GREENOCK artist Tom Johnstone is staging a 50s memorabilia exhibition as part of Inverclyde Council's Quay Festival to celebrate the Queen's golden jubilee.

The Festival takes place this weekend and Tom's exhibition is being held in the Custom House on Saturday and Sunday.

On display are photographs, drawings and printed ephemera showing Inverclyde in the 1950s.

The exhibition examines how the former burghs of Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow have changed in the last 50 years. Gone are most of the dance venues, all of the old picture halls and many of the corner shops.

Tom has also taken a look at the street games and characters including the buskers who entertained cinema queues and the escapologist who performed his act at the Cathcart Street market on a Saturday morning.

The accompanying photograph from the exhibition was taken from Shaw Place looking down to Clyde Square gardens and the Municipal Buildings.

On the left can be seen the Empire Theatre and the well-patronised Gilchrist's clothing and household goods shop. Stead and Simpsons' shoe shop was located in the ground floor of the building on the right, in the picture, of the Municipal Buildings the right of the gardens is the roof of the old men's shelter and public toilets.

Shaw Place, the Municipal Buildings and the former library property behind the Stead and Simpsons building remain today but everything else disappeared to make way for the new library and what is now the Oak Mall.