Background to Helensburgh & Lomond Games
The first Highland Games to be held in Helensburgh is believed to have been held in 1898 in Larchfield Park, with Sir James Colquhoun of Luss as President. It was considered so successful that it was extended considerably in the following years.
In the 1899 Games, Piper MacPherson of the Royal Scots & Charles McIntosh from Motherwell wrestled for most of the afternoon. Neither could put the other down, and the bout had eventually to be declared a draw.
The football place kicking competition was won by Mr Mathiew Dickie, who had been awarded his first international cap as Scotland’s goalkeeper the previous year.
The highlight of the 1900 Games was the ascent by balloon and descent by parachute of a lady parachutist, Maud Brooks.
The Balloon was released about 4pm, climbed rapidly, and vanished into the clouds. However the intrepid Miss Brooks landed a few minutes later on the West Highland railway line, near Upper Colquhoun Street.
At the 1901 Games the World Wrestling Competition was contested by Tom McInerney of England & George Ross the Scottish champion. To the disappointment of the crowd, the title went south.
At the 1902 Games, A.A. Cameron from Partick broke the world record for putting the 56lb weight, achieving 40ft 10 ins.
In 1903 the programme included tent pegging, lemon cutting, a Balaclava melee & wrestling on horseback by the Royal Field Artillery.
Unfortunately the 1905 Games made a loss, & there were no more Games until 1924, when Provost J.F. Duncan organised a’Gathering & Athletic Carnival’ at Larchfield Park, attended by over 4,000.
Excerpts from the Helensburgh & Gareloch Times – July 1924.
Highland Gathering
Lady Colquhoun will present prizes at the Highland Gathering which is to be held on Larchfield Park on Fair Saturday when there will be a big list of open & confined events.
There will be 9 open athletic events including the mile, half mile, while there will be the usual open & confined solo piping & confined solo piping, open solo drumming & open & confined Highland Dancing – SOBHD Reg. No. W7.
The confined events, limited to the area covered by the Parishes of Row, Rosneath, Luss, Arrochar, & the village of Cardross, will be found in our advertising columns. Special attention is drawn to the invitations school relay race, for teams of four,open to Helensburgh school boys & members of the Boy Scouts & Boys Brigade, etc.
Included in the open events are putting the weight & throwing the hammer, both handicapped to encourage local entries.
Entries for the confined events should be made to Mr B.B. McKinnon, 68 Ardencaple Quadrant, by March 4th inst.
Excerpt from 9th July 1924
In little over a week we shall be having the Helensburgh Highland Games raised from the grave where they have lain after 19 years and everybody will wish the promoters the best of weather for the event.
Modern sports as the years roll by shows an increasing tendency to become more & more involved in a mesh of rules & regulations & it is extremely doubtful if all the nice little points attached to professional sport tend to raise the level or to provide really sporting events.
The idea of the Helensburgh Highland Games committee’s aims would be to make the event something of an Olympic Games, completed in by rival athletes from the Westward area of Dunbartonshire by promoting a keen rivalry between various communities & by commercial elements, we should be helping to replenish that community spirit of which is the backbone of every nation.
Excerpt from 16th July 1924
Further details are now available concerning the Highland Games which are to be held in Upper Ardencaple on Saturday. Members of the committee travelled toLochwinnock on Saturday & were successful in obtaining some 50 entries from amoung competitors at the meeting. These will include M’Leod & M’Lellan the champion walkers & special attraction will be the invitation 2 mile walk. Other champions are expected to compete in the running events, Solo Piping & Dancing.
There are a big number of open entries but unfortunately owing to the number of military bands in Camp, the entries for the Pipe Bands are on the small side.
The entries for the High Jump have been well up to the mark & some remarkable feature is introduced by the entry of a one legged man.
As has been stated, Lady Colquhoun will present prizes on which over 150 sterling have been expended & which are on view in the window of Dunn’s Restaurant, Sinclair Street, and provided the weather is favourable there is every reason to expect a very interesting meeting.
The sports are being run under the wing of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association.
Excerpt from 24th July 1924
Brilliant Sunshine & Big Crowd
On the day there were 4,000 spectators, the sun shone down which was not equalled this summer. On closing Provost Duncan said “The resuscitation of the Helensburgh Highland Games had taken place in hope that they would not in the same small scale as they had been on the day but that they would become one of the leading sports meeting in Scotland.
There followed a full page of the competitors & their placing in the various events.
The Highland Games were not held again until 1949, when 15,000 attended at Camis Eskan Park & the last, we believe until 2008 was the 1952 Games.
