Rose Margaret Bennett was born on 16th April 1917 in Cleethorpes. As her mother died when she was very young, she was raised in Cleethorpes and Grimsby by her aunt and uncle, Rose and Fred Lutkin. She enjoyed her time at the local grammar school and with the help of her aunt and uncle pursued many ex curricular activities including horse riding, flying, ice-skating and piano playing. She gained a pilot’s licence that allowed her to play an important role in the UK’s Civil Air Guard’s operations during the war. She also obtained several music certificates in recognition of her piano playing skills.

After leaving school, she worked with her uncle who had an accountancy business on Immingham Docks. He had numerous clients in the surrounding towns including fishing companies. Rose looked forward to sampling the caviar her uncle received in part payment for the book keeping exercises he carried out for a number of Russian clients. Other important patrons were Ross and Harry Ramsden, the founder of Harry Ramsden’s fish and chip franchise. Rose firmly believes that her uncle was instrumental in the successful start up of Harry’s business.     

She married John 'Jock' McLean on the 5^th of July 1941 at Cleethorpes. Jock and Rose went on to have two children Robert 'Bob', born in Warrington on 9th December 1942 and Heather in Rotherham on 3rd April 1945. During World War II, they moved around the country as John played a leading role in the reconstruction and strengthening of airport runways to accommodate the heavier loads that fully laden bombers imposed and the excavation of shafts and tunnels for the London Underground.

In 1946, John who was employed as a Plant Manager / Forman Fitter with Edmund Nuttall, together with Rose and the children was transferred to the Arrochar and Tarbet area to commence his next assignment on the Loch Sloy Hydro Electric Scheme. In the following years, they lived at various places in Arrochar and Tarbet and Rose was very active in the works of the local Conservative and Unionist Party.

During 1948/9 John started his own Engineering business, which found it's final home in 1956 when Rose and John bought the Old Manse at Arrochar then called “Lynwood”. John used the “out” buildings for the Engineering business and Rose used Lynwood as the family home and for Bed & Breakfast
See also Memories Of The Lynwood Workshop    

Rose developed her business slowly but surely gaining regular tourist customers as well as returning fishermen for Loch fishing and RN personnel when the submarines were at “The Range” for trials. Rose then got an alcohol table licence for her B&B and proceeded to turn it into The Lynwood House Hotel gaining a full bar restaurant licence, finally adding a function suite onto the Southern end of the hotel for dances, parties and receptions.

She also established a sizable caravan site adjacent to the hotel that included several large letting facilities. These were sought out and enjoyed by many including fishermen, who returning from their days venture on Loch Long and before retiring for the night often dined in Lynwood’s excellent restaurant. She later sold the site including the caravans to finance the main hotel ballroom extension

Rose and John retired from their respective professions and moved to Barreman at Clynder in 1977, then followed various moves initially to Mallonbowie Estate at Balloch and finally to Helensburgh Glen Drive in the early 1980's – Rose always intended to live in Helensburgh.

John passed over in 1986 and is interred at Arrochar; Rose continued to live at Glen Drive but eventually because a 3-bed house maintenance etc. had become an increasing burden she finally in the early 90s moved to a top floor flat looking out over the Clyde in the Tower Place complex on the old St. Andrews church site on East Clyde Street.

Rose was very happy there, she enjoyed solving puzzles and mind type games and taking part in her grand children’s development. Her health became a problem in 2000, which was further affected by the tragic loss of Grand Son Calum in 2001. Finally, in 2003 she had to be admitted to Hospital and then to the Jeanie Deans Unit at Helensburgh’s Victoria hospital. In May 2004, Rose went to live at the Edinbarnet nursing home at Cochno Road, Hardgate where she continued to reign supreme. She very much enjoyed the lavish party put on by the staff for her 90^th birthday in 2007. Unfortunately, her health continued to deteriorate until it brought about her death on Sunday 20^th January 2008.

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