Campaign for a Leith Museum

Campaign for a Leith Museum

Mark Lazarowicz MP (Edinburgh North & Leith) is heading the steering group which has been established to further promote the campaign for a Leith Museum. Mark says;
There have been numerous calls and campaigns for a Museum in Leith for nigh on sixty years and still one of the most historic communities in Scotland, does not have a permanent full time museum.

The current Campaign, clearly has huge support from numerous members of the community, including local Councillors and community organisations. And why not! Leith is undergoing massive change and what better a time to establish a Museum showcasing our history so the Old Leith is not forgotten.
Why does Leith deserve a museum? Well according to many, it will strengthen community links at a time of rapid social change, and will highlight Leith's important role in the history of Scotland as a whole. Some would say that a museum will inform, educate and enlighten this and future generations to what is, was and can be the future for Leith.
A recent article in the local press went on:
In May of last year at Leith’s Ocean Terminal there was a stall publicising the upcoming annual Leith Festival. Part of the stall was given over to the Petition for a Leith Museum.
The support was encouraging, but there were also questions asked. The FAQ’s can be paraphrased as:
Where is the Leith Museum? And
Are you campaigning about the closure of the Leith Museum?
Question two is somewhat irrelevant, but question one, needs not an answer but questions, not where but why and why not.
There is simply not a Leith Museum because in the distant past Museums were National Buildings and collections, celebrating the wider aspects of historic and otherwise important events.
Mark comments on the fact that there have been previous attempts to establish a museum for Leith
One of these campaigns got as far as creating a Leith Museum Trust, the ideas (or ideals) came before the Council only to be referred to some sub-committee, and subsequently lost in the mists of time.
These previous attempts were not sponsored by just any old ‘Leithers’ but by Peers of the Realm, MP’s, the Clergy, Academics, Councillors and members of Leith Commerce and Industry. To no avail.
The people of Leith do not think they need a Museum, they think that Leith deserves a Museum.
When you consider the impact of the part the Port and Town of Leith has had on the History of Scotland, let alone Edinburgh, you become to realise why this feeling exists.
The current campaign started on two fronts, both with the same aim. Members of the Leith Local History society approached Mark with their thoughts with which he agreed and decided to test the feelings of the Leith populace by instigating a petition, only a successful showing of support he said would attract the desired interest of the parties in whose hands any decision would lie.
At the same time John Arthur, a Leith historian started another petition aimed directly at the Scottish Parliament and Edinburgh City Council.
Both petitions ran in tandem using different approaches and following the Leith Festival in June 2007, which is the largest gathering of Leith people and visitors to the town in any year, over 3000 signatures had been collected, enough for Mark to confirm that there was in his mind sufficient support to take the matter to the next stage.
A public meeting hosted by Mark, Malcolm Chisholm MSP and town councillor Gordon Munro included on the agenda a discussion re the next steps to be taken. A further meeting of those willing to take an active role in the campaign resulted in the forming of a ‘Steering Group’ to formally promote the more detailed aspects of substantiating the need and consideration of other aspect such as Where, What type of Museum, the Financial details and further support which would allow the campaign to go forward in a professional manner, although still by volunteers.
Meanwhile the Petition to the Scottish Parliament was discussed by the Public Petitions committee at Holyrood where Malcolm Chisholm spoke on behalf of the petitioners.
The matter was referred to various bodies for input and the outcome which will be discussed again by the Committee at Holyrood following which more detailed requirements for the steering group to work against will be known.
Further details about the status of the campaign, comments, views, questions can be found on the following websites or in writing to mark at the address below. It is intended that this newsletter will be published monthly following the Steering Group meetings and will be available in local Libraries, Churches, Organisations etc; If your group would like to be included in the distribution please use the Email or phone No’s below.It will also be published in each monthly edition of the Leith Gazette and on this blogsite.
Contacts:
Mark Lazarovicz MP
86/88 Brunswick Street
Edinburgh EH7 5HU
0131 557 0577
lazarowiczm@parliament.uk/
http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/
http://leithmuseum.blogspot.com/
Steve Mitchell – Press & Public Relations
firstleither@gmail.com
http://firstleither.blogspot.com/
or:
www.leithlocalhistorysociety.org.uk
http://www.persevere.lineages.co.uk/
www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/eh6
www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/leith
http://www.leithfestival.com/