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The Ferry Man

'Twas in that year of 1866 that John Scott a well known Fruit Grower from Carluke, leased Boathouse Farm. The holding is beautifully situated upon the south bank of the Clyde, some 200 yards upstream of Haughhead Bridge (The Rid Brig) in Blantyre.

The name was given to the farm because of its close proximity to the Ferryman's Boathouse, adjacent to the steading. The whole is part of Blantyre Farm or Blantyreferme, (a corruption of the old name, Fremblantyre) which was owned at that time by Patrick Scott, (no relation of the lessee) and is thought to be part of the original orchard planted by the Augustinian Monks from the nearby Priory, who originally came to Blantyre, from their Mother Abbacy in Jedburgh, in the early part of the 13th century.

The ferry operate between Blantyre and Uddingston and was one of two ferry's on the Clyde, the other being at Blantyre Works Village. No mention is made of the fare for the ferry, but I suppose it would be similiar to the charge paid for crossing the Suspension Bridge (Pey Brig) at Blantyre Mills; 1 Ha' penny single, 1 Penny return.

For years I thought that the name 'Boat Jock' by which the area of Blantyre is known, referred to the orchard, but in fact it was the call given by persons on the Uddingston bank to attract the Ferrymans attention, by calling 'Boat Jock, Boat Jock,' whenever they wanted the ferry to cross the water of the River Clyde.

Jock was a great big Hie'lander, named John Munro, ferryman and general factotum of the owner of the property, Patrick Scott, a Laird of the old school, who was known to be frugal with his bawbees, (careful with his pennies). He kept a barrel of salted herring in his kitchen and was reputed to dish out a daily portion to his employees Himself! lest the fish became done too quickly!

Big John told John Scott, the Laird gave him a salt Herring for breakfast each morning on a broken (cracked) plate, and when he complained, the Laird replied "Ye' shid be gled 'tis a hale herrin' Ah' gie' ye' oan the broken plate, an' no' the ither way roon' aboot! there's many a wan who wid be gled tae' take yir place, herrin' or nae herrin', plate or nae plate" nevertheless the Ferryman seemed to make a good living ferrying people across the river.

His brother Hugh who was ploughman at Priestfield Farm, High Blantyre, often boasted about his brother's prosperity, in his strong Hieland accent saying, "Yess, John has sousands and sousands, aye an' hunner's o' sousands, forbye the coppers he has in the drawer," Such was life of the Scott and Munro families in this beautiful part of Blantyre, that year of 1866.

Ackn; A MacCallum Scott M.P. (Son of John Scott.)

James Cornfield 2005

See Also Boat House

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