Taken in the 1880s this photograph shows Kilchattan Bay with the quay and St Blane’s Terrace. In the middle is the Blackpoint Inn at the top of the quay. (P17-0058, B19.50)
Goat Carriage at Ettrick Bay
We’re more used to seeing photos of donkeys on beaches, giving rides and pulling small carriages, including Ettrick Bay but this photo shows that goats were also a feature at Ettrick Bay. This was a popular attraction up until the 1920s. As can be seen cycling was...
Esplanade and Bandstand
This early photograph of the recently completed Esplanade shows the layout with the Russell Bandstand, donated by Thomas Russell and manufactured at the Saracen Foundry in Glasgow. On the hill is the old Academy building, with the West and St John’s Churches on the...
Pageant
Pageants on Bute were quite common occurrences and this one was titled the Rothesay Carnival and Festival of the Sea and took place in August 1949. The tour began at McIver’s slip in front of the Pavilion when Queen Brenda of the Brandanes disembarked from the from a...
ABC Ferry
This photograph is a reminder of how ferry traffic used to be. The first car ferry service on the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route started on the 1 October 1954 with the ferry Cowal. The ferries were fitted with electric hoists to lower and raise cars to the car deck so...
Bute Steam Laundry
The Bute Steam Laundry was opened in May 1893 by Mr James Robertson of Paisley and was housed in the old mill between Ladeside Street and King Street. Steam laundries became popular at the end of the 19th century as washing had to be done at high temperatures when...
Kingarth Church
Bute was at one time divided into three parishes, Kingarth, Rothesay and North Bute with Kingarth being the oldest with services originally held at St Blanes Chapel until 1676. Kingarth Church was built in 1826 and replaced an earlier building on the site. It had no...
Rothesay Academy Staff 1957
Back row; Mr W. Mulholland, Mr A. Mackie, Mr W. Tulloch, Mr A. Gray, Mr M. Malinski, Mr A. Kidd, Mr J. McKerron, Mr N. Dobbie, Mr W. Lavendar, Mr J. Allan. Third Row; Mr J. Strachan, Miss M. McNab, Miss G. Moodie, Miss A. Gardner, Miss E. Spencer, Miss E. Anderson,...
Swanstonhill House
In the mid 19th century there was an upsurge in demand for health tourism, especially cold water treatments and the first Scottish Hydropathic was at the Glenburn built in 1843. Swanstonhill House at Port Bannatyne had been built in 1855 as a private house, but an...
Rothesay Pier
This photo taken around 1903 shows Rothesay Pier with many visitors dressed in their best, though the lady sitting on the bollard in not impressed as she is getting on with her knitting. Not much has changed along Battery Place, the buildings are easily identifiable...
Duchess of Fife
The paddle steamer Duchess of Fife, seen in this picture in her World Wat I camouflage paint, had a long and varied career. She was built by Fairfields, in Govan, for the Caledonian Steam Packet Company and launched on the 9 May 1903. She entered service on the...
Public School Memorial
There are many memorials on the island to the men and women who died in both World War I and World War II. This one, which was in Rothesay Public School of High Street, was unveiled on the 11 April 1957 by Lady Bute, the wife of the 6th Marquis of Bute at an evening...
Kilchattan Bay
This photo shows that Kilchattan Bay has not changed much over the years. The church is now a private house and there only remains one shop cum post office though at one time the village a good variety of shops with some of the Rothesay Businesses, including Muir the...
Last Tram
In 1882 horse drawn trams were introduced to Bute running from Guildford Square to Port Bannatyne, the journey taking 30 minutes. The line was electrified in 1902 and the journey time reduced to 15 minutes. By 1905 it was decided to extend the line to Ettrick Bay...
Stella Maris/St Mary’s Chapel
It is thought that a Catholic place of worship was established in the early 1800 in a room in the red sandstone, Stella Maris, on Shore Road as a place of worship for Harriet, the wife of Alexander Hamilton, owner of the Kames Estate. The chapel in this photograph...
Rollercurling
Rollcurling was introduced to Rothesay in the summer of 1964 with two rinks being set up on the Esplanade near Children’s Corner. It is like ice curling but the full sized stones are fitted with ball bearings enabling the stones to glide over the hard rink in much...
High Street
Taken in the 1930s this view looking down High Street shows the Mansion House unpainted and the County Buildings. Notice on the right a sign for Springfield Nurseries. This business was set up as a specialist seed company by James Dobbie after he moved to the island...
Rothesay Telephone Exchange
This photo of the post office staff in the office in Bishop Street was taken in 1928. At this time the Post Office ran the telephone system and due to the small number of phones on the island at this time this small exchange could deal with all the calls made on the...
Kyles Hydopathic
This photograph taken in the 1961 shows the extent of the Kyles of Bute Hydro including the large kitchen gardens. The Hydro played an important role during World War II when, following naval tradition that all shore establishments are treated as ships, the Hydro...
