Friday, July 24 – 1896
Neil Kerr, the old Cowlair-Rangers-Liverpool player, and who in years gone by has played on Gayfield Park, was on Saturday morning last the sole survivor of a very sad yachting accident on the Clyde. Kerr and two companions had been cruising about the Firth during the Glasgow Fair holidays, and on Friday opening the party found a yacht drifting at Large.
About midnight Mr. Kerr and his companions – one of them Archibald Petrie, being the son of the owner of the yacht – resolved to take the vessel to safe quarters under the lee of the Bute Island.
When about mid-channel, Kerr, who was repairing a lamp, discovered that water was coming rapidly and gave alarm. In the excitement that followed the boat was accidently upset by one of the party, and the unfortunate three men were thrown into the water. Kerr was apparently the only efficient swimmer and managed to give the others an oar each and urged them to do the best they could for themselves.
The unfortunate men, however, were unable to hold on to the oars long and soon sank. Kerr pluckily made for a light visible from the Bute shore, and, after swimming for more than an hour, landed in a very exhausted condition and raise the alarm. A search party immediately put out, and the lifeless bodies of the two men were found washed upon the sore. Kerr soon came round, but he was naturally in a very distressed state of mind.
(Arbroath Herald, 30-07-1896)
Note: The accident happened on Friday night.
"Play Up, Liverpool" 