Originally a small Fishing Village, Greenock is estimated to be founded around 1592 once it had gone it's separate ways from the Inverkip Parish.

The Shaw family had a big influence in guiding Greenock and moulding it into the town where people live today.

In 1635 John Shaw had obtained a Chapter. This was followed by King Charles 1st granting Greenock the rights and privilages of a Burgh of Barony. In the following years a Burgh Reform Act (1833) was established.

The town continued to be known as a Burgh until 1975. This year signifying the day in which Greenock became part of the district of Inverclyde within the region of Strathclyde.

Ship Building and The Shipyards 

Ship Building the eventual Shipyards are a major part of Greenock's history.

After the first harbour was built in 1710, the first well known Ship Builders (Scott's) was established in 1711. Scott's was once the oldest Ship Building business in the World and was known for building such ships as the "Price of Wales". It then nationalised in 1969 and in the same year merging with Lithgow, forming Scott Lithgow.

Between the years of 1825-1882 the Ship Building Grew. The total recorded tonnage of vessels was just over 29,000 tons (1825) and soared to a massive 168,644 tons (1881).

This acting as a platform for attracting industry's to be formed through the town. Also in this building period the Glasgow and South Western railway ran down and connected to Prince's Pier.

Through it's growth, becoming a major Shipping Port of the Shipping World. 

Nowaday's freight container ships visit Greenock's Prince's Pier's ocean terminal's cranes where there goods are handled. This terminal is also visited regularly by cruise liners visiting Scotland.

 

Greenock Blitz (WW2) 

During World War 2 Greenock experienced a dark period in its History.

6th May 1941 marks the beginning of two nights of intensive bombing by the German Air force, known as the Luftwaffe. There attacks were aimed towards the Shipyards though it was the residents of Greenock who suffered the most. The overall damage to the Shipyards being small. 

The first wave of bombings began at midnight, around 50 bombers attacking. On this attack the Luftwaffe managed to strike a distillery on the east side of Greenock, this huge fireball acting as a target for the second night of bombings which began at 12.15am (7th May) and ending at 3.30am.

From these air strikes 280 People lost their life's and over 1,200 were injured. 10,000 Homes were damaged and 1,000 were completely destroyed. Also receiving Heavy damage were Sugar Refineries, Distillery and Foundries.

Three Firemen, Firemaster Pratten, Sub-Station Officer William Neill and Fireman James Berry all recieved the Geogre Medal for controlling a raging fire and saving materials that were very important for survival against the war. Maybe this giving us an insight into the People of Greenock attitude and spirit at that time. 

 

James Watt 

Probably Greenock's most famous son is that of James Watt. Born on the 19th january 1736 and living till 19th august 1819, He was responsible for inventing the separate condenser for the Steam Engine in 1765.

This dicovery was so significant that it is credited with bringing forth the industrial revolution. His improvements of the steam engine being able to adapt to all sectors of industry.

In 1769 he was granted the patent for a "New Method of Lessoning the Consumption of Steam and Fuel in Fire Engines".

So recognised was he, that the "Unit of Power" was named after him -"the Watt"

Also the local college is named after him, "The James Watt College", which is at present (May2007) the largest college in Scotland.

A statue of James Watt resides at the original James Watt College, on Cathcart Street, looking over the road welcoming people to Greenock.

Other Famous Connections to Greenock 

William Captain Kidd  [ c 1645 May 1701]

Is reputed to be born in Greenock from a reputable family in the town. After the death of his father  when he five he moved to NewYork.

During the war of the Grand Alliance. on orders from the provience of New York he captured an enemy privateer on the New England coast Shortly afterwords Kidd was awarded £150 for succesful privateering in the Caribbean.

In New York City, Kidd was active in the building of Trininty Church New York. One year later, While ashore in Antigua in the West Indies  1695, his ship was stolen by an notorious pirate Captain Culliford, In (1696) Kidd attacked a Mugal convey under convoy If this is true this marked Kidds foray into piracy.

Kidd was arrested in Boston on July 1699 he was placed in Stone prison Over a year later he was sent back to England to stand trial He was detaind at the infamous Newgate Prison Kidd and was found guilty of all charges against him murder and five counts of piracy he was hanged on May 23rd 1701 at Execution Dock', Wapping in London.

 

Chick Murray

Charles  "Chic" Murray was born in Greenock on the 6th November. (1919)

He started work as an apprentice engineer in Kincaids Shipyard in (1934 ) He appeared at the Royal Variety Show  at the London Palladium, but because of the Suez crises the show was cancelled. Chic had long and successful career on Stage Television and Film. He died in Edinburgh in 1985 aged sixty-five.

Martin Compston 

Martin was born and bred in Greenock he attended St. Columba' High School in Gourock.

Martin signed for Morton after leaving school The lead role in Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen which was filmed in the town.

