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Well friends, here we are again. What an achievement to finally have a successful Heritage Lottery grant of £292,000. This will go a long way ro bringing to fruition all the efforts of all those involved since the beginning. Winifred Sillitto and Fred Last in particular who put in a tremendous amount of work and guided us on the right path, which will have to continue until we have the vision in Dunbar commemorating the life and work of John Muir. There is still much preparatory work to be done with architects and developers to be decided and it is hoped that our idea for a John Muir Environmental Educational Centre will be ready for the Birthday Celebrations on 21st April, 2002. Not a lot of time for the task ahead of us.
Fund raising will continue through the Birthplace Trust and all that have the will to achieve our dream.. Much of the credit for the successful application has to be given to East Lothian Council's committment and Liz McLean has been heavily involved in this. Many thanks, Liz.
At the AGM, our convener, Duncan Smeed stood down. I thank Duncan for his efforts during his term of office. Richard Weller also stood down from the council and he too did a lot of work, particularly at the house, smartening it up etc.
Our new convener, Jim Thompson, is an excellent choice. He has been and still is the John Muir Town Trail guide and has put in a lot of his time looking after visitors at whatever time they required him, a very very big committment really, so we have to help Jim in his efforts whenever we can as he is involved in many other groups such as Rotary and Probus, so shoulder to the wheel in supporting him.
Will Collin, our excellent treasurer, and his committment to our cause helped to get permission from the Parish Church to hold part of the 'Infinite Storm of Beauty' exhibition. Many thanks to the church volunteers who helped look after it and to those who looked after that part in the Birthplace. In the words of Winston Churchill - 'So much done by so few'. 6047 visitors came to the Birthplace during the season, which ran from 21st April to 22nd October.
Well friends, your continued support is needed for the future of our project and to put Dunbar on the map through John Muir.
God Bless
Dan Cairney
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Duncan Smeed had intimated prior to the AGM his intention to stand down as Convenor. At the first meeting of the new Council, Jim Thompson was nominated and accepted the position of Convenor of DJMA. Jim, however, pointed out that although he was now retired and theoretically had the time to give justice to the position, he was also membership secretary, newletter editor and town trail guide and he had commitments outside DJMA. The Convenorship was accepted with the proviso that someone else would accept membership secretary.
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The membership year runs from 1st October to 30th September and subscriptions are now due. The cost of the subscriptions are unchanged from last year. However the last budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer had an important change which affects organisations such as DJMA. Subscriptions and donations can now be treated as ' Gift Aid' and we can claim from the Inland Revenue the value of the tax paid on the value of the subscription/ donation paid to us. Gift Aid forms are enclosed with this newsletter. If you are a UK taxpayer please give serious consideration to completing the form. It will benefit DJMA and will not cost you anything.
A number of members confess to forgetting to renew their membership. Why not consider a Standing Order? Then it will be done for you by your bank. The form is also enclosed.
Some members have already renewed for the year 2000/2001 and obviously should ignore the renewal form enclosed. It is easier to include forms with all newsletters rather than try to sift out those already paid. However the comment regarding the Gift Aid form still applies.
During the year I wrote to lapsed members and gratifyingly a number renewed their subscription. However some local former members verbally advised me that it was lapse of memory that was responsible and they would rejoin. I am still waiting. You know who you are. You have received a complimentary copy of the newsletter, the standing order form is enclosed so you cannot again blame your memory.
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The AGM was held on 27.9.00, followed by a meeting of the Coastal Trail group.
Dan Cairney, President, welcomed everyone and spoke about a wonderful past year with many achievements including the John Muir Exhibition opening festivities and the Lottery grant of £292,500 to the John Muir Birthplace Trust. He drew attention to the early efforts of Winifred Sillitto to secure funding four years ago, and to the ongoing work of others.
Duncan Smeed presented the accounts in the absence of Will Collin, Treasurer. Will had just become a new grandfather twice over, courtesy of his daughter and daughter-in-law, and was away welcoming the new additions to his family.
