The Origins of Rowing in Glasgow:
When what is now Glasgow was a group of villages separated by a broad tidal river, the way to get from place to place was to wade across at a ford, or to row. As the city grew, and other forms of transports developed, people progressed to rowing more for fun, than out of necessity. Images of the Clyde from the early 19th Century (Swann's View from Arn's Well) shows boats with rowers in groups of four, with a steersman, whilst in the background the smoking chimneys of the Gorbals and in the foreground the washerwomen drying and bleaching clothes on Glasgow Green.
Inevitably rowing for fun, transformed into racing, in order to determine who rowed best – and how else to determine best, than to determine fastest.
The Origins of Clyde ARC:
By 1865 rowing clubs had been established on the Clyde both up and down river of Glasgow (some using the Humane Society Boathouse, which was then on the south bank), as well as on the Nith to the south, the Forth to the east , the Dee to the north and elsewhere all around the coast. Amongst these clubs who established themselves was Clyde Amateur Rowing Club. Sadly little is known to the current members of the exact date that Clyde ARC came into existence, or by whom it was founded. Certainly, it is likely that Clyde ARC existed prior to 1865, at least informally, since, like a number of Scottish rowing clubs, its existence was formalised in 1865 with the recognition of the Constitution. Many of those clubs still exist today, however a great many other clubs, across Scotland, that once thrived, have not survived. Clyde ARC is one of the clubs who survived through the recognition that change is inevitable. Clyde ARC has constantly evolved with time and has adapted to the changes in the sport from 1865, in order to survive to the present day.
Clyde in the early 20th Century:
The earliest minutes currently within the club's possession date from the early 20th Century, at a time when boat races were a major spectacle. The then Glasgow Herald records crowds in excess of 50,000 lining the bank, and bookmakers taking bets on the outcome of the races. The present Clyde Boathouse – one half of the largest timber framed building in Scotland and a listed building – was built in 1904/5. In 1914 the club had a very successful year, dominating the Scottish Championships, winning 6 of the 7 championship races. Later that year, war broke out and virtually the entire membership (then no women being included) enlisted in the forces. Only the Clyde 1914 Sculling Champion, survived the war to return to Glasgow.
The Roaring Twenties and The Thirties
Rebuilding the club post war, was challenging, however the club had sufficient resources to assist Glasgow University establish their own club in 1920. The regeneration of the club progressed more quickly than anticipated after WWI, and the club quickly returned to recording a decent membership and a great deal of rowing and racing activity. It was during the 1920's that the club welcomed the first and second members of the Penny Family. 3 more of the family would join the club, contributing not only to the club's racing history and prestige (the famous Four Pence, Ha'Penny crew of the 5 Penny brothers: Thomas, Lawrence, Alexander, William and James Penny), but also making significant contribution as committee members. Other members of the club, key to its survival and place in Scottish Rowing history, also experienced their heyday during the 1920's and 30's such as Hugh MacLeod.
The club's progression through the dark days of the 1930's and the Great Depression was not an easy one however. The club found it difficult to make ends meet with a yearly income of approximately £60 and yearly rent due of £40. The club membership and the ability of the members to pay their subscriptions was varied. The club minutes record significant financial worries during these years and various ideas were put forward to ease the financial pressure under which the club found itself. Incredibly, the club took out a tobacco licence in order to be able to supply its membership with their weekly tobacco requirements, and club members were expected to assist the club funds by purchasing their tobacco solely from the club. Other ideas, more suited to an athletic clubs ethos and aspirations, included requests for reduction in rent due to the Corporation (Glasgow City Council) and proposals to rent space from other clubs (Glasgow Printer's Rowing Club) as well as the idea of relocating the club to another part of the Clyde, nearer to Rutherglen. The club finally prevailed with their request for a rent reduction, enabling the club to survive, but war again closed down the club.
WWII and post war era:
At the outset of WWII, the club remained open in the hopes that the International Situation would abate itself. As the months progressed, the severity of the situation and the recognition that this would take some time to resolve became more apparent. In 1940, the Committee met to agree the closure of the club until the end of hostilities. This was to preserve the precious funds finally saved by the Committee after the lean years of the Depression and out of respect for club members serving in the Armed Forces.
