Courtesy of Scottish Screen Archive

Before package holidays abroad became popular in the 1960s, the Clyde coastal resorts provided a thriving holiday destination for folk from the west of Scotland, particularly during the two week summer break known as the Glasgow Fair, Families would flock from the industrial town on the River Clyde for the fresh air and freedom of the seaside. This film provides good primary evidence of this summer exodus, with trains and steamer ferries carrying hordes of passengers to their seaside retreat. On the beach at Ettrick Bay (Isle of Bute), note the rather heavy black Edwardian garb worn by adults of a well-to-do family - evidence of how both fashion and attitudes have changed. Interesting to contrast this with scenes at Ettrick Bay in 1960 from the film Pleasure Island

Kenneth Broom

Click titles to see or read more