TOM Johnstone has launched a new exhibition on the subject of 'Old Greenock Pubs.' The exhibition by the artist and Telegraph cartoonist is being mounted in W H Smith"s window in Hamilton Gate, the Oak Mall, and it features paintings, historical photographs and printed ephemera.

An example of the material is Tom"s accompanying painting of Graham"s Horseshoe bar around the 1950s.

Tom said this establishment dated from the late 19th century, and was a popular howff with workers and management of Hasties and Mitchell"s engineering and plumbing works in the vicinity, two businesses now gone.

The pub was demolished and the present Horseshoe Bar, Kilblain Street, stands in approximately the same location.

Greenock has always had more than its fair share of places of liquid refreshment.

In the year 1875 the town boasted 128 or so public houses!

The majority disappeared during various clearances over the years after 1941 and into the late sixties, by which time the number was down to around 60.

A good number of pubs were called by names other than those painted above the premises.

Some names in the past were 'Bella"s' (Anchorage Bar, Cross Shore Street), 'The Deid Man"s Pub' in St Andrews Street, and 'The Boney Man"s Pub' in Baker Street. Others were known by the owner"s name or that of a previous proprietor, examples being Joe Reid"s, Shearer"s and Murphy"s (Snug).

Tom Johnstone"s exhibition will run until July.