The film became a hit and gave him instant celebrity status in Scotland he has gone on to appear in Monarch of the Glen  having served his appreticeship the fruits of his labour are coming to fruation whith three films coming out.

 

Neil Paterson 

Born James Edmund Neil Paterson in Greenock on 31st December 1916 Neil is a Academy Award winning screenwriter.

He started his carer as a footballer with Dundee United and was captain of the team in the 1936-37 season. After his carer was over he became a writer initially as a sports writer. He had  a number  of well received novels  and short  stories.

He received his Academy Award-winning script Room at the Top in 1959 Neil also won the Atlantic award for Literature in 1946

Later on he was governor of the British Film Institute, National Film School, And the Arts Council of Great Britain he died in Crieff Scotland.

       

Richard Wilson OBE

Richard was born in Greenock on the 9th July 1936  he was awarded his OBE in 1994,for services to drama as a director and actor. He is best remembered for his role as Victor Meldrew in One Foot in the Grave. 

Hamish MacCunn 

Hamish MacCunn was a romantic composer he was the son of a shipowner He was born - March 22nd 1868 From 1888 to1894 he was a professor at the Royal College Music. He married Alison Pittie and had a son. He died aged forty eight.

             Henry Robertson Bowers  July 29th-1883-March 29th 1912

Henry Robertson Bowers (Birdie) was born in Greenock - 29th July 1883 at North Street on the Esplande. Bowers was part Robert Falcon Scott ill- fated expedition to the South Pole 1912.

His father died over seas when he was three years of age and his mother and him moved to Kent. From an early age he longed for the sea and adventure and joined the Merchant service as a cadet on HMS Worcester.

After gaining his first mates ticket he joined the Royal Indian Marine. service.1905. At a lunch meeting he met Sir Clements Markham who had earlier organized Scott's Antarctic Expedition. Bowers impressed Clements that he recommended Bowers for Scott's expedition

Scott offered him a place on the "Terra Nova" without even interviewing him. Bowers had no previous polar experience. He only read Scott's accounts earlier on Discovery and Shackleton's  expedition in Nimrod.

Bowers was a highly skilled organizer and was put in charge of the ships stores. his power of memory served Scott  well. Bowers perished along with Scott and the others on the return journey of the expedition from the south pole in 1912.

 

 Lawrence James Henry Tynes

Lawrence Tynes was born in Greenock May 3rd 1978. He is only the 5th Scottish born player  to play in NFL history. He is currently playing for the New York Giants. He also played 10 times for the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europa in 2002. He started as a NFL career as a rookie free agent with Kansas City in 2001.  

Jean Adam  (Poet)

Jean Adam was born in Greenock Apri 30th 1704 into a maritime family. Jean was a Scottish poet and her most famous  work is "There's Nae Luck Aboot The Hoose,"

It is reported that Robert Burns remarked on its quality in 1771 after her death. Jean had limited education in reading, writing. Her first encounter with poetry is when she read extracts from the work of Sir Phillip Sidney's romance The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia 1590.

She worked in domestic service at the West Kirk, Greenock. Her fist works didn't sell well. Her situation worsened after savings she had used to ship substantial number of copies to Boston USA. In a bid for success there. She died pennyless in a Glasgow workhouse on the 3rd April 1765. 

 

Abram Lyle

Abram Lyle was born in Greenock in 1820 he is attribuated for founding Abram Lyle & suger refiners The company merged with Tate& Lyle in 1921.

At twelve years of age he became an apprentice in a lawyers office. He then joined his fathers cooperage business and with a friend , John Kerr the business became won of the biggest in Greenock.

He was heavily involved in the suger business in  the West Indies transporting suger. In 1865 along with his four partners he bought the Glebe Suger refinery to his other business intrest. John Kerr died in 1872, Lyle sold his shares and searched for a new site for a new refinery. Lyle was Provost of Greenock  from 1876 to 1879. With his three sons purchesed two wharves in Plaistow in East London in 1881

  

Loch Thom

Loch Thom reservoir has been supplying Greenock with water since 1827.  It  is named after  Robert Thom  an  engineer  who was  born  in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, Loch Thom is situated on the north slope of hills going down to the south bank of the Firth of Clyde.

Loch Thom is roughly 2.4km long from north to south, curving to the east in a rough C-shape and has an elevaction of about 195m above sea leavel. An aqueduct was created The Cut to bring water from the reservoir as well as supplying water the loch is used for fishing and forms part of the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.

In the late 18th century Greenock was an expanding seaport and industries were expanding fast  this meant that fast streams and a number wells provided clean water for domestic use in 1773 a piped water designed  by James Watt was used to supply water to power is mills.

 

The Merino Mill 

The Merino Mill was built in 1840 by John Fleming and John Reid to spin carpets and weaving yarns. It was destroyed by fire on the 7th October 1880 it was rebuilt on the same site two years later. At one point it employed 900 people and continued in business as a mill utill 1981.