IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Broomfield Gardens, HELENSBURGH, G84 8HR

The road at the lower right leads from the main road (A814) to the former mansion house of Image (now Argyll and Bute Council Offices).

A814 south

On the near side, the cross bears the words "and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations". These words are from Revelation 22:2, which describes the trees that stand alongside the river of water of life. The inlaid plaque at the bottom, on this side, commemorates those who died in the First World War, and expresses gratitude for the safe return home of others: Image On the far side of the base, another plaque commemorates those who died in the Second World War, see Image In the 1980s, the memorial was relocated here; it originally stood in front of Image

See Image for the whole memorial in context. The present photograph shows the western side of the base, commemorating those who died in the First World War. Inscribed below that are the following words (by Edwin Markham): Give thanks, O Heart, for the high souls that point us to the deathless goals.

See Image for the whole memorial in context. The present photograph shows the eastern side of the base, commemorating those who died in the Second World War.

The core of the home is a late Victorian fishing lodge; extended, it now serves as a residential nursing home ["The Buildings of Scotland: Argyll and Bute", F A Walker & F Sinclair].

Former Planning office for Argyll and Bute Council. Planning has since moved to new offices in Helensburgh. The house was built by JT Rochead in 1850 for Sir James Anderson an MP and Lord Provost of Glasgow. It has since been a children's hospital and the ground used as a Second World War POW camp. Now for sale.

The existing house, which now serves as Argyll and Bute Council Offices, was designed about 1850 by J T Rochead for Sir James Anderson, who was Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1848-1851 ["The Buildings of Scotland: Argyll and Bute" by F A Walker & F Sinclair]. According to W C Maugham's "Annals of Garelochside" (1897), there had previously been an old-fashioned, square, two-storey house here; this was enlarged by James Buchanan of Ardenconnell. That house was cleared away, to be replaced by the present building. The place-name Blairvaddich (a common older spelling) appears in a retour of 1680 by Charles II; it appears as Blairwaddich in a charter of 1545, and with similar spellings in subsequent charters. Before there was any mansion house at Blairvaddich, there was a farmstead on these lands [page 101 of "Annals of Garelochside"].