I was recently contacted by a gentleman by the name of Rupert Battersby who has a large number of quarter-plate glass negatives taken by his great uncle, Edgar Battersby. Some of these were taken on a trip to Scotland in August 1913, and just over twenty feature views taken on the Clyde and Loch Lomond. This is an important and interesting collection and I have been given permission to reproduce the photographs of the Clyde on this site.
I have to point out that these images are copyright and any further use requires permission of the owner.
The Battersby family were hat manufacturers from Stockport in Lancashire. A history of the business has been documented in a book “Battersby Hats of Stockport — An Illustrated History” also by Rupert Battersby and published by Amberley in 2016. The factory in Stockport closed in 1966.
Edgar Battersby was a young man on his visit to Scotland. He is second from the left in the photograph below which was taken in Moffat the same year he visited the Clyde. In 1914, after the outbreak of the First World War, Edgar volunteered and was a private in the Honourable Artillery Corps. He died during the Battle of Arras in 1917. The boxes of his negatives remained in the family home in Stockport, until the house was sold in 1932. Rupert’s grandfather rescued the negatives and they passed to Rupert in 2013.
Edgar Battersby second from the left
The scans of the photographs are untouched altho I have added the sepia as I find it easier to see details. The identifications of the steamers and the locations are mine for the most part and it would help Mr Battersby to properly catalog the images if you bring mistakes to my attention. Some of the piers are not always easily identified, and while the hills remain changeless, my memory does not. The scenes on board the steamers are also uncertain in identity.
There is no chronology with the photographs of the Clyde area, but I have imagined a trip to Rothesay from Princes Pier, staying a few days somewhere along the Ardbeg shore on the way to Port Bannatyne. . . .
The steamer from Princes Pier was the Mercury.
Leaving Princes Pier
Princes Pier from Mercury
Having settled into town, time to take some scenic views of “Sweet Rothesay Bay.”
Children playing on the shore
Buchanan’s Isle of Arran enters the Bay
Rothesay town and Bay from the Ardbeg shore
A trip to the pier to await Lord of the Isles for an afternoon cruise to the Kyles of Bute.
Loading a fish-box on Mercury
Mercury leaving Rothesay
Mercury leaving Rothesay
Approach of Lord of the Isles
Boarding Lord of the Isles
On board Lord of the Isles
Off up the Kyles.
Ivanhoe in the distance in the Kyles
Returning to Rothesay Juno is spotted at Colintraive.
Juno at Colintraive
Tighnabruaich
Tighnabruaich
A walk to Port Bannatyne where we meet Mercury again—late in the season and needing some repainting.
Mercury approaching Port Bannatyne.
Mercury at Port Bannatyne
Looking over to Rothesay Bay from the hills above Port Bannatyne
Leaving Rothesay, we head to Arrochar and a trip over to Tarbet on Loch Lomond.
Tarbet Hotel
Prince George approaching Tarbet
Prince George at Tarbet
Boarding Prince George at Tarbet
On board Prince George
Approaching Luss on Loch Lomond
September 25, 2019
Your continued production of memorable Blogs and photographs of the Clyde estuary are greatly appreciated by this 90 year old Scot expat in Western Australia. Thank you for this last list of Pictures, the name Battersby is very familiar to me, as a young upwardly mobile Glasgow executive, it was necessary to wear a Battersby bowler hat bought at Duns with the Crombie tailored overcoat from Rowans when travelling to the city on the morning (steam) train from Helensburgh.
September 26, 2019
Douglas: Fascinating comment. I looked up Battersby hats on a number of sites and they seemed to be the top of the line bowlers, top-hats and others that we associate with Victorian and Edwardian days. I notices there are many available on e-bay.
September 26, 2019
Pleased to hear your comment about the bowler. My father (who was the last managing director of the company) is now 92 and will be similarly interested I imagine.
September 26, 2019
Graham,
A helpful comment. I think that the excellent three quarter stern photo of Juno is taken while berthed facing south at Colintraive, not Tighnabruaich.
Keep up the good work!
Regards,
Douglas Brown
September 26, 2019
Douglas:
Thank-you for that. I had trouble with this location. I did not realize that Colintraive had a signaling apparatus. Excellent catch. Graham
September 26, 2019
A fascinating glimpse of a world about to be shattered, sadly along with the young photographer. Poignant.