Will was thanked for keeping such clear and detailed accounts. With a healthy balance of approximately £5,500, Will did not propose any increase in subscriptions.New ways of making payment easier by Standing Order and reclaiming tax by Gift Aid are being introduced.
Wallace Dempster was thanked for his contribution to DJMA as auditor, and was reinstated for the next financial year.
Jim Thompson, Membership Secretary, reported a good response in uptake this year, memberships now standing at approximately 206 individuals.
Liz McLean spoke about proposed plans for the John Muir Birthplace. A very busy and exciting time is in store for DJMA and others involved over the next few years.
The Council was elected. Duncan Smeed stepped down as Convener, but remained a Council member. Richard Weller stepped down and both he and his wife Audrey were thanked for their valuable and conscientious work particularly in preparing the Birthplace for the exhibition 'An Infinite Storm of Beauty'. The Council now consists of Dan Cairney, President; Will Collin, Treasurer; Susan Panton, Secretary; Jim Thompson, Membership Secretary; Duncan Smeed, Liz McLean, and Joan Baillie. Alison McGatchy is the representative from The John Muir Trust.
The meeting was opened to the floor and debate followed. This covered the topics of visitor access to the Birthplace while work is in progress, signposting and suggested improvements within John Muir Country Park. A motion was passed "that DJMA is supportive of improvements within the Country Park". These topics have to be discussed at a later date.
Duncan closed the AGM and thanked all for their interest and attending.
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The Trust is delighted that its aims can now be fulfilled having been successful in its application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for funding.
A briefing document has now been prepared to describe the genesis of the project to develop the John Muir Birthplace Interpretation Centre and to invite expressions of interest from suitably qualified consultants to take the project forward to the next stage of development.
There are two main parts to this stage of the project development.
A number of priorities emerged from the feasibility study and the consultation process, which helped shape the study's outcome. These relate to: The building and its context on the High Street: there is a need to increase the presence of the building on the street and make it more attractive and welcoming to visitors and the community. This will involve the installation of lift access to all floors.
For the development stage, the project will engage a suitably qualified lead consultant, who will co-ordinate architectural and other technical expertise, together with specialist consultants who will design the exhibition which conveys the aims and objectives of the core message.
Outline design proposals were prepared as part of the pre-feasibility study and it is envisaged that these will form the conceptual basis for the development. These involve the re-instatement of the central entrance door on the High Street and the development of the ground floor as an introduction to Muir's Dunbar of the 1840's, his origins, travels, achievements and stature as the father of the global conservation movement. The first floor will tell Muir's story in more detail, using archive material, his own recollections and contemporary accounts. The atmosphere here may be more contemplative by contrast with the top floor which will be a busy, interactive area using technology to provide a resource for visitors and students of Muir. A small study room or 'cabin' will be built in the rear courtyard for anyone needing quiet solitude to work on Muir related projects.
The details of the timescale for the implementation of the project are still being decided. However, it is anticipated that consultants will be appointed early in 2001 with completion of all work in time for a formal opening on Muir's birthday, 21 April, 2002.
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Towards the end of 1999 Sue Wilthew, East Lothian Council's millenium co-ordinator got in touch with Dunbar's John Muir Association. She was aware that part of the exhibition ' An Infinite Storm Of Beauty ' held in the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh was to be transferred to Dunbar and scheduled to open on his birthday, 21st April. John Muir had been named as both Dunbar's and East Lothian's Man of the Millenium and Sue felt that a wonderful way to celebrate this would be to have a three day festival starting on 21st April - Good Friday. And so the John Muir Festival 2000 came into being.
As a precursor DJMA held a competition for local children - to think of their favourite wild place and to write a poem, a story or essay, a drawing, painting or collage. The entries received were to a very high standard and some of them were be seen at the Birthplace at 126 High Street, Dunbar.
The exhibition was in two parts. Muir's family and Dunbar origins were displayed in the Birthplace and his life, work and vision were shown in Dunbar Parish Church.
