Dock Street, Dundee - Ref: WC0135
This photograph shows the eastern part of Dundee's Dock Street, focusing on the saltstores, which would have been so popular at the time as a preservative agent, used to keep fish and meat fresh.
No. 11 belonged to Henry Cowan, No. 12 was a fruit store belonging to James Brough & Son, and No. 13 was William Brown junior's salt store. The Dundee Directory for 1893-94 lists one more Dundee salt merchant, John Cowan of 7 Craig Street.
By 1902-03, Brown has gone, but Heyde & Co., 10 St Andrew's Street, McDonald & Beaton, 20 Exchange Street, and James Sharp of Craig Court, West Dock Street have joined the trade. Eight other companies are listed as drysalters.
Alexander Wilson who took this photograph, was a supervisor in a Dundee jute mill for over 20 years. He bequeathed much of his collection and £50, to cover the costs involved, to the Free Library Committee of Dundee in 1923.