Waterguard - Offices & Buildings

ALLOA

ANSTRUTHER EASTER

ARDROSSAN

BLACKNESS

BO'NESS (BORROWSTOUNNESS)

BOWLING

BURGHEAD

CORPACH

CRAIL

CREETOWN

DALBEATIE

DUNBAR

DUNDEE

GIRVAN (Ayrshire)

GLASGOW

GRANGEMOUTH

GRANTON

GREENOCK

HUNA (Caithness)

INVERNESS

IRVINE

KIRKCALDY

KIRKWALL (Orkney)

LEITH

LERWICK

LONGHOPE (Hoy, Orkney Islands)

METHIL LEVEN (Fife)

NORTH BERWICK

During the period covered by this web site - 1809 to 1972 - there were buildings of many styles and types situated round the coast of the British Isles from which the Waterguard operated. Before 'partition' in 1923, what is now The Republic of Ireland came within the jurisdiction of the British Crown. The four 'countries' have their own pages to facilitate faster browsing and for ease of maintenance. The other countries can be selected using the appropriate 'button'.

::: Waterguard Offices in England :::

::: Waterguard Offices in Ireland :::

::: Waterguard Offices in Scotland :::

::: Waterguard Offices in Wales :::

Here the details of such offices, with images where available, are arranged alphabetically by location. Many ceased being occupied by HM Customs during the period covered by this web site -1809-1972 - or even before but, on the grounds they were 'home' to 'preventive men', they have been included anyway!

::: A :::

::: B :::

::: C :::

::: D :::

::: E :::

::: F :::

::: G :::

::: H :::

::: I :::

::: J :::

::: K :::

::: L :::

::: M :::

::: N :::

::: O :::

::: P :::

::: Q :::

::: R :::

::: S :::

::: T :::

::: U :::

::: V :::

::: W :::

::: X :::

::: Y :::

::: Z :::

ABERDEEN

Custom House

A building at 27 King Street, built in 1833 to design by John Smith as a County Record Office, was used as a Custom House from 1873.


				This building at 35 Regent Quay, was built between 1771 and 1773, was sold to the Collector, Theophilus Ogilivy, in 1775 and used as a Custom House. In 1892 it became the home of 'Aberdeen Waterguard' and was finally vacated by HMC&E in 2006.

Waterguard Hailing Station


				This building is beside 'The Roundhouse' - Harbour offices & pilot station - on the North Pier. Until 1972 it was manned by a C&E Watcher who rang through to the Regent quay boarding station with a vessel's details including proposed berth. The building now houses the 'Silver Darlings' restaurant.

Custom House

The Alloa Custom House was built in 1710 by John, Earl of Mar and Kellie. It came under the jurisdiction of Borrowstounness (Bo'ness) until 1745 and after that, Grangemouth. In February 1838 Alloa was recognised as a sub-port by the Treasury but was given its independence on 10th November 1840 and oversaw the upper Forth ports from Kincardine to Stirling Bridge - Airth, Dunmore, and Newmiln.

Custom House

A Custom House was erected here in 1710, and in 1827 its jurisdiction extended from Edenmouth to Largo Bay and covered the ports of St. Andrew's, Crail, Pittenweem, St. Monan's, and Elie.

Custom House

Now Atlantic Buildings, the Ardrossan Custom House was originally a simple house constructed by Peter Nicholson between 1815 and 1830.

::: return to the top :::

Custom House

The Blackness Custom House closed in 1707 and its functions transferred to Bo'ness - Borrowstounness

Custom House


				A Custom House was established at Bo'ness - properly Borrowstounness - on 26 December 1707 - due to the influence of the Hamilton family. By 1796 Grangemouth, South and North Queensferry, St. David's, Inverkeithing, Limekilns, Torry and Culrose were all attached to the Bo'ness Custom House. Bo'ness Harbour officially closed on 30 June 1959.

