The Captain James Lang

Dumbarton, United Kingdom

Named after Captain James Lang ( Langs of Chapelton ). He was born in Dumbarton in 1805, and was educated there. James became a law clerk in the Town Clerk's office, but he later served on the town's steamers. In 1830, he became the captain of one of the Dumbarton Steamboat Company's vessels. He commanded, in succession, the "Dumbarton", the "Leven", the "Prince Albert", the "Lochlomond", and the "Queen". In 1835, he married Agnes MacCallum of Greenock; she was the daughter of Peter MacCallum, founder of P MacCallum & Sons, iron and steel merchants, Greenock. As captain, James Lang used to communicate with his engineer using a worked-out system of knocks, banging the heel of his boot against the wooden cover of the steeple engine. It was at Captain Lang's recommendation that the firm of Denny Bros built a better method of communication into their vessel "Lochlomond", in the form of a mechanical indicator. James Lang was a partner of the Dumbarton Steamboat Company. Contemporary accounts show that he was irreproachable in character, a man of good morals. He died at Castleroad House in 1850.