Events

HIGHLIGHTS from the story of the world-famous McGruer of Clynder boatbuilding business fascinated members of Helensburgh Heritage Trust at their October 2015 meeting in Helensburgh Tennis Club.

The guest speaker was the firm’s principal surveyor, Fraser Noble, whose lavishly illustrated talk was entitled ‘My family has been building boats since the 11th Century’.

DECEMBER 15 2015 is D-Day for the ambitious £2.5 million plan to refurbish and improve Helensburgh’s Hermitage Park.

That is when the Heritage Lottery Fund will announce its decision on the stage two application by the Friends of Hermitage Park in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council for a grant of that amount.

A History of Garelochhead event took place at the Gibson Hall, Garelochhead, on June 7 2015 from 1-4pm and was hosted by local historian and Helensburgh Heritage Trust director Alistair McIntyre.

Based on a talk he gave to Garelochhead SWRI, in the main it took the form of a series of displays with maps, photographs, documents and explanatory text.

MEMBERS of Helensburgh Heritage Trust enjoyed a fascinating talk on the mansions of Cowal at the final open meeting of the 2014-15 winter season in Helensburgh Tennis Club on March 25 2015.

THE inter-linked stories of St Peter’s Seminary and Kilmahew House in Cardross fascinated a large attendance of members at the Helensburgh Heritage Trust January 2015 Open Meeting.

SOME 44 years of painstaking restoration work to an old dwelling and garden in Rosneath was described to members of Helensburgh Heritage Trust at their November 2014 meeting in Helensburgh Tennis Club.

THE STORY of the local regiment, the 9th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, in the First World War, was told to members of Helensburgh Heritage Trust in October 2014.

HELENSBURGH’s postal history was examined at Helensburgh Heritage Trust’s final open meeting of the winter season on Wednesday March 26 2014.

THE fascinating story of a Cardross man who went to live in America, became a friend of Thomas Jefferson, then became a bankrupt in a debtors prison was told to Helensburgh Heritage Trust on Wednesday evening, February 26.

James Donald travelled from his Dorset home to describe the colourful life of his forebear Alexander Donald of Geilston, who lived from 1745 until 1808.

A CHANCE meeting in the graveyard of Rhu Church led to a villager researching the Training Ships Cumberland and Empress.

John Birch, who lives in Cumberland Terrace, met ex-Provost Billy Petrie in the graveyard, where some of the staff and pupils of the ships are buried — and their chat inspired him to find out more.

HELENSBURGH was quick to respond to the national campaign to give more people the vote in 1884 — by staging only the second demonstration in Scotland.

This was revealed by Edinburgh University history and classics lecturer Mark Nixon when he spoke to Helensburgh Heritage Trust's final 2013 open meeting last Wednesday evening (November 27).

THE evolution of techniques to reduce the noise made by submarines and surface vessels was described to Helensburgh Heritage Trust members and guests at the second open meeting of the winter season on Wednesday October 30 2013.