With the advent of summer, my thoughts turn to Rothesay at the Fair. Two of my favorite old photographs of Rothesay are these panoramic views dating from just before the first world war. The photographic prints are too long to scan on my equipment and so they are stitched together. The detail is, however quite superb.
The top view of the harbour was taken at 18 minutes past 1 on a sunny afternoon, and shows the Isle of Arran at the front of the pier. She has a cruise to the Kyles of Bute on her boards.
The Clyde cargo steamer Bute 4 in the outer harbour receiving some paint on her hull. There is also a Caledonian Duchess at the west end of the pier, filled and ready to leave.
Out at the buoys in the bay are Marchioness of Breadalbane and a North British steamer.
The row of cabs stretches beyond the Albert Pier, and one of the horses is having a mid-day feed.
At the corner of the harbour, a joiner is pushing his barrow loaded with lumber and ladders.
The lower view was taken in the middle of the same afternoon. The Eagle III has just left and is leaving her wake on her return up-river. Marchioness of Breadalbane has left her resting spot in the Bay and is making for the pier. The North British steamer Kenilworth or Talisman, remains at her buoy.
The Glasgow & South-Western steamer, Mars, is waiting at the buoy.
At the pier, the Caledonian Marchioness of Lorne is loading with another cargo steamer, possibly Brenda, on the opposite side. The swing bridge has been opened to allow a small vessel to enter the inner harbour.
There is a good view of some of the houses on Chapelhill Road. This one is almost unchanged today.
