Lobbying from the Temperance Movement, started by John Dunlop in Glasgow in 1829, led to an act of parliament aimed at curbing local drinking habits. As a result, pubs were shut after 11pm at night and the sale of alcohol in Scotland’s public houses was banned on a Sunday.
The prohibition didn’t apply to those travelling on passenger boats.
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So, on a Sunday, steamboat companies would compete on the Broomielaw, charging a small fee to take passengers down the Clyde to destinations like Rothesay, Dunoon and Gourock, serving drinks on the way.
The legal loophole created the world’s first booze cruise, and the word “steaming” entered local usage.
PS Waverley, was the last paddle boat built in Glasgow in 1946 and is the last seafaring passenger-carrying paddle boat that still runs anywhere in the world today.
After a recent restoration of its engines, trips are set to continue for many summers to come. The boat is moored beside the Glasgow Science Centre.
In 1974, Billy Connolly played a banjo onboard, singing a song he wrote called Clydescope: “Grab a steamer and sail down the Clyde. No kidding, it’s a magic way to spend a day. Try it on The Waverley”.
PS Waverley
50 Pacific Quay, G51 1EA