William M Brown.
The Old Glasgow Tavern, Gourock.
Mr William M Brown. 1889.
Gourock was very popular in the 1880s with excursions and picnic parties, the fine town housed some great public houses. Here stands Fort Matilda, from which a commanding view of the whole Firth is obtained, while further down on the beautiful Cloch Lighthouse, but Gourock has many other attractions. The bay was studded with small sailing boats, the Esplanade, the Gamble Institute, while the quay was packed with people.
Right in the heart of Gourock stood a famous landmark the Old Glasgow Tavern, the site over-looked the new railway and upon the bay, when the railway opened the tavern was very busy and made Mr Brown very wealthy.
William's father also William was a wine and spirit merchant in Bridgeton and learned the trade at a very early age working in his father's pub during the summer holidays. Mr Brown senior occupied three public houses in Bridgeton, one at 88 John Street later (Tullis Street) called the Green Rest, Tullis Street was named after John Tullis a family of Tanner's and leather merchants who gifted the hammer beam roof of Greenhead and Barrowfield Parish Church in London Road in 1850. Mr Tullis also owned several properties in the area including the pub. Mr Brown had two pubs on Main Street one at 166 and 233 which was called the Red Lion. Young William inherited his father's businesses when he died.
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