The Arts

MANY leading architects have worked in Helensburgh and district over the years, but probably the byword for absolute excellence is to be told: “It’s a Leiper house.”

He designed many of the town’s most impressive properties, including Cairndhu in 1871, Dalmore in 1873, Terpersie and Tordarroch in 1883, Brantwoode in 1895, Red Towers and Ardluss in 1900, and Lynton in 1908 — not to mention the Victoria Infirmary in 1893.

AN ARTIST who lived in Rhu and Helensburgh at various times was Sir James Guthrie, leader of the internationally renowned Glasgow Boys.

James Guthrie was born in Greenock in 1859, son of the Rev John Guthrie and his wife Ann. He studied law at Glasgow University but, with his father’s permission, left without a degree to pursue a career in art in 1877.

AS a remarkable tribute to his deceased wife, a Rhu man privately published in 1902 at considerable expense a book of verses she had written.

The book, entitled “Verses By Mary Gilmour’ was printed by Helensburgh printer J.Lindsay Laidlaw — a business purchased by the late Craig Jeffrey before he launched the Helensburgh Advertiser in 1957.

THE reference room at Helensburgh Library has a large collection of books by writers with a local connection, and sixteen of them are by J.J.Bell.

He certainly is not the best known of the local authors, but he was prolific.

EXACTLY 80 years ago a long novel of extraordinary power, mainly set in a thinly disguised Dumbarton, was being read eagerly not just in Scotland, but across the world.

A PAINTING by the famous ‘Glasgow Girl’ artist Bessie MacNicol — who had many links with Helensburgh —  changed hands in April 2011.

But purchaser Jim Smith, who enlisted the help of Helensburgh Heritage Trust in his quest to buy the painting entitled ‘Lady with a Fan’, had some difficulty in completing the acquisition.

THE distinguished artist Sir Henry Raeburn RA painted a stunning portrait of a lady who spent part of her life in Rosneath . . . but did he paint another of the same lady?

That is the question asked by a distinguished art and antiques dealer who lives in Australia and owns what he thinks is the original version.

A KILCREGGAN man made his living from breaking up ships — but he also had a special talent for preserving nautical subjects by painting them.

'Clyde Regatta' is one of Arthur Henry Turner's paintings, and it is owned by the Anderson Trust Local Collection and is often exhibited in Helensburgh Library.

ONE of the great writers about Scotland, its countryside and wildlife in the 20^th century was born in Helensburgh and had two spells of living in the burgh.

Campbell Rodger Steven, who was born in April 1911 and died in 2002, loved the outdoors — and it provided the inspiration for both his work and how he spent his leisure time.

ONE of the most fascinating books about Helensburgh’s past is ‘A Nonogenarian's Reminiscences of Garelochside and Helensburgh’.

It was written by a burgh tailor, Donald MacLeod, and published by Macneur & Bryden Ltd. of East Princes Street in 1883.

NEW YEAR blues are dispelled every year by the return of the Turners at the National Gallery in Edinburgh . . . and of the Anderson Trust paintings in Helensburgh Library.

This fine local collection, bequeathed to the town in 1980 by Annie Templeton Anderson, now numbers 90 paintings – too many to be displayed together, so a different selection is made each time.

THE top Scottish comedian of his age, Lex McLean, lived in Helensburgh for many years and loved the peace and quiet of his home across the road from Kidston Park.

Born Alexander McLean Cameron on April 30 1907 in a drab tenement at 6 Rosebery Place, Clydebank, he was the son of iron moulder Donald Cameron (1871–1951) and his second wife, grocer Mary Howe McLean (1876–1948).