On Friday 21st April, a service of dedication was held in the Parish Church and addresses were given by Pat O'Brien, Provost of East Lothian, John Hume Robertson, MP and MSP for the area, and Nigel Hawkins of JMT and the exhibition formally opened. Afterwards the dignitaries led by three pipers walked along the High Street to the statue of the Young John Muir where local children read quotations from Muir's writings and a wreath was laid. Then to the Birthplace. A twinning ceremony with the Town of Meaford in Canada where Muir spent some time was held. Following this a Giant Sequoia sapling which had been brought over from the USA by Graham White was planted by the local children and John Hume Robertson.
The afternoon was filled by an environmental puppet show for children In the evening a talk, accompanied by photographic slides, was given by Jimmie Macgregor, the well known broadcaster and hillwalker and patron of DJMA. Jimmie had made a series of broadcasts on Muir and had spent some time in the various places associated with him. The talk was introduced by Graham White who also spoke of the dangers facing East Lothian and only a few miles of where we were sitting the same forces of greed and exploitation that confronted Muir were still with us. The organisations that should be in the forefront to protect these woodlands were looking the other way and taking no action.
Saturday started with children's activities including stone painting, flag making, badge making, storytelling, face painting and lots, lots more. At the same time the Edinburgh Samba Band held a workshop which led to a pretty impressive performance by locals in the Carnival Parade. The Parade itself was led by the local Pipe band and involved over 20 organisations. We had clowns , stiltwalkers, Chinese fire dragons and a Sinclair C5 disguised as a bush. This was followed by a an open air market manned by local charities and traders.
In the evening there was a showing of the film 'The Boyhood of John Muir'. This is an American Film but has Scots actors in the principal roles. Gary Hollywood, who played the young John Muir, came along to the screening and the film was followed by cheese and wine.
On Sunday afternoon East Lothian Council organised a family environment day at the John Muir Country Park including 'A Walk in the Footsteps of John Muir'. Country Ranger Richard English led a walk along the Clifftop Trail from the High Street to the John Muir Country Park, a walk well known to John and Grandfather Gilrye. Richard pointed out the various flowers and grasses to be seen and explained the origins of the geology of the walk.
The weekend finished with a Traditional American Country Dance to celebrate Muir's American connections. Karen Dietz, an American folk singer now resident in Dunbar called the dances and a good time was had by all.
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As part of The Muir Weekend in April, children were invited to draw, paint, make a collage, or write a story or poem about their favourite wild place. We had a wonderful response. We can't show you the paintings or collages but as a taster, two of the poems and a story.
The seaweed sways with the turning of the waves,
Little fish dart when they see my shadow
Big and small crabs scurry along the rocky bottom
Sea anemones catch tiny creatures with their tentacles
Hermit crabs hide in their shells when my hand touches the water
Limpets cover rocks like a lumpy carpet.
My rockpool is an underwater world.
Katie Panton (age 10)
A wild wet place with the crashing of the waves
The walls of the harbour keep us dry and safe
excitement makes my day
It is dangerous and silly at this wild wet place
The waves reach a very high height
This is a really magnificent sight
The swish and the swash and crash of the waves
makes me really laugh
The fishing boats are tied up well
to protect them from the enormous swell
The wind is whistling and the chains are clanging
as the tide goes out and a new day is dawning.
Kirsty Buglass (age 11)
I have lots of favourite places but my favourite place would have to be north berwick law. I have just climbed it today. I found it quite interesting. When we started to climb it it was quite sunny but when we got up a little bit more into the middle it started to get cold but it got sunny in the end. There was a lot of gorse bushes but the most exciting part was when we got to the top and we saw the whales jaw. It was huge. There was lots of rabbit poo. There was lots of rocks and I kept climbing on them and my mum told me to get off there your brother will copy you. When I touched the whales jaw it felt like wood. It was worth all the effort of climbing to the top because you could see allof north berwick and the sea.
Katherine Duguid (age 6)
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Dunbar Community Woodland Group held a public meeting to launch itself as a formally constituted membership organisation on Thursday 28th September at 7.30pm in Dunbar Library.
