Vale of Leven (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles The Vale of Leven (Magh Leamhna in Gaelic) is an area of Scotland in West Dunbartonshire in the valley of the River Leven, which flows from Loch Lomond to the River Clyde. The area is situated just a few miles north of the town of Dumbarton, and consists of a number of communities which were historically separate villages but expanded into one conurbation. The largest of these communities is the town of Alexandria, which sits on the west bank of the Leven. Alexandria is connected to Renton in the South and to Balloch in the North. Across the river from Alexandria is Bonhill which is connected to Jamestown to the North. The area is traditionally industrial, based particularly on the dyeing industry, but with the decline of manufacturing in Scotland has had to look to new areas for employment. The area had exceptionally high levels of unemployment in the 1920s and 1930s, which gave it a radical reputation, with Communism and Socialism being popular political philosophies in particular.