Old photograph of the Moffat Orphanage in Port Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. James Moffat was the youngest child of James Moffat and Mary Bell. He was born in Carnwath, Lanarkshire on 10th August 1818. He arrived in Port Glasgow with his widowed sister Mary Lees and niece Catherine some time prior to the 1841 census, where he is shown as a grocer. He worked at the grocer’s shop in Hill Street, Greenock. He later set up business for himself in Fore Street, in the premises which were part of the Town Buildings, Port Glasgow. He lived first of all at Scotts Lane, Port Glasgow and by the 1871 census he had moved to West Vale, 64, Glen Avenue, Port Glasgow. He described himself as a self made man and soon established himself as a master grocer and wine merchant. This somewhat underestimates his work and businesses as he also invested in shipping and could bring his wine supplies direct to the Port. He also amassed a great deal of wealth by wisely investing in property locally. He was interested in affairs connected to the Harbour and was for many years a member of the Harbour Trust. He was also a Town Councillor. He sold his grocer’s business in his latter years to his friend and colleague James Addison. It was James Addison who registered his friend’s death on 16th February 1884. In his will, as well as caring for family members, he left many bequests to his adopted home town. There was a bequest for a library to be set up for the Port and the residue of his estate, which was considerable, was to build an orphanage, later known as Carnegie Park.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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