Church brought the party into the presence of Royalty.

On Saturday 19 August, the 350 or so children marched down to Princes Pier, headed by the band of the Industrial School, and embarked on the Flying Sylph, which had been kindly provided by Councillor Brymner.

This vessel is understood to have been a paddle tug operated by the Clyde Shipping Company.

Accompanied by teachers and a number of parents, they went to the Gareloch and, while passing the training ship Cumberland, gave three cheers for the boys on board the man-of-war, who turned out in large numbers to return the salute.

After cruising up the Shandon side of the loch to Garelochhead, the Flying Sylph turned and came down the other side, passing Clynder and Rosneath, where a special landing place had been erected for the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorne below Rosneath Castle where they were travelling to that afternoon.

The Princess, who was Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, and John Campbell the Marquis of Lorne, whose father was the Duke of Argyll, had married in March of that year. Rosneath Castle was the Marquis’s childhood home.

As the young couple were expected to arrive, the Flying Sylph cruised around the entrance to the loch for about an hour, and then took up position close to the Duke of Argyll’s steam yacht off Helensburgh Pier.

After the special train arrived at Helensburgh Station, a small boat, rowed by four sailors, came out from the pier carrying the Princess and the Marquis.

The band from the Industrial School played ‘The Campbells are Coming’ until the young couple were on board the steam yacht.

With a fine view of the distinguished visitors, the Sabbath School youngsters gave three hearty cheers, waving their flags and handkerchiefs, which the Princess Louise and the Marquis graciously acknowledged.

The Flying Sylph then steamed home with the youngsters all highly pleased with their trip, and the kindness of Captain Neil Black and his crew.

After landing at Princes Pier they marched behind the band and dispersed at George Square after singing the National Anthem.

Returning to the Princess, she was patron of The Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers which opened in 1916 and was later known as Erskine Hospital.

The Princess died in 1939, having been predeceased by her husband, who had become the 9th Duke of Argyll, in 1914. They had no children.

Rosneath Castle was abandoned after the Second World War and demolished at the start of the 1960s.