GREENOCK’S historic Tobacco Warehouse is to feature in a new exhibition as people across Inverclyde are invited to share their memories of the 118-year-old building.

More than 750 people recently visited the Clarence Street property as part of the hugely-successful Inverclyde Doors Open Day.

This inspired local artist Tom Johnstone to produce a new slideshow exhibition looking back to the early days of the building, which dates back to 1896.

Tom himself has memories of the building from when he was a boy in 1944, when it was bustling with American soldiers who were billeted there.

Before it was a Tobacco Warehouse, the building was also once part of the R Thorne and Sons Ltd Greenock Whisky Distillers and Blenders.

Artist and keen photographer Tom is appealing to Tele readers to now come forward with any pictures, memories or stories of their own.

He said: “I’m working on a slideshow called ‘Greenock in War Time’ and this is a part of it.

“I remember standing in the road in front of the building and the soldiers were hanging out the windows.

“A great saying at the time was ‘any gum chum’ and they would throw out spearmint gum and any other bits and bobs they had.

“I got a pencil, which at the time I thought was great. They also had American comics, which were popular at the time.

“The whole place was full of soldiers and there were only a few windows to stick their heads out.

“Big liners would come and soldiers would offload onto paddle steamers to go further up the quay, and then they would come in here and some were marched into the YMCA on West Stewart Street.

“I’m trying to pick up any information I can from some of the older people in Inverclyde who have any memories of the building.

“A lot of local ladies worked in places like this helping out with the welfare services, the Red Cross and things like that.” Tom is also fascinated about the still-visible graffiti scrawled inside the building on the window frames.

There are messages with the names of American soldiers and the dates they were here.

Some names have US states below them, including North Dakota, while others have names of soldiers with English towns and cities written underneath.

He said: “I’m looking for any information at all because this is a building steeped in history but not a great deal is documented about it.” Anyone with information can contact the Tele on 558980 or email editorial@greenocktelegraph.co.uk.