Obituary of Alexander John Kerr

DEATH OF STORNOWAY SHIPMASTER

The Late Mr Alexander J Kerr

On Tuesday of last week there passed away a

respected and familiar local figure in the

person of Mr Alexander J Kerr, Shipmaster,

Keith Street. Although he had been in failing

health for several weeks, he was out a few

days before his death, and the end came with

unexpected suddenness.

Sixty Seven years of age, he was one of the

few remaining links connecting us with the

time when in his youth the town of Stornoway

was of considerable importance as a shipping

port, and when a fine fleet of sailing ships

registered here, and belonging to enterprising

local owners, carried on an extensive trader with

Archangel and the Baltic ports; ln those ships

Mr Kerr had his first seagoing experience

having, at the age of 14, joined the "Alliance"

on a voyage to Archangel under Captain

Macpherson. He continued in the same service

under Captain John Smith, in the "Africa", and

in the brig "Supply", with Captain Murdo

Morrison - names of ships and men well known

to all old Stornowegians.

After several years' sailing in foreign parts on

the "Gleniffer" of Glasgow he joined his

father, the late Mr Malcolm Kerr, in the

coasting trade off the West Coast of Scotland

which he continued to work on this own

account after his father's death. There was no

one better known than Mr Kerr in the

different places of call between the Mersey

and Cape Wrath, and no craft more readily

recognised than the "Jessie," the "Crest", and

the "Lady Louisa Kerr"; which he owned and

sailed in succession. But as with the larger

windjammers that had to yield the ocean trade

to the modern steamer, so also with the small

coasting vessels. The competition of steam

has rendered them unprofitable, and the

picturesque sailing coaster has been almost

completely squeezed out of existence.

For some years Mr Kerr had worked on shore

in the employ of Mr Murdo Maclean, shipping

agent, where he was available as pilot for

steamers proceeding south to Clyde, Mersey

and Irish ports. His unique knowledge of the

West Coast peculiarly fitted him for this

service, and among mariners he had the

reputation of being one of the most skillful

and careful of pilots.

Of a very quiet disposition, he was a respected

citizen of his native town, and the esteem in

which he was held was marked by the very

large number who turned. out in wet and

disagreeable weather to his funeral on

Thursday when he was interred in Sandwick

Stornoway Gazette, October 1922