The Black Bull Inn

Built in 1795 The Black Bull Inn was ideally positioned at the Cross where the High Street crosses between the short George Street and McDowall Street. It should also be considered a very important building in the life of the new town of Johnstone and surrounding areas as was its proprietor Bro. Robert Hodgart. Bro. Hodgart was the tenant in Barbush Farm 1806-1831 (later owned by Bro. James Craig PM) before taking on the inn. He also built the bridge over the Cart between Barbush and Rankine Street, dismantled about 1865.

The Black Bull was one of the oldest buildings in the town as the land for the new town of Johnstone was only feued by the Laird in 1782. The Inn had moved from 53 High Street to a much larger building more suitable for a coaching Inn able to provide the typical needs of travellers and locals alike.

The stables were to the rear in George Street which ran down a short distance almost to the Black Cart Water. These became the George Cinema then a motor bike repair shop in the 1960s. The Inn provided rooms and sustenance for horses, coaches and walkers who were making their way from Greenock to Glasgow and all places in between.

Of course, it would also have been frequented by the ever increasing population attracted by employment in the several mills and subsequently engineering firms that sprung up.

The Black Bull Inn Assembly Rooms was the main venue for business deals, meetings, property sales and even Masonic meetings. Regular sales by roup auctions, societies, AGMs, functions were held here throughout the 19th century. He was from a family associated with the lodge for over 100 years (seven members) including one of the founders.

Bro. Robert Hodgart was a Lieutenant of the Johnstone Volunteer Infantry. He had seen previous service in the Renfrewshire Yeomanry Infantry (see over). Bro. Hodgart later became a Captain in the 2nd Regiment of Renfrewshire Local Militia in 1811 when 242 was consecrated, serving until it’s disembodiment after the Battle of Waterloo, 1815.

Another service provided at the Inn was the Past Office with Robert’s daughter Mary postmistress. Bro. Hodgart was apparently a man of extensive vision when he ensured The Black Bull Inn was the first Inn in Britain to have central heating installed in 1809 with a steam-kitchen and a large ballroom, among other improvements.

How did the Black Bull Inn come to have central heating in the first place?

The answer I believe lies close to hand in that Bro. George Houston the Laird and mill owner had employed a man in his cotton mill named Bro. Neil Snodgrass (brother to Campbell, another founder) who had invented and installed a steam heating system for the Laird’s cotton mill in 1794. Bro. Snodgrass went on to install a further steam system in another mill saving a significant amount of money for the owners. By 1804 he was manager of Messrs Houston & CO’s mills.

Bro. Neil Snodgrass was awarded a Gold Medal by The London Society of the Arts in 1806 for his inventions.

Within a few years Bro. Robert Hodgart had let the Inn to a tenant and moved on to his next venture a coach service to Paisley. Sadly less than six years from steam heating being installed it was condemned by the next tenant of the Black Bull who was too feart to switch it on and never used it again!

In the 1830’s, Bro. Hodgart’s coaches left from the Black Bull Inn for Paisley at 10am and 5pm. At about the same period The Black Bull Inn would have been very busy on these fair days. In the early 1830’s Johnstone Cross, nearly opposite to the Black Bull Inn, is distant from the Cross of Paisley, 3 miles, 5 furlongs, 34 poles. Fairs are held on the Thursday following the second Monday of July and on the last Thursday of October, for cattle; also, on the last Friday of December for horses.

Although this market is not generally known, being but lately established; yet, from the excellent supply of cattle brought forward promises to be one of the most numerously attended Fairs in the West of Scotland. The marketplace is spacious and very extensive, affording accommodation rarely to be met with.

The Black Bull Inn remained an integral part of the fabric of Johnstone for many more years before succumbing and lying empty and being allowed to decay until it was demolished in 1984. Like so many of our important old buildings The Black Bull Inn passed into history only kept alive in our memories.

My thanks to Bro. Eddie McRorie of 242 and Johnstone History for writing and collating information for this article.