Local History & Heritage

Old West Kirk beadle John Rowan

John Rowan was beadle at the Old West Kirk for 40 years and was succeeded by his son-in-law Andrew Mitchell. John was born in Ayr in 1820 and was a shoemaker all his working life.  He lived with his wife a daughter in Paisley before eventually settling in Greenock. In the 1851 census he is […]

The Clyde Pottery, Greenock.

There were two potteries in Greenock in the eighteen hundreds and the early nineteen hundreds.  One was The Clyde Pottery Company which was on a site near Ladyburn Church and the pottery workers’ houses were just to the right of Ladyburn Church. It was founded in 1816 and closed in 1905. The other pottery was […]

“Ocean” pleasure boat accident 14 September 1947

On Sunday 14th September 1947 a weekend cruise set out from Port Glasgow on a converted naval liberty boat, the Ocean, owned by John Travers, for a picnic at Ardentinny on Loch Long.   The weather changed shortly after they set out and the route was changed to go to the Gareloch instead.  The weather further […]

Lyle Kirk War Memorials

Lyle Kirk Church of Scotland, Greenock has 3 buildings all with several war memorials: Esplanade – previously Old West Kirk – has 2 memorials, one from the Gaelic Church and another 2 for the Old West Kirk. Newark Street – previously Finnart St Paul’s Church – also has 2 memorials, one from Finnart Church and […]

Inverclyde’s History & Heritage

Inverclyde has a particularly rich and varied history and has produced famous people in many fields such as business, science, entertainment, sport and the arts. On this section of the website you can explore the exciting world of Inverclyde’s past and find information on how to help trace your ancestors’ part in Inverclyde’s history and […]

Cutty Sark

A China tea clipper was built in Dumbarton by Scott and Linton for John Willis and Sons, London.  It was built for speed to compete in the China tea trade and was launched on 22 November 1869.  However events overtook this ambition to be the fastest clipper as the Suez Canal opened on 16th November […]

Views of the Old West Kirk (Lyle Kirk, Esplanade)

Kirk of Greenock – Built 1591

In 1589 a Royal Charter was signed at Holyrood by King James VI giving permission for John Schaw, a local laird to build a church – and maintain it – for the people of Greenock – then a small fishing village.  Prior to this the Greenock people had to walk to Inverkip to attend church. […]

Greenock Medical Martyrs

James Lamont Lochhead was the last of five doctors to die in the typhus epidemic of 1864 – 1865.  They were known as the Medical Martyrs, there is a memorial to them in the Wellpark Mid Kirk in Greenock.  James was the eldest of a family of four; his parents Matthew Lochhead and Mary Lamont were […]

Greenock Cemetery Walks

Greenock Cemetery was opened in 1846 and was believed to be one of the largest municipal cemeteries in Europe; built on a hill with beautiful views over the town.  A walk through the cemetery tells the story of Greenock with its history of trade and commerce and the people involved. The link below is for the Greenock […]