AN Australian’s search for where a celebrated ancestor was buried led him to Helensburgh.
John McClean believes the last resting place of Hugh MacLean, the 16th and last Laird of the island of Coll, may be one of the local cemeteries.
People
Rosneath man founded university
ONE of Garelochside’s most famous and colourful sons was known as Jolly Jack Phosphorus and invented a six pound gun . . .
But, much more importantly, he was the man who founded a Glasgow educational institution which became the University of Strathclyde.
Political rebel who loved Loch Long
A VICTORIAN rebel who led a colourful and controversial life found the peace and quiet he longed for to recharge his batteries beside Loch Long.
The village of Portincaple was the regular holiday home of Charles Bradlaugh MP, who was born on September 23 1833 and died on January 30 1891.
Travelling man of many talents
ONE of the last and most famous of the older generation of Scottish travelling people was born in Helensburgh in 1910.
Willie MacPhee was born when his mother and father were doing casual farm work around the town, planting the potato crop. Both his parents were natives of West Dunbartonshire and belonged to one of the biggest of the travelling clans, found all over the west of Scotland.
Susie — the family sequel
ONE of the great characters of Helensburgh and district history is Susie, of Susie’s Castle fame, and in the summer of 2010 new information and pictures came to light.
Born Susan McGlone in 1847, Susie — or Suzie or Suzy, as her name was sometimes spelled — was a well-known character, not only at Portincaple, where she lived for many years until her death on January 20 1929, but also much further afield as well.
Colourful doctor loved boxing
THE colourful life of a Kilcreggan-born doctor included active service in World War One — and later being a member of the ringside team of a world boxing champion.
John Cameron was born on December 8 1881 at Prince’s Terrace, the second son of master plumber and later Cove and Kilcreggan Town Council member and JP Alexander Cameron, and his wife Elizabeth McFie.
1895 article on Percy Pilcher
SATURDAY January 16 2010 was the 144th anniversary of the birth of aviation pioneer Percy Sinclair Pilcher, whose early experiments in gliding were undertaken in fields at Cardross.
Percy used the fields of the thriving Wallacetown and Auchensail Farms for his experiments with three different gliders between 1893 and 1896.