The People of Irvine

This lithographic artist was born in Irvine's Halfway (now called Montgomery Street), famously also the thoroughfare on which another famous son, poet, journalist and social reformer, James Montgomery, also saw the first light of day. Allan trained at The Glasgow School of Art from 1882 until 1896. He is mainly remembered for his landscape studies, which work is highly regarded, The painting in the poster is called 'Thistledown' and is part of the Glasgow Museums Collection.

This poster promotes one of Irvine's most notable sons, James Montgomery. He became a poet (writing many lyrics for hymns), a journalist and newspaper proprietor and an active social reformer (twice jailed by the Government for promoting his views). He was so loved by the people of his adopted home of Sheffield that he was accorded the honour of a public funeral, a statue was erected of him , a fountain and a window in Sheffield Cathedral dedicated to his memory and several streets and public buildings in that city bear his name. He is best known for writing the words to the hymn, 'Angels from the Realms of Glory' (and beautiful words they are too): www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDWUY3Me1kA You can read more about his remarkable life here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Montgomery_(editor)

This is currently being used as a means by which to promote Clyde Imagineering's 6 year long biographical project.

Drawn by Irvine-born artist, Andrew Allan; this postcard was published by Millar and Lang Limited, Art Publishers of Glasgow.

This is an example of a lithographic process which reproduces the effect of crayon. Allan used this technique many times in the work which he produced for Millar & Lang, Art Publishers, Glasgow.

Drawn by Irvine-born artist, Andrew Allan; this postcard was published by Millar and Lang Limited, Art Publishers of Glasgow.