The History of Dundee

Lifeboat Demonstration Day in Dundee - Late 19th Century

Article from the Dundee Year Book of late 1900's

The Lifeboat Demonstration, which took place in Dundee on Saturday, 24th September, 18??, was a great success. In the early part of the year it was brought under the notice of the local branch of the Sailors' and Firemen's Union that the funds of the 'Royal National Lifeboat Institution were not in so satisfactory a state as could be desired, and a suggestion was thrown out that, following the example of English cities, an effort might be made in Dundee to bring before the public by means of demonstration the claims of so deserving an agency. Owing to dull trade, however, it was decided to leave the matter over for a time. On the first signs of a revival the proposal was again mooted, and being favourably entertained, steps were taken to enlist the sympathies of the various trade organisations and Friendly Societies in the city and district.

A circular explaining the scope and aimof the suggested demonstration was drawn up and issuedto the Secretaries of the bodies referred, to, and the ultimate result was that almost in each case the project was heartily entered into, and co-operation proffered, and in no instance more heartily than by the officials of the Local Branch of the Institution, Messrs James Hunter, Jun., solicitor, and David Bruce. Delegates were appointed to formulate the scheme, which, by and by, as the outcome of persevering effort, assumed the dimensions illustrated by the pageant of Lifeboat Saturday. The community as a whole never perhaps took up any matter with so much enthusiasm. While it was essentially a working man's scheme all classes accorded to it their support.Coming to the procession itself, it may be said that it comprised about 60 distinct bodies, representing from 7000 to 8000 persons. It mustered on the Esplanade, marched through the principal streets of the city, and in its progress was witnessed by thousands of the inhabitants. At certain points the thoroughfares were blocked, and from the windows and roofs of dwelling-houses and business premises large numbers viewed the scene. Along the route collections were taken by the demonstrators on behalf of the object in view, and to all appearance a liberal responses was made. The weather, an important element in the success of such an event, was fortunately favourable. 

During the marshalling bright sunshine prevailed, and but from a rather stiff breeze from the west the atmospheric conditions were perfect. This state of matters continued till five o’clock in the evening, when there was a marked change in the temperature and a sharp shower fell, with the result that there was a very speedy dispersion of the sections which went to the Magdalene Green. The best of order prevailed, and nothing of an untoward character occurred to mar the proceedings. For this result the greatest credit is due to all who had to do with the arrangements, to the marshals, and to Chief Constable Dewar and his staff of all grades. 

Between two and three o'clock the stream of processionists and of the general public in the direction of the Esplanade, the marshalling rendezvous, was large and continuous, and about three o’clock, by which time the crowd had taken up their position from which to view the proceedings, the various approaches were almost completely blocked. Along Union Street, Whitehall Street and Dock Street the spectators formed themselves into long lines, and through these the demonstrators made their way. Progress, of course, was often slow. The crowd, wedged so closely together as it was, could not fail occasionally to encroach upon the open space in the centre of the thoroughfares, and  when such an occurrence took place a halt had to to be called until order was restored. Opposite the North British Goods Station a police cordon was drawn beyond which the public were not allowed to go. The space from that point to the Esplanade Station, nearly a mile in length, was exclusively set apart for the purpose of marshalling the different trades and Societies. The Grand Marshal (Colonel Rankin) and his assistants, all me tinted, were present shortly after two o'clock, and while the processionists trooped to the, grounds there was some difficulty in keeping the crowd in order. There were thousands in front of the West Station and towards the entrance to the Esplanade, all eager to get a view of the procession, and numbers perched themselves on the walls on each side of the street, and congregated on the space allotted for the public on either side of the route.

Only ten minutes after the time fixed, namely, at 3.40, the procession began to move from the Esplanade, and for nearly an hour afterwards there was a continuous stream ever rolling onwards. At the outset the pace was very rapid, certainly nearer four miles than three miles an hour and this was maintained pretty much for the first mile. Thereafter the march slowed somewhat, and the huge body progressed more leisurely and towards the end of the route the pace fell very considerably. Taken as a whole, the procession was a very representative one of the trades of Dundee, though in dimensions it was smaller than that which was seen in 1884 on the occasion of the Reform agitation. But it nevertheless possessed features peculiarly and distinctively its own. If not then in numbers, certainly in enthusiasm, in beauty, and variety of trade models and designs, in pointed mottoes, and in humour it, compared favourably with any previous demonstration which has been held in Dundee.

