Jon Evans, 67, is the Chair of Wanlockhead Museum Trust and Mine Manager, Wanlockhead
What do you love about Dumfries & Galloway? It is a beautiful area, which has resisted ruinous development and has remained relatively unchanged for many years. It is a great place to explore and relax.
What’s the best thing about Wanlockhead? It nestles in the Southern Uplands and can be reached by a fantastic drive up the Mennock Pass from the A76.
It represents the last true record of the rich hard-rock mining history in Scotland. It is like a time bubble. It wouldn’t exist if had not been for the lead and gold mining.
Tell us about your job: The Museum Trust is a not-for-profit charitable organisation, and is constantly trying to stay solvent. I have been chair of the Trust since 2015. As a trustee, my role is to preserve the 300-plus years of mining heritage and to deliver the vision first established by Geoff Downs-Rose in 1974.
As well as this, the Museum of Lead Mining is endeavoring to continuously improve the quality and educational content available to the local community and visitors, who come from as far afield as Japan, USA, and Australia.
Who’s the most interesting person you’ve met? I have met many interesting people since becoming a trustee. During the last nine years, I think the most interesting person I have met is Jeremy Landless, who came to the village in 1980 and led the underground exploration team, under the instruction of Geoff Downs-Rose. Since then, Jeremy has since served as chair of the Museum Trust and continues to travel from Edinburgh weekly, to give advice on a great many things. His knowledge of the valley is second to none.
What’s your ambition? Having retired in 2016, my current ambition is to deliver the remaining aspects of the original vision, as laid out by the first trustees and Geoff.
One major element would be to reopen the Glenglass Adit and assess the condition of the hydraulic pumping engine hidden within the New Glencrieff Mine. It, and other unique equipment, forms a part of the scheduled monument that was assigned in 1993.
What do you do to unwind? That’s an interesting question. I am not sure what unwinding means. I have never been able to stop thinking and planning.
Where do you recommend for great entertainment in the region? I find my entertainment around here by exploring on foot and discovering new places and people
Where do you recommend for a good bite to eat? The nearest town is eight miles away and so I have to say that the tearoom, here at the Museum of Lead Mining is popular and has a pleasant atmosphere. The Hopetoun Hotel in Leadhills provides very good food, too.
Tell us something that not many people know about you: I have always enjoyed cooking.
What would you change about D&G? I would stop irresponsible and selfish visitors (and some locals) from leaving their rubbish in the countryside. It’s very selfish and there really is no need.
Dumfries & Galloway in a single word: Timeless
