George Browne, b 1824? was a lawyer, shipowner and Provost of Crosshill.
A native of East Lothian, Browne trained as a lawyer and practised in Renfrewshire. He soon expressed a preference for the shipping trade and found employment with the firm of McKean & Lamont where he was responsible for trade between Glasgow and Le Havre and Bordeaux. In 1855 he set up in business himself, trading as Browne & Watson. The firm successfully expanded from being shipbrokers to shipowners, trading worldwide.
Browne was a member of the Clyde Navigation Trust. Elected Provost of the small police burgh of Crosshill, he was credited with staving off annexation by Glasgow for many years.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.04 BAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
Browne & Watson, Clyde Navigation Trust, lawyers, McKean & Lamont, police burghs, provosts, ship brokers, ship owners, shipping