The aim of the group is to enter into a management agreement with the owner so as to take on responsibility for managing Lochend Woods for the benefit of the general public in the Dunbar area. As you are probably aware, Lochend Woods is currently in the ownership of Halhill Developments Ltd who are in the process of selling off the surrounding land to housing developers. The woodland is in a seriously neglected state and, as a condition of planning permission for the housing, Halhill Developments have been required to draw up a management plan to show how they will make the woodland safe and provide public access. There is the prospect that ownership of the woodland will eventually pass to the Dunbar Community Development Company which is currently constructing the Healthy Living Centre adjacent to Lochend Woods.
There will be a nominal annual membership fee of £2 and the group hopes to attract as wide a membership as possible from the local community.
We hope that you, or a representative of your organisation, will be interested to take up membership. A membership form is available from Philip Revell 27 High Street, Dunbar, Tel. 863211.
Please do let other people know about this new venture. It is a real opportunity to be involved in the management of a valuable local resource.
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On 24th September we were delighted to welcome to Dunbar, the superindendent of the centre Mrs Cheryl Jennings and 29 senior citizens from Martinez, Dunbar's twin town in California, who were on a tour of Scotland and Ireland. On arrival our visitors were shown The Birthplace where they also saw a short video on the life of John Muir. Then over to the sixteenth century Town House where in the Council Chamber, Stephen Bunyan, Chairman of Dunbar Community Council entertained everyone with a short history of the town from pre-christian times to the present. The visitors, split into three groups led by Stephen, Duncan Smeed and Jim Thompson, were then taken on a walking tour of the town.
A buffet lunch was given at Dunbar Leisure Pool after which Dunbar Community Council was presented with a beautiful wall quilt with scenes from the City of Martinez and Muir's portrait, handmade by members of the centre, and also a framed Key to Martinez. The visitors in turn were given a bronze model of Dunbar Parish Church where John's grandfather was ordained an elder in 1822 and where, to my mind any way, his parents would have been married and he baptised. The visitors also had copious amounts of one of their most famous products - jelly bellies, a type of jelly bean. -delicious'
After lunch they went to the Parish Church and also viewed the Gilrye graves. Then it was farewell and off to Edinburgh and the rest of their tour.
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Another visitor to Dunbar was the Rev. Chris Highland. Chris has produced a most beautiful little book which he has titled "Nature's Temple"
It is a compilation of quotations from various letters and books written by John Muir. As Chris says it is a joy to make Muir's thoughts more widely known and to reveal his spirituality in a fresh new way. Muir is an inspiration for anyone who recognises the sermons and scriptures writ large in Nature. We can thoroughly recommend this little volume to all.
Following his return to U.S.A. Chris wrote to us to tell us how his short stay in Dunbar had a profound effect on him, to touch Muir's native soil, his home, family gravesites and the Castle ruins he built into a climbing career. What if he hadn't scootched up those walls? Would there ever have been a Yosemite?
Chris sent some personal mementos of Muir's California, but one in particular will require some thought. It is seeds of the Sequoia sempervirens - the Giant Redwood - in a tin containing growing medium, mini-greenhouse and detailed growing instructions. There are about a dozen seeds. Assuming even half grow into young trees, Where are they to be planted? It need not necessarily be in Dunbar which had a young sapling planted during the Muir weekend in April. Any suggestions?
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Although the Birthplace is officially closed until next April, we would like to open it at weekends If you can help in any way, please contact Jim Thompson
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Many of you will be familiar with the Clifftop Walk which runs from the harbour to the John Muir Country Park.
DJMA has undertaken to update the invaluable guide to the walk and a committee comprising a geologist, ornitholigist, historian, photographer, an expert on flora, a graphic designer and others has been formed to produce the book which we hope will be a companion to John Muir's Dunbar.
We will keep you informed.
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On 29th July both Cherry and Brian were in Dunbar. In the afternoon Cherry gave a family workshop when she talked of her adventures in researching her book 'On the Trail of John Muir' and accompanied her talk with some wonderful photographic slides. In the evening Brian entertained us with his stunning audio/visual concert. Songwriter and accomplished musician on several instruments, Brian told the story of seven Scots who left these shores , Flora MacDonald; Alexander Stewart, footman to Prince Charles Edward Stuart; John Muir; Ewen Gillies, from St Kilda; Andrew Carnegie; and his own Uncle Jim and Auntie Jean who met and married in America. Brian titled his concert 'The Back o' the North Wind'. The wind that blew Scots from their homeland to make their mark all over this world.
