Commercial Activity

[Cappiecat 1.2]

3 minutes ago, capitanus said:

Its only what Greenock's famous for.

James Watt being a slap head?

[capitanus]

9 minutes ago, Cappiecat 1.2 said:

James Watt being a slap head?

Shipbuilding and Engineering.  James Watt being an Engineer and Inventor played his part.

[TaunTon]

Don't forget the sugar

[capitanus]

or the Slave Trade on which it relied upon.

[The Bewilderedbeast]

5 hours ago, TaunTon said:

Out of interest what was the name of that factory behind Wee Dublin in the McGraw pic. Been wracking my brain since you posted it.

Joy Sullivan's

[Alibi]

2 hours ago, The Bewilderedbeast said:

Joy Sullivan's

Yes, that’s what I was told it was.

[TaunTon]

The name is familiar but didn't know that's where it was. Engineering I assume?

[Alibi]

Mining equipment i think.  Did they have another place further west on the main road, not too far from where Tesco is now?

[The Bewilderedbeast]

32 minutes ago, Alibi said:

Mining equipment i think.  Did they have another place further west on the main road, not too far from where Tesco is now?

You might be thinking of Drummond's.

It was a printer it believe, printing designs onto biscuit tins etc.

When it closed, IBM moved in before eventually being demolished and the current Tesco built.

[The Bewilderedbeast]

12 hours ago, TaunTon said:

Out of interest what was the name of that factory behind Wee Dublin in the McGraw pic. Been wracking my brain since you posted it.

Coincidentally this was posted on Twitter this morning (or maybe someone reading the forum)

#greenocksocialhistory #joysullivan 

 

engineers at work on core drills, one of many items of coal cutting equipment manufactured at the joy-sullivan factory in greenock, 1955

 

more here https://t.co/qpzzr7jwqf https://t.co/ijbvfgzv5b55ZV5B

 

[SassenachTon]

23 hours ago, capitanus said:

Scott's.

Scott’s were founded in the 1700’s and built almost 1,300 ships including over 100 for the Royal Navy. They finally threw in the towel in 1993. Directly opposite where I live in Derbyshire is the half-demolished ruins of the Butterley Company - a once-massive engineering firm who built the colossal iron roof at St.Pancras station, along with more modern structures including the Falkirk Wheel. The houses in my row were built by the company for some of its middle managers in 1890. They’re the strongest, squarest, plumbest and best-built houses I’ve ever come across. 

Scott’s and Butterley are both gone, along with hundreds - probably thousands - of other engineering companies.

And all thanks to a Government who didn’t think that companies manufacturing stuff which the world wanted to buy was important. They decided that our nations would prosper by cleaning each others windows, selling each other hamburgers, and becoming risk management consultants, compensation claims agents, and other bullshit, fake jobs. The same Government which thinks it’s OK to pump billions into failing banks, but won’t give a penny to anyone who grafts for a living and gets their hands dirty.

 

[capitanus]

1 hour ago, SassenachTon said:

Scott’s were founded in the 1700’s and built almost 1,300 ships including over 100 for the Royal Navy. They finally threw in the towel in 1993. Directly opposite where I live in Derbyshire is the half-demolished ruins of the Butterley Company - a once-massive engineering firm who built the colossal iron roof at St.Pancras station, along with more modern structures including the Falkirk Wheel. The houses in my row were built by the company for some of its middle managers in 1890. They’re the strongest, squarest, plumbest and best-built houses I’ve ever come across. 

Scott’s and Butterley are both gone, along with hundreds - probably thousands - of other engineering companies.

And all thanks to a Government who didn’t think that companies manufacturing stuff which the world wanted to buy was important. They decided that our nations would prosper by cleaning each others windows, selling each other hamburgers, and becoming risk management consultants, compensation claims agents, and other bullshit, fake jobs. The same Government which thinks it’s OK to pump billions into failing banks, but won’t give a penny to anyone who grafts for a living and gets their hands dirty.

 

The history of Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering is a fascinating one.  In fact, whilst it is often associated with Greenock & Port Glasgow, it was a global concern with shipbuilding and engineering interests as far afield as Hong Kong & Japan and its previous parent company, John Swire & Sons, still survives today as an Asian-based conglomerate focused on diverse interests from Shipping, Property Development, Oil & Gas Exploration to Soft Drinks.

The death-knell for Scotts and its successor, Scott-Lithgow was nationalisation and being absorbed into British Shipbuilders in 1977.   When the shipyards on the Upper Clyde ran into financial difficulties in the late 1960s/early 1970s, the Inverclyde shipyards were doing well and were building massive oil tankers.  Sir William Lithgow challenged the nationalisation of Scott-Lithgow and the case makes for very interesting reading.

