J M Barrie

 

Name: James Matthew Barrie

Birthdate: May 9th 1860

Place of Birth: Kirriemuir, Scotland

J. M. Barrie lived briefly in Dumfries and went to school at at 6 Victoria Terrace and went to Dumfries Academy from ages 13 to about 17 (1873-78) but reportedly played “pirates’ with his friends at a house in the town.

These “odyssey” adventures helped for the basis for the later-penned “Peter Pan” play. (http://neverpedia.com/pan/J._M._Barrie) The house is known locally as “Moat Brae”, where his friend at the time, Stuart Gordon, lived as the son of a local solicitor.

The building was left to fall into disrepair over the years after being sold to a private investor for private wealth swaps, but was recently refurbished for a total cost of around £6m to try and cash in on the potential tourism and cultural claim of being the source of inspiration for a cultural phenomena.

It is worth noting that no-one else who either visited the house, played in the house, lived in the house, or had any other connection with the house, went on to do anything of cultural note, suggesting that this is shrinery at work and served other agendas relating to the questionable fashion of investing in conservation areas.

There is reportedly an inscription on the building at 6 Victoria Terrace, where Barrie actually lived which reads:

Sir James Matthew Barrie 1860–1937. J M Barrie lived in this house, the home of his brother while a scholar at Dumfries Academy from 1873 to 1878. He regarded his stay in Dumfries as amongst his happiest days. His works include: Dear Brutus, The Little Minister, Quality Street, Peter Pan, The Admirable Crichton, Mary Rose. In 1924 Sir James was made a Freeman of Dumfries.