Holmscroft Brewery

Business: Holding name

Location: Greenock

Type: Brewery

The Holmscroft Brewery in Captain Street was operated by David Buchanan & Co. from at least 1836. It was badly damaged by a boiler explosion in November 1840 from which the brewer, Mr Wallace, had "a remarkable escape", and the under-brewer was "very severely scalded". After the business was sequestrated in 1847, the brewery was offered for sale in 1848, and again in 1849, at which time the lease was £200 per year. The facilities and equipment included a "steam engine, boilers, coolers, tun room, cellars, malt and hop stores, kilns, malt barns, sheds, cooperage, stable, hay lofts, grain lofts, counting house, brewer's dwelling house and yard", and the brewery had its own "excellent spring well".

The brewery was acquired by John Black, a local writer, and in 1851 a new partnership involving his sons Patrick McNaughtan Black and Andrew Inglis Black was formed with David Buchanan. However, David Buchanan resigned from the business in the same year, and the Black brothers went into business on their own account, trading as P. & A. Black.

The brewer in 1855 was James Johnston and he was in post until at least 1878. In 1882 the brewery was sold to Armitage & Co., a partnership formed by Henry William Armitage and Adolphus Frederick Nicholl. The brewery was subsequently sold to Robert George Adam and the business was listed in the Post Office Directory for Greenock until 1903-1904, when it may be assumed that brewing in Greenock ceased. The brewery is clearly marked on the 1892 Ordnance Survey map, but the site had been cleared on the 1912 map. It now lies under a modern housing development.