Cycling

Dummy Jim: Clarification

From the Dummy Jim website;

In May 1951 a profoundly deaf 30-year-old Scotsman called James Duthie – known to his local community as ‘Dummy Jim’ – cycled solo on a return trip from the small fishing town of Cairnbulg in the north-east of Scotland to the Arctic Circle. The journey of over 3000 miles took three months and was managed on a budget of just £12. On returning to Scotland, Duthie wrote about his travels and in 1955 a slim volume called ‘I Cycled into the Arctic Circle’ was published. James sold copies of the book door to door to cover the cost of future excursions. Sadly the cyclist was killed in a road accident in 1965. In 2000, artist Matt Hulse received a copy of the book from his mother, who had unearthed the hidden gem whilst working at a second-hand bookshop on Iona. Inspired by the journal’s eccentricity and genuine warmth, Matt decided to set about making a film of James Duthie’s unique story. A year later the wheels were set in motion with the blessing of an SAC Creative Scotland Award. Since then the wonderful Dummy Jim website has evolved and with the invaluable support of Kindly Folk, initial filming is underway. Come rain or shine, friend or foe, hill or flat, puncture or no, Matt and his team have not stopped pedalling. Dummy Jim is happening.

It looks like I was a bit dismissive & cynical about the contact from “Dummy Jim”. Apologies, I just couldn’t figure it out to begin with. I assume it was Matt Hulse himself contacting me rather than the Scottish cyclist himself from the ‘other side’. However, I do need to point out to Matt that I have no intention of cycling to the Arctic Circle. Lisa Baum, however, does (see post below). And the Dummy Jim website is actually quite clever and worth an investigation; I think I was just in too much of a hurry when I had a quick, brief look before. Good luck with the filming Matt.

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