Follow the trail around Helensburgh to find out more about the life of John Logie Baird. You can download a PDF copy of the trail leaflet here.

Please note that some of the locations on the trail are private homes, so please respect the privacy of owners.

1 John Logie Baird’s Birthplace

The Lodge, 121 West Argyle Street, G84 8DD (at the south-west corner with Suffolk Street).

John Logie Baird (JLB) was born in this house, the home of his parents, on 14 August 1888, the youngest child of a family of four. There are two plaques to the left of the front door commemorating him. His father, Rev John Baird, was minister of the West Parish Church, which later became St Bride’s Church; his mother was Jessie Inglis, from a family of successful Glasgow shipbuilders, A & J Inglis (builders of PS Waverley), and The Lodge was bought with financial help from her family. The Lodge was the scene of a number of scientific and engineering experiments carried out by the young JLB.

It was the first house in Helensburgh to have a system of electric lighting, which was powered by a small oil engine. However JLB’s mind was frequently jumping to the next new idea, and so he perhaps did not give the lighting system the attention that it needed. One evening the lights failed as his father was descending the staircase and he had a nasty fall. JLB was ordered to remove the electric lighting and gas lighting was reinstated.

He also created a telephone system connecting to some of his friends in the neighbourhood, including Jack Buchanan. Wires were slung across the street from trees. One stormy night a wire dipped lower than usual and caught the driver of a horse-drawn cab under the chin, yanking him down onto the street. Awkward explanations followed!

The Lodge featured again in the story after JLB’s death. Sadly his widow, Margaret, suffered a major nervous breakdown, spending time in institutions. JLB’s older sister, Annie, was still living in the old family house, and she arranged for Margaret and her young children to come and live there with her.

2 Jack Buchanan’s Birthplace

Garthland, 38 West Argyle Street, G84 8DD (known as Westwood at the time of his birth, situated on the north side of West Argyle Street between Suffolk Street and Woodend Street).
Jack Buchanan was born in this house on 2 April 1890. He attended Larchfield School with John Logie Baird and, despite being very different from one another in many ways, they remained lifelong friends. Jack Buchanan went on to become an international stage, film and recording star, and a giant of the entertainment world on both sides of the Atlantic.

During his lifetime Jack Buchanan was a financial backer of JLB, and after JLB’s death Jack ensured that the new owners of John Logie Baird Ltd continued to pay a pension to his widow, Margaret Baird.

3 Larchfield School (now housing)

37 Colquhoun Street G84 9JG (On the north-west corner of Colquhoun Street and West Montrose Street).
JLB described his schooling as “a disaster”, and said that it had nothing whatsoever to offer a child with a leaning towards science and technology. In 1978 Larchfield School (which was only for boys up to age 13) merged with the nearby St Bride’s School. The new name of Lomond School was adopted, and the old Larchfield building continued in use until 1997, when it was redeveloped as housing.

Note: The walk out to the Cemetery adds approximately 2.3 miles to the route – for a shorter walk, after 3 walk directly down Sinclair Street to rejoin the route at 5.

4 Grave in Helensburgh Cemetery

Entrance on Old Luss Road, just up from its junction with East King Street.

Immediately after entering the Cemetery, take the first road on the right, and continue to follow this road to the top of the Cemetery, where the road turns slightly left. The last grave against the wall on the right where the road makes this slight left turn is for James Spalding. At this point turn hard left and follow another road downhill for around 15 metres. Stop and look to your left, and you will see the Baird family grave in the second row; it stands out because it is of a significantly paler colour than the surrounding gravestones. (Section K, row 5, number 11.)

JLB died in Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex on 14th June 1946, just 2 months before his 58th birthday. When just 2 years old, he had had a major illness, and as a result suffered from serious ill-health for the rest of his life. He is buried beside his parents, his sister Annie, and his wife Margaret.

Television broadcasts had ceased on 1st September 1939, just 2 days before the outbreak of the Second World War and resumed on 7th June 1946, just one week before JLB’s death.

5 Plaque on wall of the Old Municipal Buildings

1 East Princes Street, G84 7QF

In 1952 Helensburgh Town Council decided to commemorate JLB by fixing this plaque to the wall between the front door of the building and the corner with Sinclair Street, along with a smaller plaque on his birthplace. Together these were the first items in Helensburgh to commemorate JLB’s life and achievements.

6 Stookie Bill in The Outdoor Museum

Located on a plinth outside Humble’s Cafe Bistro at 17 Colquhoun Square, G84 8AD.

When JLB was trying to invent television, a major problem that he faced was to get bright enough light to illuminate the subject that he was trying to televise. He had so many lights, and they gave off so much heat, that it was uncomfortable for a person to sit close to them. The solution was to use a puppet’s head. Baird gave the puppet the name of Stookie Bill, and in fact there were a number of Stookie Bills – one even had to be replaced after the intense heat from the lights caused his hair to go on fire!

The Stookie Bill that you can see here is a direct copy of one which is held in the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford in England. For 9 years from 2007 Baird’s grandson, Iain, was Stookie Bill’s curator.

7 Commemorative Window in Helensburgh Parish Church

Colquhoun Street, G84 8UP (north-west corner of Colquhoun Square).

The window is located on the south wall of the Church, underneath the balcony. The church is usually only open for Sunday morning services, but it can also be opened on request to the office which is located in The Bridge, which adjoins the Church a little further up Colquhoun Street – for office opening hours see https://www.helensburghcos.org

In August 1988, to commemorate the centenary of John Logie Baird’s birth, his widow Margaret unveiled this window, which had been designed by Arthur Speirs. The first light of the window depicts St Bride’s Church, which stood where Helensburgh Library is now located. JLB’s father was minister there for 42 years. The young JLB is to be seen in the second light, against a background of a Nipkow disk, which his early cameras used to scan images. The background of the Nipkow disk continues into the third light, which also shows Stookie Bill, and the fourth light illustrates the role of television in broadcasting events to millions of homes.

8 Helensburgh Library

59 West King Street G84 8EB. Please note that the Library is temporarily housing sports facilities whilst repairs to the local Leisure Centre are ongoing, so access may be restricted. It is advisable to check https://liveargyll.co.uk/facility/helensburgh-library/.

Items from the Library will be on display at the Helensburgh & Lomond Civic Centre (10) and at the JLB Exhibition in Spring 2026 at Burgh Yard (11) in the town centre. Please check the JLBTV100.org website for up to date information.

The Library occupies part of the site of the former St Bride’s Church, where John Logie Baird’s father had been the Minister.

The JLB collection normally housed at the Library includes:
o The original televisor and original type “A” receiver.
o A replica DIY televisor kit.
o A collection of commemorative Baird artefacts.
o A stained glass window commemorating Rev John Baird.

9 Bust of John Logie Baird

On the West Esplanade, opposite the foot of William Street (near G84 8BD).

John Logie Baird sat for this bust by Donald Gilbert in 1943, when he was around 55 years old.

The original of the bust was produced in 1959 and is in the National Portrait Gallery in London. This copy was presented to Helensburgh by his friend J Arnold Fleming in 1961, when it was unveiled by Baird’s sister Annie at its original location in Hermitage Park. There is another copy of it in the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, where Baird had studied when it was known as the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College.