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Glasgow Humane Society - George Geddes
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Mr.George Geddes, the Officer of
the Glasgow Humane Society, outside the boathouse at Glasgow Green about
1900.
Mr. Geddes was a very strong man and rescued many people from drowning in
the
Clyde
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April 2005, extract from Glesga
Pals messageboard, 'AnnieMay', Ontario, Canada
I remember when ah wis a wean ma grandpa would threaten if ah wisnae being good.
"Geordie Geddes i'll get ye" Scared me half tae death. Scared me even merr when ah fun oot who he wis.
Geordie Geddes wis the keeper o' the Morgue as well as the river. He wis
the wan that dragged the river when they were lookin fur a body. A believe
his son (also a Geordie Geddes) took over frae him when he retired.
Aye an' Ah got threatened wi the bad fire tae on occasions
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April 2005, extract from Glesga
Pals messageboard, 'Ronnie', London
George Geddes was appointed full time officer to the Glasgow Humane
Society in 1859 and was succeeded in the post in 1898 when his similar
named son took over and held the post until 1932. It was said for two
generations, whenever there was a fatality connected to the river, the cry
'send for Geordie Geddes' went up.
Following George Geddes death in 1932 the post was taken over by his
assistant Ben Parsonage who had been appointed in 1928, and he proved to
be the longest serving officer of the GHS, working on the river until his
death in 1979. During his employ it was reckoned that he was responsible
for saving more than 1,000 lives, and had recovered more than 2,000
bodies. After his death his son George Parsonage took over as an officer
on a part time basis.
The Glasgow Humane Society still operates as on an autonomous society,
independent of Glasgow District and the Strathclyde Region.
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April 2005, extract from Glesga
Pals messageboard, 'Tammytroot', Glasgow
I have to get a plug in here for Neil Munro's "Para
Handy" and "Erchie" stories, because Geordie Geddes is
mentioned in one of the Para Handy episodes.
(Sunny Jim claims to have been dragged from the Clyde by Geordie
Geddes.)
Most of the stories were set in the period 1890-1920 or thereabouts, and
give a real insight into how life in Glesga was lived at that time.
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Glasgow
Humane Society post is currently held by George Parsonage, his house is
in Glasgow Green near the Peoples Palace ( more info and photo's to
follow)
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