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Sir Gabriel Wood's Mariners' Home
[OPENING SENTENCE - Sir Gabriel Wood's Mariners' Home is a Category A listed building situated on Newark Street, Greenock.

History
The foundation stone was laid on 17th October, 1850 by Sir Michael Robert Shaw Stewart, of Greenock and Blackhall.

The institution was founded in 1850.

The founder of the institution was Commissary General Sir Gabriel Wood.

Sir Gabriel was born on 18th May 1767 in Burnside House, Gourock

Sir Gabriel died at Bath on 29th October, 1845 aged 78.

''“The remains of Mr. Wood, his wife, and three of their children are interred in the old cemetery in Inverkip Street, Greenock. The tombstone is still to be seen in the cemetery immediately to the right of the entrance gate.”'' (Black, 1850, p6)

Sir Gabriel Wood left a will settling his worldly possessions executed by him on 17th June 1845

Ladywood and Miss Frances A Wood signed a declaration of Trust agreeing to hand over £38,000 to named trustees for the purpose of erecting the institution (p9)

When the site was selected the view from it was one of the great beauty one could see as far up the river Clyde as far as Dumbarton and as far as Dunoon

Sir Michael Robert Shaw Stewart (landowner) ''“the then Superior, who owned the ground upon which the Asylum was to be built, gave the ground on most liberal terms. At the present time the ground extends to almost seven acres”'' (p11)

"On 17th October, 1850, there was laid, on the outskirts of Greenock, the foundation stone of Sir Gabriel Wood's Mariners' Asylum."

The foundation stone was to be laid with full masonic honours on the same day as the copestone of the Victoria Harbour.

The structure was finished in 1854

The opening of the Asylum was performed on 17th October 1854

MARINERS HOME

Mariners home was gifted by sir gabriel wood. as a refuge home for mariners .at  the end of thier working lives

as many old sailors were left without funds to support them