Christmas gifts in Greenock

Just like today, back in the 1890s many shops took advantage of advertising their wares over the Christmas and New Year period.  Perhaps one of the biggest shops in Greenock was J G Rowan & Co who had premises at Hamilton Street.

Their Christmas advertising listed some of the many items that could be purchased as gifts.

For gentlemen there were "plush and handsewn smoking caps" or perhaps "silk and elastic braces" both "in fancy boxes".

For the woman in your life suggested gifts were - “plush and gilt photo frames, plaques, hand-painted views” or “satin lined work baskets or jewel cases”.  

Photo - Greenock Burns Club

The photo above shows the premises in Hamilton Street before the Municipal Buildings were constructed.  You can just see the roof of the town hall building to the left. Rowan's building, now known as Cathcart House is next to the carriage way entrance to the Municipal Buildings in Cathcart Square.  (Some people might remember Smith's Warehouse which used to be in this building and was a wonderful place for children at Christmas.  That's where we went to see the toys and decide what we wanted for Christmas!)