The dry, sunny weather of Summer 1901, provided a great number of people to take to the River Clyde, especially those fond of bathing and wishing to cool down.

Reporters told of how on Sunday 28th July 1901, hundreds of people, mainly men and boys gathered at the River Clyde edge near the Craighead Viaduct, a little upstream of Bothwell Bridge.

Some of the more able swimmers left the Blantyre side and successfully made for the Bothwell side of the river, all looking out for each other in strong currents. Later in the afternoon, almost all set into the water again, making their way back over to Blantyre, but a few men and boys remained in Bothwell and started helping themselves to apples in a nearby riverbank orchard.

However, they soon made off quickly, back into the River with a splash leaving their fruits behind, when the female proprietor suddenly appeared from her Bothwell property…..with two angry and noisy Collie dogs.

Illustration: Courtesy Blantyre Project