Objects Database

Ben Lawers Visitor Centre Plaque.

Accession Number

877.2011.1

Object Name

Ben Lawers Visitor Centre Plaque.

Created

05/01/2011

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

05/01/2011

Brief Description

Rectangular metal National Trust sign.

Materials

metal

Dimensions

41(l) x 38(w) x 1(d) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND
BEN LAWERS AND BEN GHLAS
THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE LATE MR. R.J.H. UNNA, THE TRUST ACQUIRED THE UPPER SOUTHERN SLOPES OF BEN LAWYERS AND BEN GHLAS IN 1950, AN AREA FAMOUS FOR ITS ALPINE FLORA. IN RECENT TIMES SADLY DEPLETED. THE TRUST HOLDS THIS PROPERTY FOR THE BENFIT OF THE NATION. BOTANISTS, HORTICULTURISTS AND WALKERS ARE MOST EARNESTLY REQUESTED NOT TO UPROOT OR COLLECT ANY OF THE FERNS OR FLOWERS GROWING WITHIN THE AREA.
ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO:-
THE SECRETARY,
NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND
5, CHARLOTTE SQUARE,
EDINBURGH
1951

Colour

silver

Object Production Date

1951

Provenance

Percy Unna(1878-1950) was an environmentalist and philanthropist and although born in London, he was of Danish extraction. Amongst many other things he became president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club in the 1930's, which kindled an enthusiasm to protect the natural landscape of Scotland, for which he raised large amounts of money. Much of that money was channelled through The National Trust for Scotland(NTS) who with money from Unna's Mountain Country Trust bought the Ben Lawers estate in 1950.
As part of their management process NTS built a Visitor's Centre on the south side of Ben Lawers in 1972. Welcomed by many and damned by the few, the somewhat angular construction of the centre earned it the nickname 'Starship Enterprise'. Despite this, or maybe because of it, several thousand visitors passed through the doors until financial difficulties and an internal review within the NTS sealed the center's fate.It was demolished in October 2010.
Fortunately for us the local rescue team was invited to clear the rescue room just before destruction and, amongst other things, managed to save this metal sign from the skip. A lovely little icon of days gone by though the sentiment remains.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland and NTS

Acquisition Date

05/01/2011

Condition Check Date

05/01/2011

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

05/01/2011

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