Robert L Malone worked as a clerk in the long-room in Greenock Custom House. He was also a poet. Before settling in Greenock, Malone had been a naval officer and many of his poems reflect his experiences in that sphere.
Robert Lamont Malone was born in Anstruther, Fife in 1811. His parents were William Malone and Elizabeth Lamont. The family had lived for a while in Rothesay before moving to Anstruther. His father was a naval officer and later a customs official.
He moved to Greenock with his sisters Mary Ann and Amelia and became a clerk with HM Customs working in the Long Room at Greenock Custom House.
In 1845 he issued a volume of poetry entitled The Sailor's Dream and Other Poems which achieved some success. Some of his poems were published in the Greenock Advertiser.
Several of his songs were published in Whistle Binkie, an anthology of Scottish poem and song published from 1832 until 1890, David Robertson of Glasgow was its first publisher. Many of his poems reflect his love of Scotland like this verse from The Thistle of Scotland -
Far lovelier flowers glow, the woodlands adorning,
And breathing perfume over woodland and lea;
But there breathes not a bud on the freshness of morning,
Like the thistle - the thistle of Scotland for me.
Robert L Malone died at 3 Hamilton Street, Greenock on 6 July 1850. After his death Greenockian Colin RaeBrown wrote a poem In Memory of Robert L Malone which was published in the The Glasgow Courier on 6 August 1850.