Custom House


				The Bowling Custom House was situated on the Quay at the western end of the Forth & Clyde canal. (copyright Mark Fallone - 11 November 2011)

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 20 King Street in February 1947.

::: return to the top :::

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 'Corpach Cottage', Corpach, Fort William in February 1947.

Custom House


				The Crail Custom House was erected at the harbour side in the 1690's and was in operation until 1827 when its jurisdiction was absorbed by the Custom House at Anstruther Easter.

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 'Burnbank', St. John Street in January 1949.

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 101 Copland Street in April 1946.

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 5 West Port in 1946 and at East Lodge, Lochend in July 1947.

Custom House


				This replacement Custom House and Harbour Chambers, located alongside the northwest entrance to Dundee's harbour, was erected in 1842-3. It was designed by James Leslie, the Dundee Harbour Engineer, and John Taylor, Surveyor of Buildings for HM Customs.

::: return to the top :::

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at Byne View, Duncan Street in April 1948.

Custom House


				In 1757 Glasgow's Custom House moved from the Broomielaw to this rented building on the south-west corner of Stockwell Street, at the western end of the old Water Port Dyke. The office is thought to have been situated 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 and also to the fact that the weights, beams and triangles necessary for the customs processes were stored in the back court of the building.



				In 1840 a new Custom House designed by customs officer John Taylor was opened in Clyde Street.



				The last Custom House, built on Custom House Quay on the north bank of the River Clyde - May 1921.

Custom House

Grangemouth Custom House was established by 1 December 1810 with jurisdiction over Alloa, Stirling and Kincardine

Custom House

This Custom House, at the western end of West Harbour Road, Granton, close to Granton Square, closed many years ago after being used as offices.

An old railway line that used to cross West Harbour Road at an ungated crossing, used to pass in front of the Custom House.

Custom House


				The Greenock Custom House, a Georgian masterpiece perched on the Clyde quay side, was built in 1818 by architect William Burns and became a symbol of the Customs service in Scotland and the maritime heritage of Inverclyde.







				Interior of Greenock Custom House.

Baggage Examination Sheds


				These are the sheds where the Waterguard baggage officers would meet and clear the passengers arriving at the quay from foreign.

::: return to the top :::

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 'Roadside' John o' Groats, By Wick in April 1947.

Custom House


				The Custom House in the High Street Inverness was built between 1841 and 1814. It was formerly used as the General Post Office.

Custom House

The first Irvine Custom House established after the union of Parliaments had been built in 1567. From 1688 - 1707 it was the Burgage cottage collecting customs duty for the Royal Burgh but from 1745 was owned by Charles Hamilton.

In 1750 a new Irvine Custom House was built further down the harbour.

::: return to the top :::

Custom House

The Kirkcaldy Custom House is the oldest building in the town. With a painted ceiling and a stone fireplace dated 1676, it also has a stone tablet bearing Charles II royal coat of arms.

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 11 Wright Place in 1946 and at 455 High Street in June 1947.

Custom House


				The Kirkwall Custom House at 33 Albert Street was built circa 1785 as a private house and nicknamed 'Hell'. It has been used as a Custom House since 1864.

::: return to the top :::

Custom House


				Leith Custom House was built in 1812 on the edge of Leith Docks, beside the Water of Leith. The building survives as Leith Museum.

Custom House

Built in 1781 as Fort Charlotte, it never saw any military action but served as a Custom House and coastguard station after 1875.

Coast Preventive Man's Office

The CPM's Office was situated at 10 Chromate Lane in September 1947.

Custom House


				The old and new Custom Houses above the beach c1900.



				The 'new' Custom House pictured in 2009

Custom House


				The Custom House pictured in the inter war years - 1918 to 1939.

The Old Dundee Custom House

Left - c1829

Right - c1900.

Custom House

Halbert Henderson was the Collector of Customs duty in the town during the 1840's but North Berwick Custom House and Coastguard Station was not constructed until 1857, and the original whitewashed building can be seen today on the Anchor Green.