This lies beside the main road through the town, which is on the A 814 between Dumbarton and Helensburgh.

Closer view:-

Left-hand name panels:-

Right-hand name panels:-

This is the former La Scala Cinema, Helensburgh, now a pub named after Helensburgh’s most famous son, John Logie Baird, inventor of television. (Well, one form of it.) Stitch of two photos:-

The building was erected in 1913 so it doesn’t qualify as Art Deco proper but there are some features which prefigure the style like these side pillars:-

Also the stepping on the roof-line. The painting scheme emphasises the Deco feel:-

This is just off the A 814 road between Cardross and Helensburgh. Has Deco styling with curved bay protrusion, flat roof, white render.

Side view:-

Shows extensions (??) at side:-

From across the A 814 road. Shows curved bay and arched entrance of brick, painted black:-

Situated in Hermitage Park, Helensburgh’s War Memorial is fenced off behind these gates and tall hedging.

Below is the view from the gates. The setting within looks pleasant enough. Was there a pond at one point?

Names are inscribed on the rectangular cartouche. There must be more on the other sides but I couldn’t get in to the fenced area to see.

These facing ones seem to be World War 1 names, broken down by year.
World War 2 must be elsewhere on the memorial.

Typically Art Deco former Woolworths building in Helensburgh, Scotland. Now a Wilkies:-

The first person to apply steam power to shipping was Henry Bell, in 1812 with his ship, the Comet and I posted about the two hundredth anniversary of the beginnings of steam navigation almost three years ago.

One of the obelisks I referred to in that post is on the front at Helensburgh. I photographed it last month.

I was devastated to hear today of the fire at Charles Rennie Mackintosh‘s masterpiece building, the Glasgow School of Art. (For pictures of the undamaged building see here.)

I have featured another of his buildings, Scotland Street School, here.

I have also visited the House for an Art Lover, built to Mackintosh designs in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park (on part of the site of the Empire Exhibition, Scotland, 1938,) and Hill House in Helensburgh as well as the Mackintosh House at the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Glasgow but all without benefit a modern camera. All are visually stunning.

I must confess to being a teeny bit annoyed when Lorna Gordon, BBC London’s Scotland correspondent, called the Art School an Art Deco building. None of Mackintosh’s buildings are Deco. They are leaning towards it, certainly, but really have more in common with Art Nouveau. At a pinch you could say they act as a bridge between the two styles. While some Mackintosh designs have the blend of horizontal and vertical that is a signifier of Art Deco he also had a strong liking for curves which grew firmly from the Art Nouveau tradition of evoking nature and natural forms.

I assume the plans for the School of Art are still in existence somewhere – and that there is insurance in place. Even if it is costly it is to be hoped that some sort of effort at restoration can be made to the Art School. The result may not be original but so few of Mackintosh’s designs were erected in his lifetime it would be tantamount to a crime to allow to disappear the outstanding example that was.

In the meantime, not just Glasgow, not only Scotland, but the world, is a poorer place to live in tonight.