[Alibi]

20 hours ago, The Bewilderedbeast said:

You might be thinking of Drummond's.

It was a printer it believe, printing designs onto biscuit tins etc.

When it closed, IBM moved in before eventually being demolished and the current Tesco built.

Aye, that was it, Drummond. Quite a nice building facade.

[SassenachTon]

Thanks for that @capitanus. I’m going to find out more - fascinating as you say. All the best.

[TAFKAC]

6 hours ago, capitanus said:

The history of Scott's Shipbuilding & Engineering is a fascinating one.  In fact, whilst it is often associated with Greenock & Port Glasgow, it was a global concern with shipbuilding and engineering interests as far afield as Hong Kong & Japan and its previous parent company, John Swire & Sons, still survives today as an Asian-based conglomerate focused on diverse interests from Shipping, Property Development, Oil & Gas Exploration to Soft Drinks.

The death-knell for Scotts and its successor, Scott-Lithgow was nationalisation and being absorbed into British Shipbuilders in 1977.   When the shipyards on the Upper Clyde ran into financial difficulties in the late 1960s/early 1970s, the Inverclyde shipyards were doing well and were building massive oil tankers.  Sir William Lithgow challenged the nationalisation of Scott-Lithgow and the case makes for very interesting reading.

Didn't Hugo Swire try to make the points about his family's role in the area when he stood for the tories in Inverclyde before getting a nice safe seat from his school chum Cameron?

[TONofmemories]

9 hours ago, SassenachTon said:

Scott’s were founded in the 1700’s and built almost 1,300 ships including over 100 for the Royal Navy. They finally threw in the towel in 1993. Directly opposite where I live in Derbyshire is the half-demolished ruins of the Butterley Company - a once-massive engineering firm who built the colossal iron roof at St.Pancras station, along with more modern structures including the Falkirk Wheel. The houses in my row were built by the company for some of its middle managers in 1890. They’re the strongest, squarest, plumbest and best-built houses I’ve ever come across. 

Scott’s and Butterley are both gone, along with hundreds - probably thousands - of other engineering companies.

And all thanks to a Government who didn’t think that companies manufacturing stuff which the world wanted to buy was important. They decided that our nations would prosper by cleaning each others windows, selling each other hamburgers, and becoming risk management consultants, compensation claims agents, and other bullshit, fake jobs. The same Government which thinks it’s OK to pump billions into failing banks, but won’t give a penny to anyone who grafts for a living and gets their hands dirty.

 

Built on the level, brother 

[Jamie_M]

 

[capitanus]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:10 AM, SassenachTon said:

Thanks for that @capitanus. I’m going to find out more - fascinating as you say. All the best.

Cheers.  An interesting website which I often read is https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/ which gives the history of many of Britain's industrial companies.

On 3/3/2022 at 8:12 AM, TAFKAC said:

Didn't Hugo Swire try to make the points about his family's role in the area when he stood for the tories in Inverclyde before getting a nice safe seat from his school chum Cameron?

I didn't know who Hugo Swire was until you mentioned this and Googled him, but yes, he is from that same family. Its also funny that you mention 'School Chums' because during the lockdown I read a book from Alexander Stephen who mentioned that his family owned shipyard in Linthouse, Govan was always at a distinct disadvantage when tendering for Naval contracts against the likes of Scott's as a result of the old school ties with the Royal Navy top brass.

[TRVMP]

2022 Greenock Morton Annual Dinner - Greenock Morton FC (gmfc.net)

Sportsman's Dinner at the dirty wee port toon hall on the 30th of April, i.e. the night after we secure our playoff berth by beating Arbroath at Gayfield in the Friday evening game.

[Toby]

I’m interested to know if the club have any plans for the Hamilton game on April 16th.

Given that it falls on the weekend of the 100th anniversary of the Scottish Cup win, will there be any moves to mark the occasion on the day?

I suspect we won’t be able to wear the commemorative kit on the day given Hamilton’s away kit is predominantly blue, which is disappointing, but what do the club have in the offing? If the SFA can trust Paul fucking Slane to take the trophy all the way up to Peterhead in a taxi, surely we can get it for a day? And even if Sky Sports want it for the TV coverage of the Hearts v Hibs semi final, would St. Johnstone give us a tap of their replica for the day?

I know there are of course no survivors from the day (including our opponents) to wheel out, but I’m looking to see a bit of imagination from the club to bring a bit of a crowd in to milk our finest hour for an afternoon.

Over to you, Morton.