The Broomielaw is most famous as the place where thousands of Glaswegians boarded steamers to go ‘doon the watter’ for a day trip or seaside holiday. Passengers boarded one of the elegant paddle steamers heading for coastal resorts such as Largs or Dunoon, and Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. The number of steamer routes meant affluent business people could commute, working in Glasgow during the week and joining their families at their country villas for the weekend.
After the opening of the George V Bridge in 1928, the river steamers moved to the south bank.
The Waverley is now the only surviving Clyde paddle steamer.
The numbered items below are marked on the map, top right.
View the Broomielaw on Google maps (opens in new window)
The River Clyde was an important route into the centre of the city.
For over 100 years the Clyde Navigation Trust was the driving force in developing new docks and quays, keeping the dockside machinery up to date and carrying out never ending maintenance on the river.
Map Reference (1)
