The Arts

AS a remarkable tribute to his deceased wife, a Rhu man privately published in 1902 at considerable expense a book of verses she had written.

The book, entitled “Verses By Mary Gilmour’ was printed by Helensburgh printer J.Lindsay Laidlaw — a business purchased by the late Craig Jeffrey before he launched the Helensburgh Advertiser in 1957.

EXACTLY 80 years ago a long novel of extraordinary power, mainly set in a thinly disguised Dumbarton, was being read eagerly not just in Scotland, but across the world.

THE distinguished artist Sir Henry Raeburn RA painted a stunning portrait of a lady who spent part of her life in Rosneath . . . but did he paint another of the same lady?

That is the question asked by a distinguished art and antiques dealer who lives in Australia and owns what he thinks is the original version.

THE reference room at Helensburgh Library has a large collection of books by writers with a local connection, and sixteen of them are by J.J.Bell.

He certainly is not the best known of the local authors, but he was prolific.

A PAINTING by the famous ‘Glasgow Girl’ artist Bessie MacNicol — who had many links with Helensburgh —  changed hands in April 2011.

But purchaser Jim Smith, who enlisted the help of Helensburgh Heritage Trust in his quest to buy the painting entitled ‘Lady with a Fan’, had some difficulty in completing the acquisition.

A KILCREGGAN man made his living from breaking up ships — but he also had a special talent for preserving nautical subjects by painting them. 

'Clyde Regatta' is one of Arthur Henry Turner's paintings, and it is owned by the Anderson Trust Local Collection and is often exhibited in Helensburgh Library.