Unidentified ships in Dundee Harbour - Ref: WC0990
This photograph shows a busy scene at Dundee Harbour. Alexander Wilson took it from the south eastern side of Earl Grey Dock, the second oldest of the city's four (and named for the then Prime Minister), looking north east.
The tidal harbour, where ferries to Newport and fishing boats often berthed, is in the foreground. Beyond the wall is King William IV Dock. The two large sailing ships could be either whalers (though they are rather large) or jute carriers.
The Victoria and Camperdown Docks were built to accommodate the deeper hulled vessels which brought millions of bales of raw jute from India and what is nowadays called Bangladesh to be processed in Dundee's many mills.
Alexander Wilson who took this photograph, was a supervisor in a Dundee jute mill for over 20 years. He bequeathed much of his collection and £50, to cover the costs involved, to the Free Library Committee of Dundee in 1923.