All of the songs, accompanied with the pictures and photographic slides were evocative in their own way, but I would like to give the words of two of them.
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In the grey o' the gloamin' there sits an old man
wi' a glint in his eye and a glass in his hand,
and he sings to the new day when the old day is done,
cryin' "Where are my daughters and where are my sons?"
And it's rovin' for pleasure by mountain and stream,
rovin' for sorrow wi' whisky for dreams,
rovin' for fortune on a far foreign shore
at the back o' the north wind it's rovin' no more.
The old woman pulls at the old shuttle wheel,
she sings o' the cradle, the plough and the creel.
She sings to the bairns as she weaves and she spins,
an old woman's song to the tune o' the wind.
And it's rovin' for pleasure by mountain and stream,
rovin' for sorrow wi' whisky for dreams,
rovin' for fortune on a far foreign shore
at the back o' the north wind it's rovin' no more.
There's a maiden who scatters the seed on the land,
but the wind takes a share o' the seed from her hand,
that others might harvest what Scotland can sow,
as far as the blast o' the north wind can blow.
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I asked the Master Builder,why did he make John Muir from the seed of a man so hard and unforgiving?
A father who tried to use the Gospel to ensure that his son's life would never be worth living.
And the Lord's voice whispered on the High Sierra wind from the mountains where the clear waters lie, saying
"hold the bravest heart above the greatest of the sins and I'll show you how to make a hero rise."
Leave Calvin and the Bible to the parish o' Dunbar.
Give a blind man back his eyes to find the brightest of the stars.
Then lead him to the altar of a better God by far in the vale o' the Redwood Cathedral.
I asked the Master Builder, how did he find a way to put the man in the mountains and the mountains in the man?
How long did he search to find the uncommon clay that he needed for his master builder's plan?
And the Lord's voice came down from the High Sierra skies saying
"take a heart of hard Scottish stone, plant the seed of a wild place deep down inside
and I'll show you how to call a hero home"
Leave Calvin and the Bible to the parish o' Dunbar.
Give a blind man back his eyes to find the brightest of the stars.
Then lead him to the altar of a better God by far in the vale o' the Redwood
by far in the vale o' the Redwood Cathedral.
And as I stand by the thunder of the roaring mountain falls, and hear California call your saviour,
I cannot help but wonder, had a different fortune called,
would you have done the same for Scotland the Brave - your home, and your father's...?
Leave Calvin and the Bible to the parish o' Dunbar.
Give a blind man back his eyes to find the brightest of the stars.
Then lead him to the altar of a better God by far in the vale o' the Redwood Cathedral.
God lives above the redwoods, so men say,
looking down, straight and true, at the best of all his treasures,
and if a man should stand among them to pray, its against them the Lord will take his measure.
And who grew straighter than Long Johnny Muir?
A redwood of flesh, blood and bone, filled by the Master Builder with a passion so pure
for the mountains no single man can own.
Leave Calvin and the Bible to the parish o' Dunbar.
Give a blind man back his eyes to find the brightest of the stars.
Then lead him to the altar of a better God by far in the vale o' the Redwood Cathedral
God lives above the redwoods, so men say.
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Mrs Kimes, about whom we told you in Newsletter #15, sent us some lovely and wonderful items from her Muir library and which will be available for all to see and read in the refurbished Birthplace. However, she pointed out in her letter that the photograph that we used was not particularly complimentary to her and she has sent us another more flattering. She said that she could see us smiling, but at the age of 91 - well she is smiling too. The original photograph came to us by email and perhaps the transition from colour to black and white affected the quality.
We in DJMA, even those who have yet to meet her, hold Mrs Kimes in the warmest affection. We hope the photograph below meets with her approval.
[photo from the hard-copy newsletter to be included here]
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