PICTURES: Canadian descendant of RG Brook flies in to give fascinating talk during Heritage Weekend

Bob Brook, the great-great-grandson of Robert Goldthorp Brook, who had the ironmongers' building created in the early 1870s, spoke to a packed-out audience at the Rendezvous Bar for more than an hour on Saturday, with mayor and mayoress Cllrs Steve and Lynn Glover among the audience.

Bob, 56, lives in Lakefield, Ontario in Canada and shared the fascinating tales uncovered by his research.

Having known nothing of his ancestor or St Helens 10 years ago, Bob revealed details about his great-great-grandfather who was an active member of the St Helens community.

His company RG Brook & Co. Ironmongers had a presence in the town for several decades. Also, a self-taught photographer, RG Brook established the St Helens Camera Club which exists to this day, along with the Arts club and was a member of several photography and science-based organisations in St Helens and throughout the country.

Bob outlined Robert's love of photography and how that passion has been passed down through the generations of the Brook family.

He referred to RG Brook's trip to North America, when when after going to Quebec in 1884 for the British Association for the Advancement of Science's annual general meeting, he took a two-month journey across Canada and the USA detailing them in great detail in his personal journals.

During the journey, he met the Indian Chief Sitting Bull in the United States, and met the Indian Chief Crowfoot, the son of the Sitting Bull, in Canada, taking a rare photograph of the family.

The original photos he took of the Indian Chief Crowfoot are held with the Glenbow Museum in Alberta Canada, and also the UK National Archives in London.

RG Brook’s role as a juror in the famous Florence Maybrick trial, which took place in 1889 at St George's Hall, Liverpool was outlined.

Bob, who had visited the town twice before in 2010 and 2011 during his research, donated some historic items, including two of RG Brook's journals, a rare farthing coin from the ironmongers and some carving equipment.

Poetry from Lynn Gerrard was read and a retro garden party at the Friends Meeting House took place afterwards.

"The more I learned the more honoured I am to have his name and to have an interest in photography and that my family continued with it," said Bob, who also paid a visit to the town hall during his visit.

"I am thrilled with the turnout and I always feel at home in St Helens."