A NORTH American Indian, Grey Owl, spoke to a Helensburgh audience at the Victoria Hall in November 1937, and was well received.
Grey Owl was on tour in Britain, giving talks on his life, on the Canadian wilderness, how native Americans lived etc. Films and documentaries made about him had resulted in him becoming quite a celebrity.
However, he turned out to be a fraud — he was an Englishman. A film was made about him some years ago with Pierce Brosnan playing Archie Grey Owl.
Grey Owl enjoyed the patronage of the rich and powerful, including the monarchy, and Helensburgh was able to show that it too could attract these celebrities.
Archibald Stansfeld BELANEY, known as Grey Owl and Wa-sha-quon-asin, forest ranger, guide, trapper, environmentalist, conservation officer, writer, and lecturer; b. 18 Sept. 1888 in Hastings, England, elder son of George Furmage Belaney and Kathleen Verena (Kittie) Cox; m. first 23 Aug. 1910 Angele Egwuna on Bear Island in Lake Temagami, Ont., and they had at least two children; m. secondly 10 Feb. 1917 Florence Ivy Mary Holmes in Hollington, near Hastings; they divorced on 9 Aug. 1922; m. thirdly early June 1926 Gertrude Philomen Bernard, known as Anahareo, in an aboriginal ceremony at Lac Simon, Que., and they had a daughter; the couple separated in 1936; m. fourthly 5 Dec. 1936 Yvonne Perrier in Montreal; he also had a son with Marie Girard (Gerrard, Jero); d. 13 April 1938 in Prince Albert, Sask.