A rare item relating to J. M. Barrie has been unearthed ahead of a sporting celebration of the Peter Pan creator.
Next month, the town will turn the clock back when Kirrie Hill cricket square stages a match in the author’s honour, and in the lead-up to the event Kirriemuir Heritage Trust is hoping the discovery of a previously unknown Barrie artefact may ring a bell with locals.
“Barrie loved the game of cricket, although his writing ability exceeded his sporting talent,” said trust official David Orr.
“As one of the events to mark the 150th anniversary, a cricket match has been organised to take place on September 5 in the spirit of matches Barrie himself played in.
“While researching Barrie’s love of cricket and organising the match we have been made aware of a brass hand bell found in the town, which has the sports pavilion on top of it and an inscription relating to J. M. Barrie,” added Mr Orr.
“The bell was the property of a lady in the town, now deceased, but how she came by it is unknown and the current owner believes that it should remain in Kirrie.
“It’s assumed it was made for the opening of the sports pavilion on Kirrie Hill on June 7, 1930 when Barrie was also given the freedom of the town but no one has so far been able to give me any more information about it.
“I would also think that it wasn’t the only bell made, but no one in the trust has seen one before and hopefully the publicity surrounding the cricket match might shed some light on its history,” he added.