One of the delights in Kirriemuir was visiting the birthplace of JM Barrie, author of Peter Pan, which has been turned into a museum about his life.  Barrie’s father was a weaver; the bottom floor of the cottage was solely used for weaving and the upstairs was where the family of 10 lived.  It was a charming museum in every way, especially since you could imagine his youth and how that shaped him as a writer.  There was some deep sadness in the family history – his brother, David, was killed in a skating accident when he was 14 and JM was 6.  David was his mother’s favorite son and she was inconsolable after his death.  JM tried to comfort his mother by pretending to be his older brother.  Their mother, Margaret Ogilvy, found solace in the thought that David would be a child forever in their minds.  This may have been the reason for JM writing about the boy who never grew up.

I have a confession to make – I didn’t enjoy the story of Peter Pan and couldn’t finish the book.  Peter Pan was written to amuse JM’s wards (he was trustee/guardian of five boys) and incorporated pirates because the boys loved them.  As a child reader, I just couldn’t connect with the story.  Please don’t cancel me for criticizing your favorite children’s story!  Prior to writing it, JM was a very successful novelist and playwright.  I remember seeing The Admirable Crichton at the theater and thoroughly enjoyed it.

There was a deeper resonance to me with the cottage.  My husband’s grandparents were brought up in poorer circumstances on smallholdings close to Kirriemuir.  It was hard to imagine living in those tight living quarters with all those children – although perhaps they knew nothing different.  When I was at primary school, two boys died in an ice-skating accident.  They were playing on a swampy piece of farmland close to where we lived.  On very cold years the pools would ice over.  Soon after the land was drained but I remember the sadness to this day.

The Barrie family were very well educated despite their humble upbringing.  JM went to school in Glasgow where two older siblings were teaching.  From there he discovered his remarkable talent for writing and moved to London.  He became rich and famous but not necessarily happy.  He married an actress, Mary Ansell, and it was rumored that the marriage was never consummated.  In later years his wife had an affair.  JM demanded she end the affair but she refused to, so they had a scandalous divorce.

Barrie’s family came from a strict Calvinist sect called the Free Church, as did my husband’s grandparents.  The Sabbath is sacred and life is lived according to their doctrines.  I can only imagine what his parents thought of his connection to theaters and his actress wife but the couple were married in Kirriemuir (I wonder what his London bride thought of it)?  Teddy’s grandparents moved to a more moderate church after they were married but I was concerned what they would think about me, brought up as a (gasp) Roman Catholic.  All was well, thank goodness.

There were other less palatable rumors about Barrie’s relationship with his wards.  One of them, when interviewed, indicated that he thought that ‘Uncle Jim’ was asexual and dismissed the rumors.  The more I learned about JM, the more I empathized with him.  A tragedy in his family, an unsuccessful marriage and a desire to remain in childhood, perhaps?  On his desk it notes that he was ambidextrous and that he thought he wrote more darkly with his left hand.  That might relate back to his strictly religious background but I can recall children being encouraged to write with their right hand, rather than left.  Sinister is the Latin word for left.  I can’t write very well with either hand – I am just not dexterous.

The museum was truly enchanting with a beautiful garden outside.  There was a ‘fairy hunt’ around the museum and grounds – just for me!  Apparently adults enjoy this as much as children…

Click on this link to find out more information about the museum.