A unique piece of Helensburgh history – with links to the Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret – is coming home to the town.
In May the Helensburgh Town Council visitors book covering the period from 1947 to 1975 appeared for sale at an auction house in Folkestone in Kent.
Stewart Noble, the treasurer of Helensburgh Heritage Trust, says how the book found its way there is a mystery, but the trust was alerted to it by member Penny Johnston and by Phil Worms, of the former Helensburgh Heroes project.
Mr Noble said: “We managed to persuade the auction house to withdraw it from its sale and, as I was already planning to visit my daughter in Kent in June, I told them that I would like to come and see it and perhaps buy it.
“The board of Helensburgh Heritage Trust agreed in advance to contribute a maximum of £500 towards the purchase, but the suggested starting price at auction was £800.
“Mark Jennings of Chaucer Auctions told me that there was a lot of interest in the visitors book, and he expected that it would realise around £1,500 at auction.
“To my delight however he agreed to sell it to Helensburgh Heritage Trust for £750 – and so it is now back home in Helensburgh!”
An appeal is now being launched to bridge the gap between the purchase price and the amount the trust was prepared to pay.
The trust’s board has not yet decided what to do with the visitors book, but it may go on display in the link corridor in the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre, as a cabinet there already contains a number of items relating to Helensburgh Town Council.
From time to time different pages could be displayed, along with some background of those who have signed the book – it could even be brought back into use again, as there are many blank pages.
The most prominent signatures are those of the Queen and Prince Philip who together visited the town on June 28, 1965.
Five years earlier Princess Margaret had also visited the town, and the visitors book actually contains a photograph of her signing the very book.
It also contains the signatures of European royalty.
Many of those who signed it were naval and there are also two prominent signatures from the church.
Roman Catholic Archbishop James Scanlan came to Helensburgh in 1967. Ten years earlier another visitor was the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Right Reverend George MacLeod (later Lord MacLeod of Fuinary), who was also founder of the Iona Community.
The signatures of a number of John Logie Baird’s family appear in 1961 at the time of the unveiling of the memorial to him in Hermitage Park – it is now on the west esplanade at the foot of William Street.
From the world of politics at an unknown date in the early 1950s there is the signature of Anthony Eden, who gives his address as House of Commons, London.
He had already served as Foreign Secretary and was to become Prime Minister in 1955.
Well known in local affairs was J McLeod Williamson, affectionately known as Cloudy.
Not only is his signature in the book, but it also records the presentation of a bench in Colquhoun Square to commemorate his public service, which had included a period as provost.
The reform of local government in 1975 meant that Helensburgh ceased to have its own Town Council.
The signature of Norman Glen, the last provost of the town, is in the book – as also is that of young Ian Smith, who proudly declares himself to be ‘Grandson of Provost Glen’.
If anyone wishes to help the trust buy the book, they should send a a cheque made payable to Helensburgh Heritage Trust to Stewart Noble, 28 East Abercromby Street, Helensburgh G84 7SQ.
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