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Both memorials commemorate people called William Babtie; their relation is not made clear by the inscriptions alone, but they were father (left memorial) and son (right memorial). The inscription on the obelisk on the left is as follows:

"William Babtie, in memory of Margaret Taylor his wife, who died 2nd October 1858, in the fifty-eighth year of her age. William Babtie died 2nd December 1865, aged 76 years. Alexander Babtie, their second son, died 8 May 1868 aged 38 years. James Turner Babtie, their fourth son, died 11 May 1869, aged 32 years."

This William Babtie (senior) was born in 1789, and was the son of the calico printer Alexander Babtie. William became Dean of Guild, and he was one of the partners in the Dumbarton Steamboat Company. William and his wife had four sons and five daughters. One son, John, would become Provost of the Burgh. Another, William, is described next.

The inscription on the right is as follows:

"In memory of Eliza Cadenhead, wife of William Babtie, writer, Dumbarton, who died 12 November 1857, aged 35 years. Of William Alexander Babtie, their only son, who died 5 February 1876, aged 25 years. And of the above William Babtie, who died 21 March 1905, aged 83 years."

As is usual with inscriptions of this era, "writer" has the sense of solicitor. The William Babtie who died in 1905 was the son of the William Babtie named on the other memorial. He became Dean of the Faculty of Writers, and Procurator-Fiscal for the County. The memorial was designed by town architect John McLeod (NS4076 : Memorial to John McLeod, Town Architect), and is about 11½ feet high, with a carved monogram at the top: NS4076 : Babtie Memorial: detail.