The Arts

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).

HELENSBURGH-born actress Morven Christie appeared in Alan Bleasdale's The Sinking of the Laconia, a wartime drama screened on BBC TV on Thursday and Friday January 6 and 7 2011.

October 2004 was when writer Alan Bleasdale first heard about the fate of the RMS Laconia during World War Two and now his dream of telling the story of the merchant vessel has become a reality in a two-part dramatisation on BBC2.

A YOUNG girl who grew up on Loch Longside took the name of her home and went on to become a singer who worked with top stars including Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

Jessie Ronald was born in America, the daughter of an American father and Scottish mother. Sadly her father died two years later, and her mother brought her back to Glenmallon to live with her grandparents.

A HELENSBURGH man was one of the best known character actors of his generation.

James Copeland — known to all as Jimmy — is best remembered for his appearances in the BBC TV drama series Dr Finlay’s Casebook and the film comedy Rockets Galore. But he was a man of many talents.

A RAILWAYMAN was the inspiration behind two clubs for Helensburgh artists.

Charlie Taylor, who lived in the Claverton flats at 101 East Princes Street with his wife May (nee Thomson), was a keen and very good amateur painter, and he relished working with other local artists.

ONE of the most prolific authors of his generation had strong connections with Helensburgh and lived in the town for four years.

George Blake, who was born in Greenock on October 28 1893, the son of engineer Matthew Blake and his wife Ursula, came to the burgh with his family in 1935 and stayed as tenants of The Glenan, 41 John Street, until 1939.

A LEGENDARY figure in Scottish piping first learnt to play the pipes as a young man in the Helensburgh district.

Known as the Blind Piper, Archie McNeill was born at 23 Lambhill Street, Govan, Glasgow, on February 23, 1879, the son of Donald McNeill, a merchant seaman, and his wife Jessie, nee Napier, who were married at Kippen on December 21 1877.

A PAINTING of great significance to Helensburgh was on show in the Anderson Trust exhibition at Helensburgh Library in West King Street.

The enigmatic rear view portrait aroused interest and comment from visitors, and the importance of this painting to Helensburgh and to this collection of paintings cannot be overestimated.

ONE of the paintings owned by the Anderson Trust and which has been on show in Helensburgh Library is the work of a distinguished artist who lived in Portincaple and is buried at Faslane Cemetery.

Best known for his paintings of harbours and Clyde scenes, James Kay RSA RSW was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran on October 22 1858, but lived for some 33 years in the Loch Longside village in a house called Crimea (below right) and worked in a studio at 79 West Regent Street, Glasgow.

A PROLIFIC and talented Helensburgh artist who died in 1985 at the age of 75 is certainly not forgotten.

That quickly became obvious after the Heritage Trust received a request for information about Allan M.Fraser from Kirkmichael-born Johnnie Booth, who now lives in California and owns one of his paintings.

A HELENSBURGH singer with a real talent was much mourned when he died from cancer in February 1945 at the age of only 35.

Joseph O'Rourke — known to all as Joe — was the ninth of the fourteen children of mason's labourer James O'Rourke and his wife Hannah, who were married in the burgh on September 16 1892 and lived at 6 Maitland Street.