It is interesting to see the differences in the plaques of names of the prominent Greenock men which adorn the top of the Lyle Fountain in Cathcart Square in Greenock. The fountain recently had restoration work done and looks quite different. The name plaques or shields are now gilded whereas before they were painted in different colours.
I'm surely not the only one who has oftened wondered just who were the people whose names adorned the Fountain. This is the plaque in honour of Abram Lyle (1820-1891) who donated the fountain to the town. A cooper, ship owner and sugar refiner, he was Provost of Greenock from 1876-1879.
Another former Provost of Greenock who has his name on one of the Lyle Fountain plaques is James Morton (1822-1890). An iron merchant, he was Provost from 1868 until 1871.
The third former Provost to be commemorated with a plaque on the Fountain is Dugald Campbell (1832-1899). He was an accountant and Provost of Greenock from 1879-1882.
The motto around the shield of this plaque had been damaged, but has been repaired by the restorers.
It is good to put faces to the names on the Fountain. My thanks to Greenock Burns Club for permission to use the photographs of the Provosts.
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