Ayrshire: Historian believes LARGS should have a new name!

Richard Topping is calling on the town to do more to remember the legacy of soldier, astronomer and governor of New South Wales - Sir Thomas Brisbane.
Upon the recommendation of the Duke of Wellington, with whom he had served, Sir Thomas was appointed governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825.
Richard, who is on the committee of the Largs and District Historical Society, said: “The list of military, scientific, and local government achievements of Major General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane is absolutely mind boggling, and he was probably the greatest benefactor Largs has ever known.
“He is buried in the family mausoleum in the Old Largs Graveyard next to the Museum.
“Sadly, his generosity was never matched with gratitude – we demolished Brisbane House, gifted its door to the people of Brisbane, Australia, and we’ve have allowed the Three Sisters alignment pillars on Astronomer’s Hill to be swallowed by large trees.
“From an historical perspective, it’s absolutely tragic that no significant artefacts related to Thomas Brisbane remain in Largs – just minor ones, like these door knobs (pictured).
Brisbane was born at Brisbane House in Largs in 1773, and also died in the same house in 1860, aged 86, after a highly eventful life, and left a massive legacy locally which included a school for disadvantaged children called Brisbane Academy.
He also saved locals from cholera and typhoid by introducing a new sewage system to local streets, and donated huge swathes of land to the community including Broomfields on Largs seafront.
However, Richard is now worried his legacy will disappear unless more is done to remember his amazing achievements - and much more is needed to promote his legacy. He said: “It as if his name is being erased from history - even Brisbane Place has now become Broomfield Place but the whole area was donated by Sir Thomas Brisbane. We no longer have Brisbane Primary now either as it has become Largs Primary.

Sir Thomas Brisbane (Image: Newsquest)
“He used to own 55% of Largs and it was all handed back to the town - there is an old map which exists which shows you all the areas that Sir Thomas owned going back to the mid 1800s and it is pretty astounding. Sir Thomas Brisbane literally owned over half the town - and now the only thing that exists in his memory is his tomb at the old Largs cemetery - that is a crying shame.”
“In Australia, they named the city after Brisbane - and Largs should have done the same. Quite honestly we should have been called Brisbane too.”
“He did a power of work for the town and was one of its greatest ever benefactors.
“Education is a big thing and it is really important that school children are aware of his legacy to Largs going forward.”
The loss of the Brisbane Queen festival which ran every summer from 1936 till 2007 was one of the biggest events in the area which promoted the legacy of Sir Thomas Brisbane, while Largs Academy in recent years has had a pupil serving as a Brisbane Ambassador.
Sir Thomas’s name still exists thanks to the Thomas Makdougall Brisbane Bridge, Brisbane House Hotel, and Brisbane Glen in Largs, while there is a crater which has been named after him on the moon after he helped catalogue 7,385 stars in the night sky.
His family home, which was demolished in 1942 by No. 3 Commando Unit as an exercise while they were training in Largs, only has remnants of the door entrance, and the wine cellar (see picture by Raibeart MacAoidh of Largs News Camera Club).
His legacy is still strong in Australia where there is a Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium named after him in the city.
And King Charles III has indicated in the past that he would be willing to support in principal the local effort to save the historic Brisbane Observatory relic in the back hills of Largs after being approached by a descendant of the Brisbane family, Major General Sir Seymour Monro.
You can find out more about Sir Thomas’s legacy by visiting the Largs Museum on Saturdays from 11am till 3pm.