Dundee
Jam Jute and Journalism
The town of Dundee is enjoying a rebirth, in the past the city had long been eclipsed by the more popular Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth but today’s visitor will be rewarded with a great destination full of character and history. The town was known as the city of jute, jam and journalism, now only journalism remains of the three.
The towns position on the river Tay ensured Dundee’s importance as a maritime city with whaling, shipbuilding and related maritime industries and jute being one. In the 19th century the jute industry took off, the raw Material was imported from India and then it was treated with whale oil of which there was plenty in Dundee due to the new gas works, as a result the textile mills flourished and Dundee grew in prosperity.
The jam industry was born when John Keller was tricked into buying a consignment of Seville oranges that were past their best his quick thinking wife Janet made a new recipe and jam was born.
The town is now re-emerging as a centre for the arts and science as well as celebrating its maritime and industrial heritage; the Royal research ship discovery is moored here and can be visited as well as the modern sensation museum. The oldest British warship afloat the Unicorn is also berthed here
The childrens comic character desperate Dan was born in Dundee created by the firm of DC Thompson for the dandy comic there is a statue to him and Minnie the minx in the city square they also published the beano.
The city’s great location on the firth of Tay make it a great place to visit with good attractions and welcoming and friendly people, check out the discovery point and the verdant works museum this latter explains how Dundee flourished so quickly.
Activities in Dundee
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