A NEW chapter on the life and times of Greenock author John Galt has begun.

Inverclyde Historical Society kicked off the year-long initiative to promote Galt and his work with a special talk.

(Image: George Munro)

Isabel Lind, president of both Inverclyde Historical Society and Greenock Burns Club, was guest speaker.

Mrs Lind said: "I have been asked down in recent times to speak at Irvine Burns Club to commemorate his birth. They have always been more pro-active than Greenock, but we are hoping to change that.

"I am going to lay a wreath the corner of Westburn Street and West Blackhall Street, where there is a commemorative plaque, on April 11.

"People didn't realise the genius of his work because of his use of Scots. Burns used it in his poetry, and John Galt used it in his prose."

The 19th century novelist and entrepreneur was born in Irvine in 1779 and was schooled in the Ayrshire town.

He moved to Greenock in 1789 and worked briefly at Custom House Quay and then as a clerk before moving to London with his father in 1804.

He then had spells in Glasgow and Edinburgh and travelled to Canada.

As well as his writing, he was also successful in business and founded the city of Guelph and the town of Galt in Ontario.

He returned to Greenock due to ill health and lived with his wife and sister in Westburn Street, where he died in 1839.

He is buried in Old Greenock Cemetery, where another plaque, at the entrance, bears his name.

George Buchan, pictured, a member of the society and of Greenock Burns Club, said: "The aim of the initiative is to promote his work and to make him better known locally.

"There will be a few activities running over the next few months."

Mrs Lind said that the writer had an interesting life and should be better known in Greenock.

She said: "He founded two towns in Canada and was a friend of Lord Byron. He had a fascinating life.

"I've been studying him for a few weeks, and I noted that in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, where there are flagstones to mark famous Scottish writers, his stone said 'John Galt, Birr and Smeddum'.

"'Birr' means energy and enthusiasm, and 'smeddum' means courage, so I have entitled my talk Birr and Smeddum.

"I hope to deliver my talk and our project to promote John Galt with enthusiasm and courage."