Part 3 the Clyde Canoe Club
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The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk Part 3 The Clyde Canoe Club Contents Part 3 38 The Canoe Club and Inchmurrin ......................................................... 55 Pictorial Archive selection. .................................................................. 57 Appendix 1 .......................................................................................... 74 Appendix 2 .......................................................................................... 76 Appendix 3 .......................................................................................... 82 The Linnet, Caledonian Canal, c. 1910. 54 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk 38. The Canoe Club and Inchmurrin The island of Inchmurrin was from the outset a favourite stopping off place for CCC members, as it had been for local workmen with their pleasure boats from the mid 19th century onwards. The island had been inhabited since the first written records began – there are reports of the Vikings looting it in the 13th century. In the late 14th century the Earls of Lennox had built the stone castle whose remains can still be seen as replacement for the less secure Balloch castle. It was here that the last Countess of Lennox learned of the execution of her father, husband and two sons at Stirling Castle in 1425 on the orders of King James I. The Countess spent the rest of her life exiled on the island until her death in 1460 and she is the last recorded permanent resident until the gamekeepers of the 18th century. However, there were many other visitors in the intervening centuries. It was one of the favourite targets for raids by Rob Roy in his long-running dispute with the Duke of Montrose, who had bought it in the late 17th century. Other visitors in the 18th and 19th century included unmarried pregnant women who were confined there. By 1792 the island is described as being well wooded and abounding in pasture and Ruin of castle on Inchmurrin. supporting two hundred deer under the care of a Duke of Montrose gamekeeper and his family. These woods were perfect cover not only for the deer but also for the illegal whisky distillers who abounded on the banks and islands of the Loch. So much so that about the turn of the 19th century the Excise department stationed a cutter on the Loch to try to capture the stills and the smugglers who carried the whisky to the growing city of Glasgow and surrounding towns. By the 1830’s a neat modern cottage had been erected for the accommodation of the Duke’s shooting and picnicking parties. About 20 years later in the 1850’s the gamekeeper had a wee sideline in providing refreshments for workmen who had rowed up from Balloch with their wives. This row seems to have become something of an institution and the keeper became so popular in the Vale that when that gamekeeper died in the 1880’s his coffin was towed in a dinghy behind the Duke of Montrose’s steam launch so that he could be buried in the new Alexandria cemetery rather than in the cemeteries at Milton of Buchanan or even Inchcailloch, which might have been expected for a Montrose retainer. The next keeper was probably the one shown in the photographs of 1904, Mr. Power. He welcomed the sailors of the CCC when they started to visit the island en route to other destinations. It was well known in canoeing circles that milk and other victuals for a weekend trip could be bought at his house. That suggests that as well as looking after the deer and pheasants, the keeper also did some farming from his house, the keeper’s lodge, which was set in a little bay on the short southern shore where it remains in use to this day. During the great frost of 1895, twenty six thousand people are said to have walked on the Loch on one day, and men of the Montrose Estate transported food and other supplies by horse and cart across the ice to the gamekeeper in the lodge on Inchmurrin. A great shinty match was played in the vicinity of the island on a fine sheet of ice, and at the same time skating races and a curling match between married men and single men were taking place further south on the Loch. From the early 1900’s onwards the Clyde Canoe Club members were regular visitors to and campers on Inchmurrin and the others islands on the Loch. 55 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The southern Islands on Loch Lomond were the favourite haunts of club members. 