The procession was marshaled as follows:-

A great crowd assembled at the junction of Cowgate and Murraygate, Panmure Street and Wellgate, and at least an hour before the vanguard of the procession came into sight every point from which a good view was likely to be obtained was secured and tenaciously held against all comers. The windows of the surrounding buildings were choke-full of humanity of all ages, and the persons at these apertures must have suffered considerable inconvenience from the crowded state of the windows. Prudent householders had entirely removed the window frames, and tier upon tier of eager and expectant faces filled up the spaces. Adventurous spirits clung to lofty signboards, perched themselves on the ledges running in front of the buildings and the roofs at points where these afforded a good view of Murraygate, Cowgate and King Street. The van of the procession turned from Cowgate into King Street about five minutes to four. The latter thoroughfare being somewhat narrow, the crowd of onlookers on the street was dense and compact. Every available window, house top, and balcony was crowded with eager faces, and as the fluttering banners of the Sailors' and Firemen's Union appeared in sight from Cowgate the suppressed excitement of the spectators found vent in a hearty cheer. The pro­cession filed on up King Street into Princes Street and under a constant shower of copper coins. At Dens Road, and again at Hilltown, the num­bers who had collected were very large. Hilltown, for several hundred yards from Victoria Road, presented a very animated appearance, and, looked at from below, seemed like a great sea of faces. The approach of the lifeboat with its gallant crew of belted men was heralded by the cheer which rolled along with it in its progress, and enthusiastic indeed was the reception which it met with. Coins were showered about the persons of the hardy fishermen, who did their best to take on board their heavy catch, and there is no doubt that the "take" of the lifeboat alone would have been sufficient to sink her had she been in the water. That no mishap occurred during the passage of the procession through this most populous; part of the city says much for the strictness with which the police regulations were carried out. From Victoria Road the procession tiled round into Meadowside, past Reform Street, to Ward Road.

Promptly at twenty minutes past four o'clock the mounted policemen, heralds of the brave procession which closely followed them, turned the corner of Albert Square, and rejoiced with their appearance the hearts and eyes of the throng who had waited their coming for a considerable period.
"Here they come noo!” was the cry that burst from many throats, and mothers looked round anxiously to see whether or not all their pieanninies were within ear shot: fathers mounted their latest-born on their shoulders: little lads and lasses climbed to any available point of vantage; while; those who were safely perched on Howff walls or ensconced behind windows settled them­selves more comfortably. The stairs of the Albert Institute were crowded with eager spectators, and a hundred or two leant against the railings that border its grounds.
The neighbourhood of the Post Office was busy, although not crowded: but all along and on both sides of Ward Road was a thick phalanx of people of all sorts, sizes, ages and conditions. Huge lorries blocked the entrances to Nicoll Street and Rattray Street, and on these sat, stood, and knelt a motley company. The stairs and doorways of the Wesleyan Chapel were also extensively patronised as well as the grounds of the Industrial School, the building yard, &c., while from the windows of Messrs Lamb's Hotel and the Gymnasium, as well as those less spacious ones of mills and factories, many interested faces looked down. As the procession advanced the throng became more dense, but there was at no point any congestion and the hundreds of onlookers were orderly to a remarkable degree. The West. Port was a seething mass of humanity, and as far as could be gathered from a hurried glance a profitable one for the promoters of the movement.
At the junction of Overgate and Tay Street the thoroughfare was well nigh impassable. In Hawkhill the footway was comparatively clear but for chairs which shopkeepers, many of whom had closed their places of business, had placed on the pavement, so that persons thereon might view the demonstration over the heads of spectators standing at the sides of the carriageway. At the junction of Bernard Street, Watt Street, Miller's Wynd, Mid Wynd, St Peter Street, and the other thoroughfares running from Hawkhill to Perth Road the press was greatest, but on the whole no inconvenience was experienced, and bystanders had an opportunity of witnessing what was going on in comfort. At the Sunderance an extra force of police had been stationed in order to prevent the crowd encroaching on the route of the procession. This precaution, as events proved, was absolutely necessary, the north side of the Perth Road from that point to the top of Windsor Street being densely thronged, many of the onlookers being desirous of having a last look at the demonstration before is wended its way to the Magdalen Green.

Just as the processionists were approaching the “Sunderance" the sky became overcast, and a sharp shower fell. The wind from the west at this time was blowing a gale, and the bearers of the large banners and flags saw that it would neither be prudent nor pleasant to proceed down the steep incline of Windsor Street, Several bodies accordingly broke off at the end of the Hawkhill and went towards the centre of the city by the Perth Road. A number, however. went to Magdalen Green by the sheltered Shepherds Loan, while a few straggled against the declivity and the storm and tackled Windsor Street.
The result was that so far as the Magdalene Green was concerned the processionists arrived with gaps of considerable magnitude in their ranks. The largest part of the procession, in fact, never left the Perth Road. It was expected that short addresses would be delivered from the bandstand, and here a small gathering took place; but when the manner in which the procession was breaking up became known this gathering melted away. The first part arrived about five, and the last about six o'clock, Opposite the bandstand a large van was placed, and here the collection boxes were received and stored. Between five and six o'clock Lord Provost Mathewson, Bailies Perrie, Keith, Ferrier, McKinnon, and Stewart, and Messrs Willsher Low, and Stephenson arrived at the Green, and were present while the subscription boxes were being received.