Kildavanan Food Vessel
Kildavanan Food VesselMr Lochhead of Kildavanan Farm holding the Bronze Age food vessel he discovered in 1952.
Ladies Choir c.1958-1962
Ladies Choir c.1958-1962Back Row: May Mullen, Jessie Ross, Jean McPhail, Helen Lappin, Jean CurrieSecond Row: Margaret Lawson, Betty Cruickshanks, Anna Drew, Amelia Noddings, Evelyn SmithThird Row: Olive McClay, Nancy Lockhart, Helen MacLennan, Jean Kerr, Mhiari...
Wyndham Park
Wyndham Park has changed little since this photo was taken in the 1920s other that the disappearance of the tennis courtsand the appearance of the wooden houses. (P03-0030, A1.15)
Miniature Train at Ettrick Bay
This photograph of the miniature railway at Ettrick Bay was taken in 1938. After the withdrawal of the electric tramservice to Ettrick Bay it was felt by the Rothesay Tramways Company that a new tourist attraction was required at EttrickBay to encourage visitors to...
Craigmore Pier
Craigmore Pier was constructed in 1877 of iron, but this corroded so badly that the pier was closed and sold in 1888. Theiron piles were replaced with wooden ones and the pier reopened to steamer traffic. Passenger numbers dropped after theFirst World War and the last...
School pupils after fire Monday March 1954
Little did the Rothesay Academy pupils realise when they left school on Friday 5 March 1954 that they would neverreturn to the school that they knew, as that night saw an arson attack resulting in the total destruction of the schoolbuilding. An assembly was held in...
Flying Boat, Ardmaleish
This unusual photograph shows a flying boat fuselage being rolled out from a shed at Ardmaleish boatyard. This yardwas used during World War I for the construction of flying boats which were flown by pilots of the Royal Naval AirService. (P03-3200, B21.28)
Agnes Patrick Home
Among the postcard collection held by Bute Museum are a couple of cards, one sent from a small boy staying at theStevenson Home and one from his two sisters at the Agnes Patrick Home. These homes were established in 1900 byAgnes Patrick, a Bute philanthropist with the...
Ardbeg Point
This photograph of Ardbeg Point was taken in 1934 and shows the extensive low walls built to stop the sandy area frombeing washed away by the tides. The remains of these walls can still be seen today. (P03-3959, A1.256) (Ardbeg)
D.C.Murray
The staff of D.C. Murray’s shop in Montague Street John Kernaghan, Ian Jardine, Alistair Speirs, Elizabeth Speirs,unknown, Vera Cameron, Harry Thomson, Joe McNeil, Martin Gillies (P03-3448, B9.27) (Business)
Meadows
This view, around 1903, was taken from High Street looking over to Barone Road and shows the Meadows and pavilion.Note that only the top two properties have been built at the top end of Auchnacloich Road. In Frank Arneil Walker’sbook Architecture of Argyll and Bute...
Carving from PS Duchess of Fife
Object: Carving from PS Duchess of FifeDate: 20th cDescription: A wooden carving from the paddle box of the Paddle Steamer Duchess of Fife. The carvingrepresents the arms of the Duchess of Fife who was Louise, the Princess Royal, granddaughter ofQueen Victoria.Origin:...
Wooden Plaque
Object: Wooden Plaque Date: 20th c Description: Wooden plaque carved by a former German P.O.W. commemorating the campaigns in which the 241 (2nd Bute) Anti-Tank Battery Royal Artillery served. The Unit was formed in 1939 under the command of Major ATJ Maclagan and...
Watercolour Painting of a Puffer
Object: Watercolour Painting of a Puffer Date: 20th c Description:. Watercolour painting of Pibroch in Rothesay Bay. Puffers were the workhorses of the Clyde estuary and West Coast, carrying anything and everything. The Pibroch was launched in 1923 and serviced the...
Rothesay Castle
Object: Photo Archive Date: 19th century Description : Rothesay Castle This early photograph of Rothesay Castle was taken sometime before 1900. Between 1870 and 1900 the 3rd Marquess of Bute employed the renowned architect William Burgess to implement major...
Ladies Choir c.1958-1962
Object: Photo Archive Date: 20th century Description : Ladies Choir c.1958-1962 Back Row: May Mullen, Jessie Ross, Jean McPhail, Helen Lappin, Jean Currie Second Row: Margaret Lawson, Betty Cruickshanks, Anna Drew, Amelia Noddings, Evelyn Smith Third Row: Olive...
Wyndham Park
Object: Photo Archive Date: 20th century Description : Wyndham Park Wyndham Park has changed little since this photo was taken in the 1920s other than the disappearance of the tennis courts and the appearance of the wooden houses. (P03-0030, A1.15)