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Making History
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 Tuesday 3.00-3.30 p.m |
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Sue Cook presents the series that examines listeners' historical queries, exploring avenues of research and uncovering mysteries. |
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The Glasgow Humane Society - rescuing people from the river since 1790
Listener's query
"My grandfather was given a certificate by the Glasgow Humane Society in 1916 for rescuing someone from the River Clyde. What's the background of the Glasgow Humane Society?"
Brief summary
The Glasgow Humane society is the oldest organisation of its kind in the world. It was set up in 1790 at the time of the French Revolution, though in the mood of 'liberty and fraternity' the task the early rescuers were set was to help their fellow men in a practical way. At that time attempted suicide was a crime and anyone going to the rescue of someone in the river - who might be trying to commit suicide - was in danger of being thought to be an accessory. People were not therefore eager to go to help their fellow men and women who were in trouble. Humane societies gave sums of money and certificates to people for carrying out rescues and risking their lives to save others. The Glasgow Humane Society, however, decided to set up a full-time Officer and there has been one ever since. Now the Society has 17 different boats for various purposes. Their task is to rescue people from the River Clyde and the other waterways of Glasgow, and sadly also to recover the bodies of those for whom they are too late.
The Society is a charity originally set up by a Glaswegian, James Coulter, who gave £200 for the purpose. Its biggest grant now comes from Strathclyde Police but the public also makes contributions. Over the decades and centuries the main cause of people getting in the river has changed. At one stage it was people trying to cross the river; later on when shipbuilding was a big industry the main problem was people falling off ships. Now it is often drink-related.
The listener's grandfather, the City Archives reveal, was a 15-year-old lad cycling along beside the river when he saw a teenage girl from a local chocolate factory fall into the river "in a mood of frolic" after climbing along a wooden outfall pipe near Strathclyde School. The lad got off his bike, threw down his jacket and swam out to the rescue. He himself got into trouble but the Humane Society's Officer, who was in his boat, rescued the two of them. The boy was given a pound and a certificate but apparently had his pocket picked after leaving his jacket on the river bank. George Parsonage, the Society's current Officer, says that the river at that point is very dangerous and the listener's grandfather's rescue would have been a very brave act.
Experts consulted
George Parsonage who is the Society's Officer, as was his father before him
Dr Irene O'Brien of Glasgow City Archives
Further reading
George Parsonage, Rescue His Business, the Clyde His Life: the Story of Ben Parsonage and the Glasgow Humane Society (Glasgow City Libraries Publications, 1990)
Further information
Glasgow Humane Society
Glasgow Green, Glasgow G40 1BA
Tel: 0141 429 2492
Glasgow City Archives
The Mitchell Library, 210 North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN
Tel: 0141 287 2913
Fax: 0141 226 8452
Email: archives@cls.glasgow.gov.uk
Website:
The Glasgow Story
Please note: the ±«Óãtv accepts no responsibility for the content of external websites.
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See AlsoThe ±«Óãtv is not responsible for the content of external sites |
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Vanessa has presentedÌýscience and current affairs programmes for ±«Óãtv, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Discovery and has presented for ±«Óãtv Radio 4 & Five Live and a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, Scotsman and Sunday Herald.Ìý