The Arts

THE Helensburgh woman whose husband designed the Cenotaph in Hermitage Park and several important burgh buildings was herself a very talented artist.

A DOCTOR who has been described as Scotland’s greatest dramatist loved trips to Helensburgh and the Clyde seaside —but did not like living in the burgh.

A HELENSBURGH man was an important donor of valuable paintings to Glasgow Art Gallery.

Another burgh man, Alastair Macdonald, Ph.D., who is a member of a group researching such donations, looked into the background of Hugh Locke Anderson Jnr., of Ava Lodge, 11 Glasgow Street.

TWO Rosneath Peninsula sisters — whose family also lived at various times in Helensburgh — both became multi-talented and famous artists.

Elder sister Doris Clare Zinkeisen (pictured right in 1929), who was born at Clynder House, Clynder, on July 31 1898, was best known for her work in theatrical design, but was also a painter, commercial artist and writer.

A SHANDON man who died of blood cancer on April 16 2012 at the age of 65 is considered to have been one of Scotland’s greatest cameramen and film-makers.

FROM Blondie and David Bowie to Wham! and The Clash . . . a Helensburgh man photographed the cream of British pop music during the 70s and 80s.

Born in the burgh in 1954 Harry Papadopoulos grew up in Garelochhead, where he began teaching himself the skills that would make his career.

A FILM and stage actress with strong links with both Helensburgh and Kilcreggan led a life of highs and lows and died tragically young.

Mary Ure was the great grand-daughter of John Ure, Lord Provost of Glasgow, successful businessman, and builder and 30 year resident of the burgh seafront mansion Cairndhu.

HELENSBURGH is renowned for its grid pattern design, which was the vision of one man.He 

William Spence is not a household name, unlike the town’s founder, Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Baronet, after whose wife Helen the town was named.

A LEADING figure in Helensburgh and district politics was actually a computer pioneer and a successful author and screenwriter.

John McNeil, chairman of Helensburgh SNP, spent 15 years of his life in the town, many of them while personally renovating the art deco mansion Green Park in Charlotte Street, before his death at the age of 64 on October 22 2004.

HELENSBURGH'S former Clyde Street School and Community Centre and the Hermitage Park War Memorial are two of the best known works of a leading burgh architect and artist.

Alexander Nisbet Paterson, ARSA, FRIBA, RSW, was born at Berkeley Terrace in Glasgow, near to the Mitchell Library, the fifth son of cotton manufacturer and merchant Andrew Paterson.

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.