George Blake

 1893 -  1961

George Blake was born in Greenock on 28th October 1893 and died in August 1961 at the age of 67. He was educated at Greenock Academy and at 17 years of age started to serve his apprenticeship with the law firm of Neill Clerk and Murray. His studies were interrupted however, and in 1913 he was gazetted into the 5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. A year later he was mobilised and served at Gallipoli where he was wounded and discharged in 1917.  He returned to law for a time and then began to dabble in journalism under the influence of Neil Munro - creator of “Para Handy” fame. In 1918 he joined the staff of the 'Glasgow Evening News' where he later became literary editor.  In 1923 he married Ellie Lawson - of Greenock Apothecaries and Lawson (who doesn't remember Lawson's lemonade with the 'Clyde Steamer' labels?). They were blessed with two sons and a daughter.

He then went to London in 1924 and appointed acting editor of “John o London’s Weekly”, moving four years later to the “Strand Magazine”. For two years until 1932 he was with the publishing firm Faber & Faber but then returned to Scotland to join the “Glasgow Evening News” as a special writer.

In 1935 he retired from journalism to concentrate on writing books, and settled in Helensburgh. He maintained his connection with journalism and in 1939 emerged as editor of the “Glasgow Evening Citizen”. Much of his early work was written under the pseudonym “Vagabond”. His chosen field was the industrial, middle class of Scotland with much of his material based on Greenock, its shipyards and social conditions. It is not too difficult to recognise that the town of “Garvel” is really Greenock, since Blake uses the burgh as a backcloth. His best known book “The Shipbuilders” (1935) tells a story of Clydeside in the Depression years. This story and another of his novels - 'Flood Tide' - was later filmed. In later years, Blake undertook general histories such as 'The Ben Line', 'Lloyds Register of Shipping, and 'The Gourock', - a history of the ropework company.

Blake had also been a broadcaster for many years and instituted the radio feature 'The Week in Scotland' which he carried on exclusively for eighteen months. He also commentated on such memorable events as  the launching of the 'Queen Mary' and the Coronation of King George VI. 

His last official visit to Greenock was in September 1960 to officially open the Watt Library in Union Street after it had been renovated.