His Lordship before leaving expressed himself as highly gratified with the result of the afternoon’s proceedings, Mr Ritchie, of the Sailors' Home subsequently addressed a crowd in Dock Street, and expressed thanks to all who had taken part in the procession, and to the public for the generous way in which they had given contributions.
That Lochee is never behind in taking an interest in anything of a public and beneficent character was shown by the handsome turnout it made at the demonstration. Throughout the week the different bodies who had intimated their intention of taking part in the proceedings were busily engaged in making the necessary arrange­ments, with the result that when Saturday came they were fully prepared. The reason of this completeness of detail was due to the effort of Mr David Hughes, who took a deep interest in the matter from the beginning, and in whose hands the arrangement's for Lochee, were left. There was little or no difficulty in the Lochee contingent taking its place in the programme of the day's proceedings. The time arranged for starting was 2.15, but long before that hour a large crowd had assembled at the rendezvous.
The Samuel Shawcross, the lifeboat from Broughty Ferry, was amongst the first arrivals. It was mounted on a lorry, and was drawn by eight horses, each of which was gaily caparisoned. A number of Mars boys, including their band, manned the boat, and during its stay in Lochee it was the principal attraction. The other bodies soon put in appearance, and as they arrived they were marshalled in Brown Street, Union Street, and top of High Street opposite Free Church. By two o'clock the work of marshalling was almost completed, and a quarter of an hour thereafter the order to start was given. On the way to Dundee crowds turned out to witness the display. The contingent from Lochee numbered about 400. Throughout the afternoon Lochee was almost deserted. A special service of cars was run by the Tramway Company, and everyone who could get conveniently away left Lochee for the city,

Captain A. Wood, the president of the demonstration committee, made an early start in the seafaring life. When fifteen years of age he entered the navy on board the Trafalgar at Queensferry. He was drafted into H.M.S. Boscawen Training Ship, and was subsequently appointed to a first commission on the Bellerophone. He held that commission for four years and was on board that vessel during the Franco-Prussian War. After being paid off he served on board H.M.S. Euphrates. While on leave of absence from Euphrates Mr Wood entered for examination for a second mate’s certificate at Dundee, and was successful in passing. Shortly thereafter he purchased his discharge from Her Majesty’s Service and through the kindness of Mr W. Guild of Lindores (the parish of his birth) Mr Wood obtained a position as second mate on board the Sidlaw. He made one voyage on board that vessel and then passing his examination for a first mate’s certificate, rejoined the Sidlaw in that capacity. He thereafter had command of various vessels (having meantime obtained an extra master’s certificate), and in 1888 he retired from the sea for the purposes of teaching navigation in Dundee.

Mr C. W. Millar has the merit of being the first and principal promoter of the movement which has had such a gratifying result. He it was who at a meeting of the Sailor’s and Fireman’s Union suggested that the scheme should be taken in hand; at his instigation it was in due course brought before the various trades and Friendly Societies in the city and district; by his indefatigable exertions the sympathies of the general public were enlisted; and his enthusiasm also it was which, without exaggeration, may be said to have acted throughout as the mainspring of the movement. At the outset Mr Millar was encouraged by the hearty response of the trades. Delegates from these were appointed, and these ultimately formed the Central Committee which was charged with making the arrangements. Captain A. Wood was appointed President; Mr John Wishart, Vice-President; Mr Millar, Secretary; and Mr C. B. Lindsay, Treasurer. All these officials, as also in fact the whole committee, ably assisted Mr Millar in his arduous duties. Mr Millar is well known as the local Secretary of the National Amalgamated Sailor’s and Fireman’s Union, and as such is very popular at the harbor.

The realizing of the proceeds of the Demonstration took a considerable time, and contributions were sent to the Secretary during the succeeding three months, the subscription list being kept open so that a really creditable sum might be sent to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution from a maritime port so deeply interested in the work of that Society as Dundee is. At length a final meeting of those in charge of the matter was held on 17th December, when a cheque for £847 13s 7d was forwarded to the Institution as the proceeds of the Lifeboat Demonstration.

Friends of Dundee City Archives
Transcribed by Iain D. McIntosh – December 2012