John Muir's Birthplace

news - about - search - email - home dunbar - djma - muir - jmbt - donate guided walk - jmd - order a copy 109 - 113 High Street

Content updated Sun, 31 Jan 1999 22:56:59 GMT

John Muir's Dunbar... [home]

139 High Street

109 - 113 High Street

Corn Exchange Close

Cross the road and turn south, 'up' the street, to 109-113 High Street, to where Grandfather Gilrye lived [4].

'I was sent to school before I had completed my third year. But before I was sent to school, my grandfather, as I was told, had taught me my letters from shop signs across the street. I can remember distinctly how proud I was when I had spelled my way through the first little book... in an infant class taught by Mr. Mungo Suddon, in a schoolroom near the Dawell Brae (Victoria Street).'

It was soon established that he and his younger brother David would spend their evenings in their grandfather's house, learning their lessons at the fireside.

David Gilrye, or Gilroy, had prospered as a butcher. He was born in Northumberland and married Margaret Hay of Coldstream. The couple came to Dunbar in 1793. It may be that he commenced as a journeyman for his older brother-in-law, John Mather, in business in the same trade at 70 High Street. After a few years he was certainly in business in his own right. He served on the Town Council and became an Elder of the Established (Presbyterian) Church.

Needless to say, his house has been altered over the years but its aspect would still be recognised by John. Behind the main tenement, where the family lived, was a small courtyard. Here were several 'flats' rented by families who worked for David Gilrye.

In 1841, in the house on the High Street were:

• David Gilrye (aged 70) of Independent Means (retired) and Margaret Gilrye (65), his wife;
• their servants Archibald Fairbairn (25) and Sarah McLaskey (15);
• in a separate flat John's Aunt Margaret Rae, then aged 40, a widow.
• In the courtyard apartments were: Philip Denholm (40) a flesher (butcher), his wife Mary (30) and children John (10) and William (5);
• George Moffat (15) an apprentice flesher;
• Margaret Spence (10), position unknown;
• and Barbara Nelson (15) another servant.

An entrance to Gilrye Place ran between the house and 'the Pillars' or the original 'Black Bull Inn', next door: the Bank standing here now is a more recent building. John's cousin, Maggie Lunam, became the eventual inheritor of this property.

Town House Tower

Head south from here, following in our minds a little boy and a grizzled old man, who

'...became a daily sight on the High Street...'

When they reached the Town House, with its squat Flemish tower and dialled clock, Grandfather taught him the numerals and how to tell the time of day.