Helensburgh's history begins on the 11 January 1776 when Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, on the shore of Loch Lomond, advertised land to be divided into building plots on the south-facing slope overlooking the Clyde. The town, called after Lady Helen Colquhoun, received a royal charter in 1802 and developed rapidly on a planned grid pattern during the nineteenth century. Henry Bell's Comet, the first seagoing steam ship in the world, started a commuter service to Glasgow in 1812, making the town, with its fine views over the sea, an attractive place to live. By Edwardian times, a large number of fine houses, some designed by important architects, had been built up the hill, culminating in The Hill House, Charles Rennie Mackintosh's masterpiece. Between the wars and in the '50s and '60s, Helensburgh was a very popular resort for day trips 'doon the watter' from Glasgow, and though this has now declined, the proximity to the Loch Lomond National Park and sailing on the Clyde means it is still a major holiday destination. The town is close to the adjacent naval base at Faslane and combines maritime traditions with fine streets filled with clouds of cherry blossom in spring.

About the Author
Christopher Sanders was brought up in Aberystwyth and attended boarding school in Reading. Following degrees in Physics and Meteorology from Bristol and Imperial College, he moved to Scotland in 1973, to work for the Building Research Establishment, a government research organisation, on heating , ventilation, moisture problems etc. He then moved to Glasgow Caledonian University in 2003 to head a research and consultancy group in the same field. He is author of a large number of scientific papers, British and European Standards and guidance documents for industry. Christopher moved to Helensburgh in 2006 and since then has become much involved in the local community, including the Photographic Club, the Heritage Trust and the Friends of Hermitage Park, which is working to obtain funding to restore this Edwardian Park. Since retiring in 2013, he has been able to enjoy his main interests of photography, local history and hill walking.


Book Information
ISBN 9781445654249
Author Christopher Sanders
Format Paperback
Page Count 96
Imprint Amberley Publishing
Publisher Amberley Publishing
Weight(grams) 298g