Frozen river Tay
Last updated | 14/09/2010
A view of the frozen River Tay from the North
Inch at Perth, during the winter of 1895. Local photographer Magnus
Jackson took a series of photographs of snowy scenes in and around
the town. The Perthshire Constitutional newspaper of 12 February
1895 commented ‘The keen frost still prevails and for more
than a week the Tay has been completely frost-bound. On Saturday
afternoon there must have been between 5,000 and 6,000 people on
the river. Cyclists had little difficulty in going freely over the
ice.’
The photograph also shows Perth Bridge, which
was over 100 years old by then. Built by the engineer Smeaton, it
was opened in 1772 after a period of 150 years without a bridge.
The tolls that had to be paid by people crossing the bridge were
removed about the time this photograph was taken. Pedestrians were
charged a farthing (a quarter of an old penny) at the
time.
