All of our Heroes

Born in 1970, and brought up in Helensburgh, Phil has always had a taste for adventure. He won a scholarship to Glenalmond College, Perthshire and was a talented gymnast and musician. His parents contemplated sending him to ballet school. Instead he discovered rock climbing and was quickly mastering some of Scotland’s hardest extreme rock climbs, before finding another physical career as a Royal Marine Commando.

Wystan Hugh Auden, known more commonly as W. H. Auden, was born on the 21st February 1907, in York. Auden was the third of three children, all sons.

Auden's first school was St. Edmund's School, Hindhead, Surrey, where he met Christopher Isherwood. At 13 he went to Gresham's School in Norfolk. Until 1922 Auden expected to pursue a career as a mining engineer, and the abandoned lead mines of northern England were a "sacred landscape" for him. Then a school friend Robert Medley who was two years ahead of him, first suggested that he might write poetry.

He was born on the 13th August, 1888 born at The Lodge, 121 West Argyle Street, Helensburgh. At the age of 11 he attended Larchfield (now part of Lomond School).

Baird demonstrated a keen interest in science and technology from an early age. Whilst at school he designed a remote control for a camera, installed electricity in The Lodge and also built a glider. He also created a telephone network with his friends. One of whom, Jack Buchanan , become a star of stage and screen and a financial backer of Baird’s pioneering television development.

Michael was born in Debden, Essex on the 5th November 1935

He was educated at Bryntirion School, Worksop College, Bede, Gosforth and Harvey Grammar Schools.

After graduation (BA, Durham) and military service, Michael spent six years in the steel industry selling flat-rolled products, followed by four years in Further Education as a Lecturer in Marketing.

Henry Bell was born at Torphichen, Linlithgowshire on 7th April 1767 and was the fifth son of Patrick Bell and Margaret Easton, members of a well known family of millwrights, builders and engineers.