56 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk From the pictorial archive of the Clyde Canoe Club The majority of photographs from the archive were taken in the first 12 years of the 1900’s with others in the 1920’s and 30’s. The early photos at Rosneath, shown with the text, cover from 1876 to 1881. This photo selection of the history shows the favourite haunts of the club on the Loch — Inchmurrin — the Clubhouses at Balloch — and some of their sailing canoes. Over 120 photos are shown throughout this history most of which have never been seen by the public before. It should be remembered that camera shake settings are a recent innovation in digital photography. Most of the photos taken here were shot from pitching canoes on cameras with fixed focus lenses and image exposed onto glass to produce a negative. Now digitized, this is a fantastic record of times gone bye. The great freeze of 1895. In this picture from Drumkinnon Bay shows over 100 people either standing or sitting on benches which have been placed on the ice. Refreshments were served from the paddle steamer, ice bound at Balloch Pier. 57 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The keeper of Inchmurrin, Mr Power in 1904 with his family and possibly some members of the canoe club and Mr Power posing for the camera. 1904. Camping by the keepers cottage, Inchmurrin. 58 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk 1904. The fleet’s in at Inchmurrin with steamer in distance. 1903. Another camp on the beach, Inchmurrin. Note the low level of the loch. Other beached canoes on the Island. 59 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The Gnat on the Loch. Inchmurrin jetty. Bob’s tent, 1903. Henry and David are two named campers shown left. c.1904. 60 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The Club houses in Balloch — on the river Leven & Drumkinnon Bay The move to Balloch in 1898-99 firstly used huts rented from Lynn to store their canoes. In 1904 a clubhouse was built on the river Leven to house 24 canoes. The small clubhouse was build next to the “White dyke” which divided the Moss O’Balloch Park and Private Estate (now Balloch Castle Country Park). The white dyke now starts just above a riverside path rather than into the water. The CCC came here in 1904 and this was their main boathouse until they moved to the new building at Drumkinnon Bay in 1908. The Leven boathouse was still used for storage until 1914. Photos show the newly built Boat house on the river Leven in1904 and with launching ramp added on. 61 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk Photo taken from railway property, looking west. There was no access to club from railway property. Photographer taking picture in front of clubhouse on Lady’s Day 1908. Tullichewan Estate boathouses in back- ground. Later owned by T. Hogg. The area where the picnic is taking place is now the entrance to the Lagoon at LLShores. Two winter scenes, Taken on 29/1/1910 from Clyde’s Clubhouse to what was the Tullichewan Estate boathouse and from boathouse to the Clyde’s Clubhouse at Drumkinnon Bay. The almost frozen stream shown in both pictures now enters the loch via the excavated Lagoon at Loch Lomond Shores. The boathouses were later acquired by Tommy Hogg to run his boat hire business. The foundations and boat slip can still be seen today on the promontory behind the Visitor Centre at the end of boardwalk, Loch Lomond Shores. 62 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The stream is still there but the view is obscured by 100 years of Track to the boathouse, off Old Luss road c.1910. overgrown bushes and trees. The clubhouse can just be seen far right with Balloch pier and steamer just visible. Similar views,1911 and 2011. Site of Clubhouse now the entrance to man-made Lagoon at Loch Lomond Shores, Balloch. 63 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk Sailing Drumkinnon Bay and canoes beached at Clubhouse. Note railway property boundary fence line well into the Loch. This was in place for over 100 years until removed for the Lomond Shores Development. Below: Sailing in Drumkinnon Bay. 64 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The Club’s Sailing Canoes Some captions show different named people sailing the canoes, obviously shared use. Photo captions are from archive file names from pictures taken on Loch Lomond and Clyde at the beginning of the 20th Century. Note the dress of those sailing and not a lifejacket in sight. David Yuile & Wyn, Ithona. Ithona, Loch Lomond 1901. Ithona, Bucinch June 1904. The Nellie and Herron, Kyles,1901 and Nellie Loch Lomond 1901. 65 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk The Merlin, Colonsay II and Nellie above mouth of River Leven. Yo San, Inchmoan, 1904. Yo San II, Prentice and Warden. Mona, Inchmurrin, HWY. Una, Balloch, July 1904. 66 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk Darthula, two crew. Petrel, Loch Lomond, HWY. Midge, Inchmurrin, Sept. 1904. Ithona, Inchmurrin HWY. 67 The Clyde Canoe Club • valeofleven.org.uk Enid on the shore, Clyde.