The Arts

NUMEROUS poems have been composed about Cardross and its surroundings, including several by poetesses with village connections.

A WELL-KNOWN face in Helensburgh and district was a man who saw a lot of the world, and more than likely his experiences helped shape a mature outlook on life . . . and his poetry.

HELENSBURGH and district is well known for renowned artists and architects . . . but it also has had notable poets.

A HELENSBURGH actor and singer had a quiet 2020 because of coronavirus restrictions . . . but that is very unusual in a varied and successful theatrical career.

Bass-baritone Duncan Smith, youngest son of well-known local artist and art teacher Gregor Ian Smith and his wife Kathleen, has appeared in many West End productions, toured at home and abroad, and worked with many famous names.

'The Old Soldier of the Gareloch Head'

This poem was written by Professor John Stuart Blackie (1809-1895).

Professor Blackie was appointed to the Greek Chair in Edinburgh University in 1852. He worked hard to preserve the Gaelic language and literature and he was instrumental in founding the Chair of Celtic Literature in the University of Edinburgh.

A HUGELY talented Scottish artist and illustrator spent part of World War One living in Helensburgh and serving as an Admiralty Assistant Overseer Airships at the Inchinnan airfield.

Works by William Russell Flint (later Sir William) became more and more in demand over the years, despite what some critics considered to be crassness in his treatment of the female figure.

THE MYSTERY of two Gareloch steam yachts has been solved by a local expert in the field.

It all began in August when Mary-Jane Selwood of the Anderson Trust Local Collection, which is housed in Helensburgh Library, researched the work of watercolourist Tom Campbell (1865-1943) because one of his works is in the collection.

A HELENSBURGH traditional musician and her musical partner are leading lights in the Scottish traditional music scene.

Eilidh Steel, on fiddle, and Mark Neal, on vocals and guitar, play music and song strongly influenced by the music from Argyll and the west coast, as well as their own original compositions.

TWO talented and enterprising artists who met while training in Paris ran art classes in Helensburgh from 1890-1906.

Mary Park (below right) and Madge Ross held the classes initially at 8, then 3, Prince Albert Terrace, Victoria Road. They moved to Glasgow in 1906, and in 1911 Miss Park returned to her home country of New Zealand.

WHEN Helensburgh Dorian Choir held their 70th anniversary concert in May 2019, they paid tribute to the choir’s founder.

But the programme notes about James MacTaggart barely scratched the surface of the story of a remarkable man and musician — known to all as the blind organist.

A MOTHER and son from Helensburgh were both highly rated artists.

That was the conclusion of administrator Mary-Jane Selwood when she researched the pair for the Anderson Trust Local Collection.

TWO of Scotland’s leading pipers of their respective generations lived in Rhu and worked on the Clyde Training Ship Empress in the Gareloch.

Murdo MacDonald and Archie McNeill shared their love of the bagpipes, but otherwise lived very different lives — Murdo as a soldier, Archie, who was blind, as a teacher and composer of pipe music.