Book reveals David Bowie was a fan of Greenock artist William Scott

Cardwell McClure has released William Scott: A Family History - a book which he describes as a 'decade-long labour of love'.

William Scott is recognised as one of the UK's foremost painters and his work is found in public collections all over the world, including in the Tate in London, the Guggenheim, and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. 

In 1993, Bowie bought a 1938 figurative Scott painting 'Girl Seated at Table' for £45,000, and the work sold for £337,000 at Sotheby's in 2016 after the rock star's death. 

Bowie also purchased a 1956 Scott painting, 'Still Life No 2', which sold at Sotheby's for more than £300,000.

Scott's work 'Bowl, Egg and Lemons' sold for more than £1 million at Christie's in 2008. 

Cardwell's book features a separate chapter on William and each of his 10 siblings and the writer has also put together an accompanying family tree booklet. 

Cardwell, 79, battled through ill health to get the book finished and says he's thrilled to see it on the shelves. 

The writer said: "The more time I spent researching the family, the more interesting it became. 

"I think there's a lot to be proud of in the new book. 

"I believe I have been able to find out everything about the family that's possible."

Cardwell's grandmother, Agnes Scott, was William Scott's mother, and his mother Mary, was William's sister. 

Scott was born in Tobago Street in Greenock in 1913 and lived in Drumfrochar Road for a time before his father, Fermanagh-born William John Scott, moved the family back to Enniskillen in 1924. 

Cardwell says some of his best still life paintings evolved from the first few years of his life. 

READ MORE: Port Glasgow woman says gastric sleeve surgery 'changed her life'

In September 1924, William enrolled in Enniskillen Model School with his sister Greta and brother Charlie, and worked with his father painting shop signs. 

Tragedy struck the family in November 1927 when William's father fell from a ladder while helping to put out a fire at a shop. 

William helped alleviate the financial pressures felt by the family by getting a job drawing and painting scenes of Enniskillen and selling them to friends and neighbours. 

The young artist gained a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools in London in 1931 where he initially enrolled in a sculpture course but later switched to painting. 

One of his friends at the Royal Academy was the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas with whom he shared a flat.

In May 1937, William married Hilda Mary Lucas in London and soon afterwards, the couple set up an art school in Pont Aven in France. 

Scott passed away at his home in Bath in 1989 at the age of 76 after living with Alzheimer's for several years.

He is thought to have created more than 1,000 oil paintings in his lifetime. 

William's two sons Robert and James set up a foundation in their dad's memory in 2007, with the aim of preserving an archive of William's work and supporting the Alzheimer's Society.

Sign up to a Greenock Telegraph Newsletter HERE

Cardwell has dedicated it to his wife Myrna, William himself, and his mother Mary. 

He started researching the book 10 years ago and was encouraged to complete the project by editor Paul Teggart, who sadly passed away in January 2023.

Cardwell, who met his uncle William twice, said he hopes future generations will refer to the book as a historial document. 

He added: "It's been a very emotional process for everyone involved. 

"I hope the book will be of great value to art world, to the people of Enniskillen, and to the people of Greenock."

The book, William Scott: A Family History, is available from Amazon. 

To find out more about the book and about the Scott family tree, email cardwell.mcclure@btopenworld.com