I hope you like this photo. Previously unseen online it was taken around 1900 right on the Blantyre Parish Boundary. A group of late Victorian figures stand, finely dressed on the banks of the river which would eventually become the Lido.

This was a time before trams. No tram standards on the bridge yet and before the Covenanters memorial.

Who would have guessed 120 years later, how busy the scene is to the right out this picture as tens of thousands of cars roar alongside the river on the East Kilbride Expressway each day!

The photo was taken by early photographer David Ritchie and now in my collection, with thanks to Alex Bowie. The resolution is quite astounding, so I’ve zoomed in on the people to let you see further detail. I suspect its summer, given the river is low, leaves on the trees and from the way the people are dressed. This is just one of many, wonderful new photos coming in the next few weeks.

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:

Tom McGuigan Used to go to the Lido a lot as a kid when we lived in Bothwellhaugh
Gord Fotheringham Still remember ….a very nice quiet place to sit and relax….and yes i did relax….excellent paul
Margaret Duncan Great photo – I have some old family photos taken there in the day
Maggie Anderson Many years ago when my mother was a child….not sure of her age… she fell in the water here then dried her clothes on a bush before going home…..her Mum was none the wiser x
Jessie Caldow Amazing photo, what a treasure!
Archie Peat A great day out !! Cross the David Livingstone bridge , through Bothwell to the Lido then back along Whistleberry Road to Glasgow Road , then walk the length of Blantyre which in those days was built up all the way along.
Helen Lawson Taylor We went to the lidocaine during the school holidays .
Anne Grogan Spent some nice days down their with our family