Robert McLellan


1907 - 1985

Playwright and poet. McLellan was born and spent his early years at Linmill, his grandparents' fruit farm at Kirkfieldbank in the Clyde Valley. This time inspired the Linmill Stories, told from the perspective of a child. He was the older brother of stained-glass artist Sadie McLellan (1914 - 2007). He later moved to Milngavie (East Dunbartonshire) and completed his education studying philosophy at the University of Glasgow. He remained in Glasgow, writing plays that were performed in the city's Curtain Theatre, until he moved to Arran after his marriage in 1938.

Arran provided the setting for the poems Sweet Largie Bay (1956) and Arran Burn (1965). Influenced by Hugh MacDiarmid (1892 - 1978) and the Scottish Literary Renaissance movement, his work was mostly in the Scots language and often explores what it means to be Scottish. The Flouers o' Edinburgh (1948), involves a debate between Edinburgh gentlemen in the 18th C. regarding their preferences for using Scots or English. His best known play, Jamie the Saxt (1937) explores the life of King James VI (1566 - 1625). McLellan co-authored a guide to The Isle of Arran published in 1985.

He remained at High Corrie in Arran until his death and lies buried at Sannox.


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