1933 Blantyre Weir
A drowning tragedy took place on Saturday 25th June 1932 at the Blantyre Weir, which spans the River Clyde, between Low Blantyre and Bothwell. Along with several companions 10-year old Alex, McDermott, who resided with his parents at 45 Murray’s Building, High Blantyre, was walking across the upper ledge of the dam.
He lost his footing and hurtled down to the lower ledge. His companions immediately raised the alarm, but there were few people in the vicinity at the time to answer their calls for help. Eventually they attracted the attention of Edward Flynn, a young man, who resided at 39 Victoria Street, High Blantyre. Flynn had been bathing some time before, and still wore his bathing costume under his clothes. He quickly removed himself of his clothing and swam out to the dam. There he found the boy wedged in the lower ledge of the dam. He managed to get him out and to the river bank. He had been drowned by the constant flow of a very few inches water over his head. Pictured just a year later in 1933, is the Blantyre Weir, looking over to the Blantyre side of the Clyde.
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