Curiosities of Glasgow citizenship

Short biographical notices of the magistrates and merchants of Greenock in 1783

ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, wine merchant, of the firm of Campbell, Anderson & Co. He resided at Finlayston, where he died. He is represented by his grandson, Mr. Campbell of Auchendarroch, Argyllshire.

JOHN DUNLOP, writer, father of the temperance movement in Scotland. His portrait - a very fine one - is to be seen in the Temperance Institute, Greenock. He died in London. He was the grandfather of the late M.P. for Greenock.

WILLIAM FULLARTON, grain merchant; residence, Galley's Green, now George Square. The U.P. Church is built on its site. His son died lately in Ayrshire, possessed of considerable landed estates. Another son was editor of Bengal Hurkaru, and founder of female education in India.

JAMES GAMMELL, shipowner and founder of the Greenock Bank, of Garvel Park, Greenock, now called Gammell's Point (site of new docks). Representatives - his grandsons, Captain Gammell of Drumtochty, Kincardineshire, Major Gammell of Ardiffery and Countesswells, Aberdeenshire, and their sister, Mrs. Stewart, Liberton Manse, Edinburgh.

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JOHN HAMILTON, a leading merchant. He built a mansion house at the head of what is now called East Blackhall Street. It was acquired by the Caledonian Railway, along with the adjoining mansion and grounds, called "Virginia House," belonging to Roger Stewart. Mr. Hamilton's sons and grandsons are extensive merchants in London.

WILLIAM HAMILTON, son of John Hamilton. - He removed to Liverpool, and, along with William Laird and John Forsyth - all clever men - acquired a sandy district on the banks of the Mersey for a few hundred pounds, now called Birkenhead. He wrote letters in the Liverpool Albion, proposing to construct docks, to be entered by a ship canal from the mouth of the Dee, and thus avoid the banks at the mouth of the Mersey. The Liverpool Corporation became alarmed, and at once offered £20,000 for part of the foreshores. Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, was built by and called after himself. Laird's grandson, John, a grand nephew of Hamilton, built the famous "Alabama" Confederate cruiser. John Laird was then M.P. for Birkenhead.

JOHN KIPPEN, wine merchant. - One of his daughters married Mr. Crooks, of Leitch & Smith, Glasgow; and another married a Mr. Watson, of Greenock, afterwards a manufacturer in Glasgow.

HUGH MOODY, merchant, residing in Cathcart Street. His house is now taken down, and a branch of the Royal Bank built on its site. He is represented by his great-grandson, Archibald Robertson, cashier, Royal Bank, Glasgow.

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WALTER RITCHIE, an enterprising merchant. - Carried on, by several clippers, a contraband trade in dry goods from the South Pacific with the Spanish colonies, bartering goods for gold and silver plate. He had also a large mahogany cutting establishment in Honduras. He is represented by Major Ritchie of the Indian service.

JAMES SCOTT, wine merchant. - He removed to London, where he died without issue.

ROGER STEWART, proprietor of Ronachan, Argyllshire.- A leading and enterprising merchant and shipowner; Virginia House, Greenock. He was chief magistrate of Greenock in 1795-97. To his indefatigable exertions was due the restoration of "Fort Jervis," skirting the "Bay of St. Lawrence" - where the east harbour of Greenock now stands. This was a formidable fort in those days, mounting twelve 24-pounders. It was about this time the people of Greenock and on the Clyde were in a state of wild alarm through the French squadron, under Thurot, burning ships off Ailsa Craig. Mr. Stewart lent to the British Government during the American war his crack ship "Defiance," originally fitted out by Captain H. Dundas Beatson, Naval Service, as a "Letter of Marque," mounting 32 guns. On the second day after leaving the Clyde as convoy to a fleet of merchant ships, she fell in with and engaged, off the coast of Ireland, the United States frigate "Wasp," 72 guns. After a gallant fight the "Defiance" struck, being "on fire fore and aft."

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The "Wasp" was disabled from pursuit of the merchant fleet, and was easily captured next day by a British frigate of the same calibre from Cork. Mr. Stewart's son, who died last year, father of the Church of Scotland, at Liberton, Edinburgh, was a youth in the "Defiance" when captured, and delighted to tell how the gallant Captain Athole fought his ship against such heavy odds. Mr. Stewart's representatives are his grandsons, Roger and James Stewart, merchants, Mobile, General Roger Stewart Beatson, R. E., Rotherwood, Bedford, and his brother, G. B. M. Beatson, manager of the Royal Exchange, Glasgow.

GABRIEL WOOD. father of the Admiral Wood who gave the money to build and endow the Sailor's Home at Greenock.