People

NEW material became available about the Rhu-based mystery of whether or not Madeleine Smith murdered her lover in 2007 as the 150th anniversary of the start of her trial was marked with an exhibition, a re-enactment, and a new book.

Madeleine was tried for the murder of her lover, Pierre Emile L’Angelier, at the High Court in Edinburgh. The trial began on June 30 1857, and ended with a not proven verdict on July 9.

JOHN Arnold Fleming, O.B.E., F.R.S.E., J.P., was a well known and very wealthy Helensburgh man who died at his home, Locksley, East Abercromby Street, on October 22 1966, less than a month before his 95th birthday.

He was a noted journalist, author, artist, traveller, politician, businessman, churchman and benefactor.

A SHANDON man played a vital part in the World War Two Battle of Kohima, a critical battle in the Burma Campaign.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert (Rex) King-Clark MBE, MC, who died on December 29 2007 at the age of 94, commanded 2nd Battalion The Manchester Regiment — the machine gun battalion of the British 2nd Division — throughout the battle in Assam.

CARDROSS has an important place in the history of aviation — as it was the scene of the first successful controlled glider flight on September 12 1895.

Percy Sinclair Pincher managed to keep a glider called the Bat off the ground at a height of 12 feet for all of 20 seconds, the first controlled glider flight in Britain.

George Maclachlan

Solicitor, Writer, and Town Clerk of Helensburgh

1846 until 1911

Reported as a thoughtful and diligent scholar at the Academy in Paisley, George Maclachlan was apprenticed to a local Law Firm on leaving school.

The Maclachlan Dynasty of Town Clerks

1846 to 1956

John Maclachlan was a shipbuilder in Paisley who, with his wife Janet Lindsay, had a son Robert born in 1793. From 1815 to 1846 Robert Maclachlan was the Minister of Gilmour Street Congregational Church in Paisley.

He and his wife Catherine Lewis, also had a son, George (left), born in 1823 who, in 1846, qualified as a solicitor and set up practice in Helensburgh.

WORLD FAMOUS film star Hugh Grant has a family link with Cove and Kilcreggan.

The Hollywood superstar, who plays an archetypal English gentleman in many of his films, visited Helensburgh and Cove in August 2007 with his father on a trip to rediscover the family roots.

By Bill Yule of Helensburgh Tree Conservation Trust

RHODODENDRONS are a major feature of local gardens — Glenarn at Rhu being a prime example — and much of the credit for the discovery and introduction of these plants to the United Kingdom goes to an eminent 19th century botanist with Helensburgh connections, Sir Joseph Hooker.

Sir Joseph (pictured) was the son of another important botanist of the time, Sir William Hooker, who became the first Director of Kew Gardens in 1841.

THE only man to receive the Freedom of the Burgh of Helensburgh was a man who, after a lifetime of service, well deserved the highest honour his home town could give . . . but sadly he died seven weeks later.

The story of polio-disabled Colonel Alastair Paterson (left) is a story of courage, which began on October 20 1900 when he was born at The Turret, Millig Street.

ONE of the great advocates of his generation spent both his childhood and his retirement at Cairndhu, the family home on Helensburgh seafront which is now a care home and was for many years until 1984 a popular hotel.

Alexander Ure, first Baron Strathclyde, was the second son of John Ure (1824-1901), flour merchant and a distinguished Lord Provost of Glasgow, and his wife, Isabella.

THE FIRST ‘Munro-Bagger’ — climbing Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet — was a Helensburgh man, the Rev Archibald Eneas Robertson, MA, BD.

Archie Robertson was born in the town on July 3 1870 and brought up at Parkhill, 7 Kings Crescent, which is now Barbreck, 1 Granville Street.

THE only person to be awarded the title of Burgess of the Burgh of Cove and Kilcreggan was also the oldest person ever to live in the Helensburgh District.

Mrs Lucy Rickerman, who was born in the year that Disraeli became the Prime Minister and died in 1980 at the age of 105, received the award shortly after her 100th birthday on September 6 1974.