During WWII, the military requisitioned the premises and the clubhouse suffered and after the war the membership was at another low. Minutes from 1946 - the first post war notes, record the need for an action plan to restore the boathouse to good condition and address issues such as boats and membership. The notes also remark positively that of the members how had supported the war effort in the Armed Forces, far fewer (2) had paid the ultimate price in WWII, than in WWI. In 1947 an application for membership is recorded for Mr Gordon Day - then a Junior (intermediate, not schoolboy) rower. His application was accepted. Gordon is still rowing on the Clyde today.
Concerns of over membership and finance meant that Glasgow Schools Rowing Club entered the building relegating Clyde ARC to sub-tenants. Glasgow Schools Rowing Club was a powerful force, with over an alleged 600 members at one time, however from those members developed adult rowers who were recruited into Clyde ARC (amongst other clubs). The club prospered again, and contributed to the Scotland Commonwealth Games squad in 1958.
The 1960's and70's:
In the 1960's the club grew further, largely in association with the schools to which it provided coaching, but in 1968/69 Glasgow Schools Rowing Club moved out, enabling Clyde to take sole tenancy of the clubhouse. However the club was not without a partner for long. The club assisted the gestation of Strathclyde University boat club, as it had decades earlier with Glasgow University and shared the premises until the 21st Century. This partnership was beneficial to both clubs for more than 30 years and many of the current members came through this relationship with the university.
Early in the seventies, a chance meeting led to an influx of yet more students - this time from Aberdeen University, and later in the 1970's the club opened its doors to female members. The club was able to resource large regattas and became known for the popular Clyde Rowing Weekend. This had originally begun with little prospect of success, due to the early point in the season at which it was run - the only date available due to the popularity of regattas and the desire of every Scottish club to run one during the summer months. Clyde, however laboured hard and the regatta was at one point the second biggest rowing regatta in the UK and was voted regatta of the year.
The completion of Strathclyde Park - the jewel in Scotland's rowing crown, with its 6 lane 2000m straight course offered vastly superior racing and to make use of the facility, the regatta dates were commandeered. Far from withering on the vine with the removal of a source of income, the club threw its efforts into a new approach.
The 1980's and 90's:
In the 1980's and 90's the club again concentrated on creating crews to dominate the Scottish rowing scene. This time, the Clyde ARC women's squads that had begun in the 1970's were able to be developed as well as the men's squads, in addition to newly conceived (at international level) lightweight squads of men and women and a thriving junior section.
The use of new technology such as plastic hulls was pioneered by the club, when in 1983 Clyde was the first club to purchase a Janousek - the G'day Foster and to use it with Dreissigacker oars. In addition to this, first class coaching was provided and many of the athletes who joined the club went on to represent Scotland and Great Britain at the Home International, the Coupe de La Jeunesse, the World Junior Championships and the Nations Cup (U23 event). Details of these successful crews are available within the Making History section.
The athletes at the club, both men and especially the women were taught to "know their place" - on the podium.
The presence of Clyde members at international events became expected within the club and the endeavours of the competitive athletes were supported by club stalwarts such as Gordon Day, Mike Haggerty, Raymond Dixon, Dave George and Ralph Gillies. These crews and athletes helped create a "can do" culture within Scottish rowing which would benefit the growth of junior and women's rowing in the UK, however the loss of key members and coaches towards the end of the nineties left the club with little infrastructure and again the need to regenerate.
The Noughties:
Today, the club is as inclusive as its ever been, and this is reflected in the number of members and the number of different levels and categories that the club participates and competes in. Both experienced rowers and complete beginners are welcomed to the club, in addition to those looking either to simply get fit, or participate in the social events at the club.
We are keen to celebrate our history, but also recognise that diversity and change are part of life and try to embrace what Clyde ARC can be, as well as what it is.
The members of Clyde ARC continue to achieve great things as a club and as athletes; in this way, Clyde ARC continues to make history as well be part of history.
