Where was/is Borewell Lodge in Gourock

[GordonsPast]

This is my first post so please be gentle if I've broken any rules - I did read them! 

My query concerns a John Gray Thomson registering his father's death in 1950 stating that he (the registrant) lived in Borewell Lodge, Gourock. I have tried to track down (on-line) where this lodge was, including looking at the excellent 1905 6 inch OS maps of Scotland on the National Library of Scotland website, but without joy so far.

A Google Search led me to a couple of Inverclyde documents that mention Borewell Lodge (back in the 19th century) but they give no information about its location within Gourock. Does anyone know of this place, does it still exist, and where it was located within Gourock?

[duckman]

http://maps.nls.uk/os/25inch/view/?sid=74964679#sid=74964679&zoom=5&lat=2138&lon=10474&layers=BT

http://maps.nls.uk/os/25inch/index.html

Try these links,  you can zoom in on Gourock and click on 'Renfrew, sheet 1.4, Inverkip.
you can find Borewell Lodge below Burnside Cott - Map area 29

Hope this Helps.

[duckman]

Just checked Google Maps, looks like the area has been redeveloped, - near Darroch Park / Chapel Street.

[GordonsPast]

Many thanks for that, what excellent map! Gourock has been significantly redeveloped (not always for the better) since then. Looking at a later 6" 1892-1905 map I can see the lodge you located but it is not named (other than 'Lodge') on this smaller scale map;

www.rootschat.com/links/0ro5/

There are several buildings marked as lodge, I wonder what that means, perhaps originally something like a guest house?

I'm surprised it still existed in 1950. I went to the nearby Eastern Primary School about 1953/54 and can't recall Borewell Lodge, but I'm 70 now, maybe I wouldn't! I assume its long demolished.

Link above shrunk so as not to stretch the page

[elaine447]

Hi GordonsPast

Welcome to Rootschat 
I dont know where the lodge was but the Bore Well is mentioned here
C. Milne - The Story of Gourock 1858-1958 - Inverclyde Council
www.inverclyde.gov.uk/GetAsset.aspx?id...

Elaine

[GordonsPast]

Hi Elaine,

Great link, and thanks for the welcome!

I actually have the original book published in 1958 but I had forgotten about it until I read your post. The PDF on the Inverclyde site doesn't contain photos but I looked out the original book and it does. Unfortunately there are no photos in the book for Bore Well Lodge but the story you found there is really interesting. There are a lot of old photos of Gourock scattered round the web and now that I know where it is, thanks to duckman, I might get lucky and find it in a photo.

Many thanks for your help - what a great resource RootsChat is.

Gordon

[elaine447]

I'm sure you will find it
this is a wonderful site and the people on here are not so bad either 
good luck in your search
Elaine

[Gourockian]

Hi, I realise this is an old chat but if you are still looking, this map shows exactly where Borewell Lodge was.  The road going off to the top left is Shore St and where the row of trees is shown on the bottom left is now Cardwell Rd.  I hope this is of some help.