Ross Cameron in Forfar wrote on January 9 2009:
I came upon your Heritage Website while 'googling' for information about a Garelochhead hotel. My great-uncle Angus Cameron was the proprietor of the hotel in the latter part of the 19th century, and ended his days in Garelochhead.
A distant cousin claims that Angus moved at one time to the 'Pierhead Hotel' in the village. I wonder if any of your local historians would know if they were in fact separate establishments, or were they different names for the same place.
Your website is truly fascinating, and I seem to have spent nearly two hours browsing without yet seeing it all. Thank you for providing such pleasure.
The Heritage Trust website editor replied:
What I remember as the Garelochhead Hotel (burnt down some years ago) was opposite Garelochhead Pier, and this is presumably the one your cousin refers to. There was also, if I remember rightly, the Anchor Inn, which was a pub, and on the other side of the Gareloch was the Dalandhui Hotel.
However, you neglected to mention the name of the hotel you think Angus Cameron was the proprietor of. Please let me know, and I will see if I can find out more.
Ross Cameron replied:
According to the 1861 census, Angus Cameron, aged 30, is a pier-keeper, residing with his first wife, Mary Leckie, at Southend Cottage, Garelochhead. In 1871, he is a Hotelkeeper, at Garelochhead Hotel (20 rooms with windows).
In 1881, he is a Hotelkeeper, living in Inkerman Place, Dumbarton. In 1891, Angus is still a Hotelkeeper, residing in Pierhead Hotel, Shore Road, Garelochhead (18 rooms with windows). In 1899, Angus's wife dies in the Garelochhead Hotel.
In 1901, Angus is living at Woodbank, with his new wife Isabella Margaret McCallum (23 years his junior!). In 1914, Angus dies, still at Woodbank. In 1925, his second wife dies, address still Woodbank,.
I am inclined to think that the apparent disparity in the number of rooms with windows is not significant, and looking at a photograph on the site, the Anchor Inn appears much smaller.
I have a friend, a retired colleague, living in Helensburgh at Camis Eskan, and whom I intend to visit this summer, so I hope to spend some time looking round the Garelochhead area, although I suppose it will bear little resemblance to Angus's time!
I was also intrigued by the story on the website about Camis Eskan’s past.
