Alexander Wylie was born in 1839 the son of a well respected colour mixer.  Alexander joined the firm of William Stirling and Sons as a salesman in 1874 and four years later became chairman of the company that owned both Cordale and Dalquhurn Works.  He lived at Cordale House from then until his death in 1921.  He was married for only three years but his wife was long remembered for her acts of benevolence towards the working people in the village.  Alexander carried on this plilanthropic, benevolent work for the rest of his life.  He was elected as a Liberal Unionist MP in 1895 until 1906, for a time he was President of Renton Football Club and Unofficial "Provost" of Renton.  His is the only burial plot in Renton Trinity Churchyard, from where he wanted to look across to Cordale House.  The house was demolished in 1934, Wylie Place was completed in 1997 by the Association.

Duncan McLaren was born in Renton in 1800, youngest of ten children.  His father worked in Cordale Printworks.  After passing through the hands of relatives, he ended up working in an Edinburgh drapers shop in 1818.  Six years later he opened his own shop.  He was elected onto Edinburgh Town Council in 1834.  Soon he was elected City Treasurer and found that the city's finances were in ruin and that the Scottish Capital was bankrupt.  His work extricated Edinburgh from financial ruin.  In 1835 he pioneered free education for all classes and started a building programme of thirteen schools.  In 1851 he was elected Lord Provost.  In 1865 he was elected on of Edinburgh's two MP's - a position he held until he retired 16 years later.  In Parliament he proved a consciencious and intelligent representative, and acquired a position of so much authority on Scottish questions that he was called "Member of Scotland".

Alex Jackson was born in Hall Street in 1905 and played for Renton Victoria Football Club.  His skill as a winger soon saw him transfered to Dumbarton Football Club in 1922 for the pre-inflation price of a football.  Alex went out to play in America before coming back to Britain to play for Aberdeen, Huddersfield, (he was transferred from Huddersfield to Chelsea in 1930 for £8,500), and finally for Nice F.C. in France.   The high point of his footballing career for many people was undoubtedly in 1928 when as part of the "Wembley Wizards" team, Alex scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 defeat of England.  He went on to be capped 17 times for Scotland.  The Association's development at Jackson Place was named after Alex in 1995.

Born Richard Gallacher in Renton in 1925, as a boy he was trained as a boxer by his father, who identified him as a natural southpaw (boxing with his right hand and foot forward).  Richard was nicknamed Skeets after a film character of the day and had his first fight in 1942 weighing only 7 stones.  Skeets went on to win 34 comsecutive amateur contests and in doing so became Scottish and British Champion.  Defeats of French and American rivals later saw him crowned unofficial flyweight champion of the world.  His professional career was cust short by injury, but he remains a well respected figure still invovled in keep fit classes and local boxing clubs.  The Association named Gallacher Way after him in 1995.

William Stirling was born in Glasgow in 1717, son of John Stirling, a Virginia merchant and Provost of Glasgow.  Reputedly William Stirling ranked with the four young Virginians who were among the founders of the mercantile greatness of Glasgow.  His uncle was partner in the first commercial bleachfields in Scotland and Dalquhurn, and founder of Stirling's Library in Glasgow.  In 1750 William Stirling formed William Stirling and Company and began printing handkerchiefs, garments and furniture.  In 1770 William Stirling and Sons built the printfield at Cordale, attracted by the fast clean flowing water of the Leven, two years later they purchased Dalquhurn Works.  For the next 106 years a member of the Stirling family controlled the business and lived in Cordale House.  William Stirling and the industry he brought to a rural hamlet was responsible for much of what is Renton today.  He has long been remembered by Stirling Street, leading as it did to his factory at Cordale.

Katherine Drain was born at 13 Burns Street, Renton in 1868, the daughter of a block printer.  In a age when many in the village were illiterate, Katherine Drain dervied a precarious existence by writing poetry for a living.  In 1902 she published a volume of her work entitled "Loch Lomong Rhymes" which were well received both locall and by the monarchy from whom she received a royal seal of approval.  Her works include "In the Bonnie Wee Toon O' Renton", "A Mother's Lament" and "The Fireside Emigrants".  Katherine died in 1904 aged only thirty six.  The Association named Katherine Place after her in 1998.

James Harrison was born in Renton in 1815 and emigrated to Australia in 1837.  After several newspaper jobs, he became the first editor and owner of the "Geelong Advertiser" in Victoria.  In 1852 he set about installing what is generally accepted as the world's first refrigerated compressor.  He invented the world's first man made ice making plant in 1857.  In 1863 he pioneered a method of freezing meat so it could be transported from Australia to the rest of the world.  The Autralian Institute of Refridgeration named their headquarters after him, to go with a bridge and streetnames.  There are also plans for a museum to his achievements.  Harrison Place was named after James in 1999.

James Allison Glen was born in Renton in 1877, the son of David Glen and wife Mary who had a boot and shoe shop in the village.  James attended school in Renton and Alexandria before studying at Glasgow University.  In 1911 he left for Canada where he practised law in Russell, Manitoba.  In 1926 he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the MP for Marquette, Manitoba.  In 1940 he was elected speaker of the House of Commons and went on to be Minister of Mines and Resources as well as becoming a member of the Privy Council.  He was appointed a member of the International Joint Commission in 1948.  Glen View completed in 1999 is named after him.

Tobias Smollett was born in Dalquhurn House in what is now Renton in 1721.  After an education at Dumbarton Grammar School and Glasgow University, he joined the Navy, serving as a surgeon's mate.  The experiences of his early life provided graphic backing for his first novel "Roderick Random" (1748).  Living by his pen, Smollett was prolific and variously successful as an editor, translator, dramatist, political satirist, historian and poet.  At one time his reputation was the highest of the four or five great authors, who can be said to have founded the English novel.  Scott and Thackery both rated him highly, and Sheridan, Dickens and Joyce are all said to have been influenced by him.  Dr Johnson admired and it is considered that Smollett deserves notice as one of the first half dozen Scottish literacy geniuses.  The Smollett Monument in Main Street was erected by his cousin, three years after the author's death in 1771.

When Renton won the World Cup the footballing world was in its infancy in 1888, almost exclusively played by Scottish and English clubs.  It was a World Club Championship by default - nevertheless Renton's claim is undisputed.  They won the Scottish Cup with a 6 - 1 thrashing of Cambuslang.  Then they humbled English Cup holders West Bromich Albion, who had prepared in Scotland for two weeks.  The score was 4 - 1 in front of a record 10,000 fans at Hampden Park.  Renton endorsed their title with an away win against "The Invincibles" of Preston North End.  A "Champion of the World" sign was proudly displayed on the pavilion at Tontine Park.  They were ahead of their time in training for stamina and strength.  Their weapon was Renton's own famous "chicken bree", the ingredients never disclosed but it was probably port wine switched with a couple of eggs administered daily.