The Legendary Leith Smacks - Eric Graham

Eric Graham gave a most interesting talk on the Leith Smacks. These were passenger vessels which plied between Leith docks and Tower Bridge in London in the first half of the 19^th century. They could carry up to 20 Passengers and 100 tons of cargo. This was much the best way to travel to and from Edinburgh and London. The Smacks took about 50 hours depending on the wind and ran to a time-table  A coach would take about 5 days and was very uncomfortable.

Three companies were involved in the trade. They could be distinguished from each other by a different coloured bar on their hulls.

Sometimes convicts for transportation to Australia were conveyed this way   When the Prince Regent, the future George 1V, came to Scotland on a visit, organised by Sir Walter Scott, he came by a Leith Smack.

The days of the Smacks was over when a railway bridge was built over the River Tweed at Berwick.

Eric showed illustrations of paintings on the subject. He had two books for sale.