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The man who鈥檚 rescued 1500 people from the River Clyde

8 September 2017

Meet The Riverman

George is responsible for saving hundreds of lives in Glasgow, this is his story.

George Parsonage is assisted in his work by William鈥匞raham

If anyone could claim to have the River Clyde in their blood, it’s George Parsonage.

He even calls himself the River Man.

His official title is Officer of the Glasgow Humane Society, the organisation .

George was born just yards away from the water , and began assisting with river rescues while he was still a teenager in the late 1950s.

The 鈥橤eorge鈥� lifeboat was built in 1994

George is proud to have helped save many people during his career.

‘They say my father rescued over 1500 people. They say I've rescued over 1500.’

That emergency role is now carried out by specialist Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews, although .

The Humane Society continues to play a role on the river, with its focus on promoting safety through education and maintaining the hundreds of lifebelts housed along the banks of the Clyde.

Sculpture by George Parsonage from the 2013 Macmillan Art Show

George originally worked in education, teaching art at Whitehill Secondary School in Dennistoun.

But following the death of his father in 1979 George took on the fulltime role with the Glasgow Humane Society.

In the small amount of spare time he has, George still makes art, .

‘, but I do enjoy it. It is a wonderful release valve so it is.’

Lede was awarded the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan

As well as William, George is now joined out on the river by Lede.

He’s a black labrador who served with William in Afghanistan, sniffing out improvised explosive devices that posed a threat to coalition forces.

When William left the Army he adopted Lede.

After his years of service on the frontline, the medal-winning dog .