Greenock - Two Old Views

The front of two greetings cards I was sent a while back by a friend, showing Greenock in the old days. They are both so interesting, I think!

This is a print of a David McKenzie painting showing Greenbank House - the area where Kelly Street now is!

This is one of Patrick Downie's and a view of William Street in the snow

The Greenock Cut

This aqueduct was built by engineer Robert Thom between 1825 and 1827. It takes water from the reservoir below Loch Thom and delivers it to Greenock. The aqueduct follows the contours of the hills at 541 feet, completing a route of 5 miles and collecting water from streams and small reservoirs along the way. Opened in 1827, the Cut was originally known as the Shaws Water, taking its name from the Shaws Burn.

Now set within the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, it's lovely to follow the footpath and there are great views over the Firth of Clyde. We last walked there in October 2007 (when I took the photo above).

See also here for an interesting website.

My later photos of the Cut here

Greenock - Ardgowan Square

A few photos (of many!) taken in Ardgowan Square over the years, where we lived for a while, and where my great-aunts lived for many years

My first car, 1957!

Out on the back green with my Mum, 1958...

...and with Auntie Lett

Out the front, with the Bowling Club behind, 1958

Granny on the front step, 1966

Aunt Gwen (right) with our friends who lived in flats upstairs, 1982

Aunt Gwen and I in 1982

Aunt Gwen, 1984

The old house and the corner of Ardgowan Square in 1987

A friend in Greenock sent me this photo of my aunts' old house, taken around 2003. I don't know who lives there now.

A Local Band and Pipers

A few local musicians from the past and present...

The Greenock Scout Association’s Corlic Pipe Band, 1971. I heard them play several times that year. (They became The Greenock District Scout Pipe Band in 1972)

A pipe tune written for me, "Miss Jane Edney" (as I was then) in 1971. I heard the band play it a couple of times but don't have a recording, which is a pity.

Local pipe band history:
http://www.scoutingcentenary.co.uk/leapmoor-pipe-band/pipe-band-history/

Tommy Cuffe of The Red Hackle

Our friend Ian from Glasgow playing the highland bagpipe (1998), and the Uilleann pipes below (2007)

The Cowal Peninsula

Always a favourite place to visit, going over on the ferry from Gourock to Dunoon

The Cowal Highland Gathering programme cover from when I went there in 1971!
Here's the current website:
http://www.cowalgathering.co.uk/

The ferry approaching Dunoon, 2007

The waves lapping in at Dunoon, 2007

A reflection at the beautiful Benmore Botanic Gardens, 2007

More information:
http://www.rbge.org.uk/the-gardens/benmore

Toward Lighthouse at the southern tip of the peninsula

Greenock - Brisbane Street

Four photos from the back garden of our house

Some very tall daisies (or perhaps I was very short!) 1959

With my dear Mum

Another one from 1959...

...and one taken in 1960

I think this old bill is interesting (click to view larger) - a bit different from today's prices!

Glasgow

A few photos from happy times spent in Glasgow over the years with family and friends.

Here I am in the Botanic Gardens, 1961

Feeding the pigeons!

Our friend, Ian, in Kelvingrove Park, 1986

George Square 1987

Geoffrey in George Square, 1996

At The Ubiquitous Chip restaurant with Ian in 1996
(I remember we had the most delicious vegetarian haggis with tatties and neeps!)

Geoffrey on Kelvin Bridge underneath the statue of philosophy, 2007!
(Very appropriate with his on-going studies at Swansea University!)

The River Kelvin, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, 2007...

...and the three photos below were taken at the nearby Museum of Transport the same day, Geoffrey in his element! Sadly, we ran out of time so will go there again before too long. They've promised he can sit inside the vehicles next time which will make it a much more rewarding experience (as happened at a transport museum we visited in England once).

Relief Map in Buchanan Street

This one by Kathleen Chambers is cast in bronze. The river channel fills with water when it rains, so it looks like a real river! The street names are marked in letters and in Braille, so that anyone blind or visually impaired can find out where they are. Some landmarks are shown in miniature to help if you are lost. We both thought this was marvellous!

Greenock Academy

I went to the original Greenock Academy, which was in Nelson Street. (It was pulled down in 1964 and the pupils moved to the new school in Madeira Street) How well I remember being scared by Miss Tannock and later, the kindness of Mrs Russell. We stayed in touch for years until her death.

In my Academy uniform, 1960

In Ardgowan Square, 1961

My class photo - not sure of the date; possibly 1961
(I'm in the second row from the front, second on the right)

Gourock 1972 and 2007

It's very strange that I have so few photos from my childhood taken in Gourock, especially as we went there so often (it's so very close to Greenock) - and later on too, when we visited friends (including my old school teacher) who lived there. I'll make a point, next time I'm in the area, to take lots of photos! In the meantime, all I have are these:

Here's a programme I kept from a pipe festival which I attended in 1972!

Also in 1972, my aunts and Mum leaving The Gantock Hotel after lunch. (It was later pulled down and rebuilt as the Jarvis Ramada Hotel, closed in 2007 then burnt down in 2008, the site completely cleared - and, the last I heard, flats are to be built there!)

Gourock from the Dunoon ferry, October 2007
(You can just make out the Cross of Lorraine on top of the Lyle Hill)

Kempock Point from the ferry


A short video of the coastline, again from the ferry

Isle of Bute

A beautiful island I have only visited once so far!

The ferry coming into Rothesay

View from the edge of the town - so tranquil

Scalpsie Bay, as seen from the open-top bus
On the south western coastline and looking out over the Sound of Bute towards the island of Arran. The only access to the beach is across the fields. There's a large colony of seals here but I didn't see any that day!

The village of Kerrycroy from the bus
A peaceful village on the Isle of Bute with a fine sandy bay and a stone pier, directly south of Rothesay of at the end of the shore road. It was designed by Maria North, the wife of the second Marquis of Bute, who was inspired by the model of an English village.

Port Bannatyne, a mile and a half north of Rothesay

The bus with the driver on top