John Joy Bell

Born at 4 Bothwell Terrace in Hillhead, Glasgow he was the eldest son of James Taylor Bell, a tobacco manufacturer.

After becoming a journalist, Bell worked for the Glasgow Evening Times, and as sub-editor of the Scots Pictorial.

He created the character of 'Wee Macgreegor' for his Evening Times articles, and the stories were so popular that they were published in book form, and later made into a film.

Bell has often been criticised for being overly sentimental, but it is also said that his vernacular was accurately representative, which is partly what made them popular.

[citation needed] During recent years though, Bell's books are increasingly neglected.