John Muir's Birthplace

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News Release: Launch of John Muir Birthplace Trust

Summary of Birthplace Appeal Progress - 30th November 1998

News Release: John Muir House Bought by Trust

1. Background

John Muir was born at 128 High Street Dunbar on 21 April 1838. He emigrated with his family to Wisconsin in 1849, firstly working on the family farm and then attending university. At the age of 26 he begun a series of journeys that were to take him to most of the the USA and into Canada and in 1868 he arrived in California which was to remain his base until his death in 1914.

A botanist, biologist, geologist and inventor, it is as a writer than Muir first drew the public attention that allowed him to promote his ideas on conservation and preservation which guided the development of worldwide environmental concern. His effect on, among others, Presidents Taft and Teddy Roosevelt, led to the creation of the US national park and wildlife reserve movement and he was the founding president of the Sierra Club, now with over 600,000 members a huge influence on conservation policy in the US.

Muir's childhood in Scotland shaped his outlook - his autobiography opens When I was a boy in Scotland I was fond of everything that was wild . . . - and he never ceased to be Scottish, albeit in voluntary exile. He spoke, wrote, and thought, as a Scotsman. Unfortunately John Muir is still little known today in the country of his birth.

2. The Trust

Muir's birthplace at 128 High Street, Dunbar, is an early nineteenth century, three storey building under single ownership, with a small John Muir museum on the top floor. The owner, who runs a photographic studio on the ground floor, wishes to sell and the tenant of the middle flat is interested in purchasing that part. There are the dangers that the building will pass into split ownership and the top floor museum will be lost.

Accordingly, a number of meetings of concerned parties - the national John Muir Trust (JMT), Dunbar's John Muir Association (DJMA), East Lothian Council and Dunbar Community Council - led to the setting up of the John Muir Birthplace Trust in June 1998. Its prime aim is to secure the purchase of the building and, to that end, it took out an option to buy the property at an agreed price of 90,000. An appeal was launched and charitable status applied for. Because of the delay in obtaining recognition as a charity, initial fundraising was hampered and limited6 to members of JMT, DJMA and local businesses, organisations and individuals.

The secondary aim is to establish and maintain an educational and interpretation centre based on Muir's life and contribution to the modern conservation movement. The Trustees have commissioned a feasibility study and development plan for which funding of nearly 10,000 was separately raised.

The Trust gained recognition as a charity at the beginning of October 1998, backdated to September 3 (Scottish Charity No. SC 028244), and appeal letters were sent to charitable trusts and national companies thought to be sympathetic to the Trusts educational and environmental objectives.

3. The Appeal

To date, 39,730 has been raised towards the purchase of the property. Because of contributions in kind and finance from the partners - legal fees, printing of leaflets, secretarial help, and so on - expenses have been kept to a minimum and to date come to only 962.55, mainly for stationery and postage, although 305.50 was invested in a website (http://www.muir-birthplace.org).

The delay in obtaining recognition as a charity severely affected fundraising. The option to buy expired at the end of October and the Trustees agreed to proceed with the purchase. Interest free loans have been arranged to cover the current shortfall and the aim is to raise the full purchase price by the end of January 1999.

The Appeal has been extended to the USA mainly through the Sierra Club and a fortuitous visit to California by a Trustee on other business in September. To date the response to this has been small.

4. Purchase of John Muir's Birthplace

As stated above, the Trustees have taken the decision to purchase 128 High Street - at the Trustees' meeting held in Dunbar on 27 October 1998. 90,000 must be available by the end of January 1999. The current shortfall, to be met by loans, is 51,233.

5. Development of the Building

The commissioned study for the development of the building is now available. The consultants, The Environment and Development Company in association with MKW Design Partnership and ASH Consulting Group, have produced an exciting and imaginative plan for the development of the building, using modern materials, technology and approaches. (See Appendix)

The capital cost is estimated at 296,410 (excluding VAT) and revenue costs are projected to fall from a first year's deficit of 30,000 to one in the fifth year which will be close to the present East Lothian Council outlay on the top floor museum of just over 5,000.

Although it is envisaged that the Trustees will take over ownership of the building at the end of 1998, development will depend on a number of factors, not least the availability of funding. Ideally the Trustees would like to see a start made in 1999, the 150th anniversary of John Muir and his family emigrating to the USA, and completion in the year 2000.

Will Collin, for the Trustees 30 November 1998