In 1757 Glasgow's Custom House moved from the Broomielaw to this building at the south-west corner of Stockwell Street, at the western end of the old Water Port Dyke. Customs officials recorded all Clyde shipping entries and collected duties for the Crown, which rented the building for £12 per year.
The office is thought to have been situated not in the main building but in the western wing, where a cart and group of people are depicted in the engraving. This may have been due to the ease of access to this area but also the fact that the weights, beams and triangles neccessary for the customs processes were stored in the back court of the building.
Before 1757 the building had been occupied by the timber merchant Francis Crawfurd, a poultry and provisions merchant, a wood turner, and the Clan Inn.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 941.435 GOR
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
crow-stepped gables, Custom Houses, Customs and Excise, dykes, horses and carts, inns, shops, taverns, timber merchants, warehouses, Water Port Dyke
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