The origins of the physical development of the harbours at Greenock date from about the time of the Union. In 1710, excavation of the first harbour were completed, occupying roughly where the West Harbour later stood, it established a circular West Quay and East Quay and enclosed the Mid Quay. The cost was £5,555. 11s. 1d., most of which, £5,000, was a loan by Sir John Schaw, to be repaid by a tax on malt brewed into ale in the town. The loan was repaid within thirty years and the harbour brought immediate prosperity to the town.

West Harbour

West Harbour with the tug Flying Elf (Poulton)

 

West Harbour with Madge Wildfire at the mid-quay

West Quay, renovated in 1880 with steamers laid up for the winter

Over the next century, there was significant redevelopment of the West Harbour. The breaking of the monopoly of the East India Company signaled an upturn in foreign trade and increasing demands for wharfage. Despite some competition from Port Glasgow, Greenock grew in importance. Work on excavating the East India Harbour, designed by the noted engineer John Rennie, was begun in 1804 and the Customs House was erected in 1818. A graving dock and the East India Harbour was begun in the same year and completed in 1823 at a cost of £20,000.

East India Harbour with Victoria Harbour beyond

Tugs in East India Harbour

Mussel boats in East India Harbour

Sugar ship in Victoria Harbour

The advent of the steamboat in the early decades of the nineteenth century added to the demands for more accommodation. By 1832, competition from Glasgow, with the deepening Clyde was also beginning to impact Greenock.

Greenock in 1832 (Marwick)

Shipping at Greenock (Valentine)

The next development, beginning in 1846, was the excavation of the Victoria Harbour, adjacent to the East India Harbour. Material from the excavation was used to fill land to the west, purchased from Messrs Scott & Co., shipbuilders for the completion of Albert Quay. The Victoria Harbour had facilities for fitting-out ships, and there was a clear understanding that hand-in-hand with the development of the town as a port, there was also an imperative to sustain shipbuilding and ship repair.

Custom House Quay

Custom House Quay with Messrs Burns Woodcock. The Quay was expanded in 1885

The new Victoria Harbour opened in 1850 but demand for more accommodation did not abate. In 1861, it was resolved to build a pier at Albert Quay and the following year, construction was begun on Albert Harbour. By the middle of the decade, work was well under way with the arrival of the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway. The dock was completed in 1867 at a cost of £250,000 with the excavated material used to construct the promenade. Three years later, the adjacent Princes Pier was completed, for an additional £100,000.

Excavation of Albert Harbour

Glasgow and Southwestern Railway Steamer Neptune at the coaling berth on Albert Quay (Robertson)

Albert Harbour

L.M.S. Steamer Juno canting in Albert Harbour

Albert Harbour and Princes Pier in 1927 (Aerofilms)

Cumbrae and Edinburgh Castle at Princes Pier

Queen Alexandra from Columba at Princes Pier

The larger vessels that were involved in trading with the town revealed a need for a wet dock. The area around Garvel Park was purchased and a graving dock was begun in 1870 and completed four years later at a cost of $89,000.

Greenock Harbour and projected works in 1881 (Campbell)

Graving Dock

Opening of James Watt Dock in 1886

By 1878, the construction of a wet dock was begun and the James Watt Dock was opened in August 1886. The whole endeavour for the Dock and the Great Harbour, including the purchase of land, amounting to £850,000.

Fitting out in James Watt Dock

James Watt Dock

James Watt Dock with the Great Harbour beyond

Unloading timber in James Watt Dock

Turbine steamers laid up over winter in James Watt Dock