Helensburgh Heritage
Helensburgh Heritage Trust
BORN Susan McGlone in 1847, Susie, 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, but also much further afield as well.
Susie's personality alone would probably have been enough to make her a local celebrity, but the extra factor that ensured her a place in the hall of fame lay in the fact that home was an upturned boat.
THE son of a Helensburgh parks superintendent grew up to become the best known face in Scottish horticulture.
Gardening expert James H.McColl, MBE, known to all as Jim, is the long-serving presenter of the BBC TV series The Beechgrove Garden.
HELENSBURGH’S last Provost was Norman Macleod Glen, CBE, TD, MA, JP, who gave a lifetime of dedicated public service — including two years as honorary president of Helensburgh Heritage Trust.
A key figure in the final years of the Town Council, he also served with distinction on its successor, Dumbarton District Council, in which he carried the Conservative banner in a Labour-controlled authority, and he then went on to serve on Argyll and Bute Council.
SEVENTY years ago on March 20 1936, one of Scotland's most famous men — whose family home was at Ardoch, Cardross — died at the age of 84 on a last visit to Buenos Aires.
Robert B.Cunninghame Graham of Ardoch, known as Don Roberto, was an adventurer, politician, explorer, and writer.
ONE of Helensburgh’s best known residents of the 20th century who donated the Templeton Library to the town, Nance Anderson, died on January 13 1980 at the age of 90.
Annie Templeton Anderson, MBE, JP, of Inistore, James Street, passed away at the Barclay Smith Home in Colquhoun Street.
A WEATHER-BEATEN headstone in a Rosneath Peninsula graveyard is believed to mark the grave of the only African slave ever buried in Scotland.
The grave, tucked in at the side of the St Modan’s Church cemetery at Rosneath, bears the name Robert Story, and a Victorian inscription, written by the slave’s master, praises him for his honest and devout service.
THE BELL'S connection with Helensburgh seems to date from 1806 and he was receiving mail there in July and September of that year.
In July of that year the Register of Sasines records that Henry Bell, Architect, of Glasgow, had feued on 29th May a piece of ground lying on the south side of the road from Dumbarton to the Kirk of Row. This was the site of the Baths Inn.