Places

A STREET in south Colgrain, Helensburgh, and a bridge in the village of Cardross have something very important in common. 

They are both dedicated to a young servant girl called Jean, and all because in the 17^th century she stole a small piece of meat from her master’s home.

LIKE many other places, Helensburgh and district went through an era when it was surrounded by toll houses, and there was a price to pay for travel.

It was because of complaints about the state of the road between Helensburgh and that a check bar was established at Ardencaple in 1838, and further complaints after storm damage in 1852 led to it being upgraded to a toll bar in a bid to generate income for repairs.

ARDENCONNEL House in Rhu these days consists of high quality flats . . . but in days gone by it was a holiday hotspot.

The B-listed mansion was built by the Buchanan family in the late 18^th century, and its uses have included family home, holiday home, and Sergeants Mess.

HELENSBURGH seafront was at the peak of its popularity in the 1920s and 30s.

The sun brought out the day trippers, and the beach and esplanade were full of people enjoying themselves, as this old London and North Eastern Railway brochure cover clearly shows.

A SHIPOWNER who lived in an upper Helensburgh mansion doubled it in size — and it later became two separate houses. 

Glenys Hierzer, who lives in Campbeltown, New South Wales, Australia, great grand-daughter of James Aitken and his wife Emily, who lived at Burton Hill, has been researching her family tree and is looking for more information.

A POPULAR spot in Helensburgh for walkers is the Duchess Wood Local Nature Reserve.  

The Duchess Wood, which used to be known as the Bluebell Wood for obvious reasons, has been loved and used by many generations of local people.