Gourock House, home of Duncan Darroch

[nkbauer]

Does anyone know if there is a picture available online of the Darroch home called Gourock House? Apparently the first Duncan Darroch went to Jamaica and made a fortune there, returned to SCotland in 1784 and bought  land and built a home. I beliebve the house has since been torn down but the family did donate some/all of the land and it is now Gourock Park.
Regards,
Nan

[Ann Baker]

Hi Nan


This site is worth a look http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk

Another site which has pics http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/41322/details/gourock+house/

House is no longer there!

Good old google always worth a look and failing that local libraries!


Ann

[nkbauer]

Thanks for the suggestions, Ann. Local libraries are not possible as I live in a very small community in Canada. I was curious about how Gourock house might have looked when my gggrandfather was a coachman there. 
Regards, Nan

[Ann Baker]

Hi Nan

It may be possible to email the library. I'd think the Watt Library in Greenock would be a good starting point.

http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/community-life-and-leisure/local-history-and-heritage/

But if not maybe if you post a lookup request here will catch one of to the local chatters eyes and they could go for you.

Best Wishes

Ann

[ElaineTodd]

Hi Nan,

My brother visited Gourock some years ago from New Zealand and yes the big house had burnt down and the land given to the people of Gourock as a park. I'm a direct descendant of the Darroch family. We sailed on a cruise around Britain last year and found the little town of Gourock has now expanded into the bigger city of Greenock. I would be most interested to know something of the present Darroch family.

Elaine.

[elaine447]

Hi Elaine
you only have to google the family and you will find out a whole lot about them
you will find the likes of this
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0rqe/
Elaine

[DuncanD]

Hi Everyone! Attached is a picture of Gourock house commissioned by my great great grandmother in 1932 for the royal college of needlework. She never even started the actual needlework side of it, neither did her daughter. My mother, the current laird, has only done a tiny bit. My grandfather was Duncan Darroch of Gourock (the 8th).

[DuncanD]

We've also got the original picture somewhere of the house (black and white obviously) - I'll see if I can dig it up.

[RJ_Paton]

There is a photograph and information about the House in the book by Dan Sweeney Postscript to the Past: Lost Mansions and Houses of Renfrewshire

ISBN 978 0 9927148 4 0

Added - The needlework image above appears to have been based on the same photograph or one very similar.

PS according to the text in the book Duncan Darroch did not build the House it was constructed in 1747 - Duncan Darroch it is stated purchased the House & 2500 acres of land for around £20,000 although he later made many improvements to the land and the houses of the tenants (and presumably Gourock House itself)