Postcard collection

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Renfrewshire libraries local studies library currently has 1,382 postcards in its collection, the earliest dating from about 1890. Every town and village within the new Renfrewshire administrative area is represented. The collection also includes postcards of settlements that were historically associated with the old county of Renfrewshire, such as Barrhead, Neilston and Kilmacolm. Many of the cards in the collection are views of:

• Paisley 626 cards
• Renfrew 129 cards
• Johnstone 113 cards

Settlements such as Bridge of Weir, Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch are also well represented with 60 to 80 cards each.

Popular views such as Paisley Abbey, Paisley Town Hall and Coats Memorial Church are well represented with cards showing changes through time. The modern era from the 1960's to the present is less well represented. The collection does however include examples of more modern cards showing, for example, views taken by local photographer Frank Hardy. Hardy's views include housing development in Elderslie, Paisley Cross and its surroundings.


Actual colour images, produced by a photographic process, date from about the 1960s. Previous to this date 'coloured' images were hand-coloured black and white photographs.

Printers and publishers of the postcard collection include major producers:

• Valentines
• Raphael Tuck
• Woolstone Bros

and smaller more local producers:

• McDougall Brothers, stationers
• William Love of Glasgow