“So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land!”
Peter Pan
We all love the story of Peter Pan, right? The boy who never grew old, and lived in the fantasy world of fun and make believe. I love the story, and the personal meanings it can have. Peter Pan never grew old; and I believe most of us never grow old either. Not really. There’s always a small child inside; the playfulness, and the fun and enjoyment of life that makes us giggle and grin. Life would be pretty dull without our inner child, and I believe that’s what makes Peter Pan adored by children and adults for their entire lives.
One of the things that makes this special to me is that Peter Pan was ‘born’ in Dumfries; my hometown, where I still live now.
J M Barrie
James Matthew Barrie was born in 1860, in Kirriemuir, Scotland. When his brother sadly died, he set to console his mother; and it is this that he accredits his start to becoming an author and playwright. In 1873, he started at Dumfries Academy, and befriended two local brothers from the Gordon family. Sons of a local solicitor, they then lived at Moat Brae, Dumfriesshire. One brother, Stuart, kindled Barrie’s love of high adventure and invited him to join his ‘pirate crew’.
“Our escapades in a certain Dumfries garden which was an enchanted land to me was certainly the genesis of this work.”
The garden of Moat Brae is most positively the inspiration for Peter Pan.
Moat Brae
Statue of Peter Pan
I am guilty of never visiting Moat Brae myself, and sadly the ‘Loreburn Housing Association’ have been trying to sound it’s death knell. I believe it’s worth saving, as does Joanna Lumley. But, that’s another story which you can read here.
I do, however, have the great pleasure of passing Dumfries Academy almost every day on my way into work. I still find it amazing that he attended that school, and most people pass it on a daily basis without even thinking. The academy is in two parts now, the older of the two the smaller, also. It’s believed that the school, though not in its present form or buildings, has existed since 1330.
Dumfries Academy
“…when the shades of night began to fall, certain young mathematicians shed their triangles, crept up walls and down trees, and became pirates in a sort of Odyssey that was long afterwards to become the play of Peter Pan. For our escapades in a certain Dumfries Garden, which is enchanted land to me, were certainly the genesis of that nefarious work.” (JM Barrie, Speech on being awarded the Freedom of Dumfries, 11 December 1924)
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Everyone, child and ‘grown-up’, deserves to know about Peter and his friends, and the genius creator that is J.M.Barrie. Peter Pan and his comrades will live on forever, as long as the child within does.
… and remember… Second star to the right, and straight on ’til morning. ;o)
Rachel & Serendipity.. ღ
Please note, I make no claim on any images in this post. Found, courtesy of Google. You can read more about Barrie and his numerous works here.
