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Lottery wins for Edinburgh and Glasgow
26/01/2005
The John Murray Archive, one of the world's most
historically significant literary collections, is coming to
Scotland, it was announced today.
And a new Transport Museum is to be developed now that
millions of pounds worth of funding has been secured.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has agreed to provide £17.7
million to allow the purchase of the Murray archive by the
National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. This follows an
injection of £8.3 million from the Executive.
And the same Fund is providing £15.9 million for a new
Transport Museum in Glasgow to built beside the River Clyde
and replace the current premises in the Kelvin Hall.
Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson said:
"The significance of this magnificent news for Scotland
cannot be overstated. We are set to secure literature's
jewel in the crown. The John Murray Archive is the most
historically significant literary archive to become
publicly available in the past hundred years.
"Bringing it to Scotland is an immense achievement and
credit to the staff at the National Library of Scotland who
made an ambitious and compelling case for securing the
archive.
"The Scottish Executive initially pledged £6.5 million
followed by a further £1.8 million to galvanize the
National Library's bid. This has provided a base around
which they could build further support.
"The acquisition of the John Murray Archive will enhance
Scotland's cultural and educational reputation, both at
home and abroad."
She added:
"I'm also delighted that Glasgow's ambitious plans for a
new Transport Museum have received funding from the
Heritage Lottery Fund. This will be a major visitor
attraction for the west of Scotland and reflects the
breadth and geographical spread of the Fund's activity in
Scotland."
In order to raise the purchase price of £33 million for
the Archive, plus the additional £2 million needed to make
it accessible to the public, the National Library of
Scotland applied to the Heritage Lottery fund for £17.7
million. It must also raise £6.5 million itself, in
addition to the £8.3 million provided by the Scottish
Executive.
Established in 1768, the firm of John Murray was one of
the greatest and perhaps the most influential of all
British publishing houses with an unrivalled list of
authors.
The Archive contains over 150,000 letters and
manuscripts by Byron, Scott, Darwin, Livingstone, JM
Barrie, Wordsworth and countless other figures of global
significance. The rich and diverse range of subjects
includes archaeology, classical studies, bibliography,
history and scholarship, art, architecture, art history and
collecting, cookery, gardening, music, theatre and
children's books.
A new Museum of Transport on the Clyde is under
development by Glasgow Museums in collaboration with other
council departments and Glasgow Harbour Ltd.
The new Museum will be a larger and improved replacement
for the Transport Museum currently located at the Kelvin
Hall.
It is to be built on a site where the Clyde meets with
Glasgow's other main river, the Kelvin, and will be
adjacent to Glasgow Harbour, a private-sector led mixed-use
development extending to 120 acres.
The landmark museum will create a more accessible and
environmentally stable home for Glasgow's significant
Transport and Technology collections, and for the first
time allow the proper interpretation of Glasgow's important
maritime history through the museum site, the 'Glenlee'
tall ship and our unique ship model collection.