US billionaire pledges funds for restoration of HMS Unicorn

An American billionaire has pledged £20,000 to kick off fundraising efforts to restore a ship that has resided in Dundee for almost 150 years.

John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products, has pledged 2% of the total financial investment needed to conserve and repair HMS Unicorn – one of the most historic ships in the world.

The estimated cost of the work is in the region of £1 million and preliminary repairs urgently need to be completed ahead of the ship’s relocation to a dry dock.

The restoration effort will include the replacement of missing or rotten timbers and engineering works to strengthen the ship’s weakest points.

As an ex-US navy veteran, Mr DeJoria has a “keen interest” in historical ships and is one of the signatories on Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet’s “Giving Pledge”, which commits billionaires to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

Mr DeJoria said: “Being part Scottish and custodian of Taymouth Castle, it is only proper that I help save, with pride, our sea-going history. The HMS Unicorn is history.”

The donation follows the visit of the Princess Royal to the ship at the end of September in her role as patron of the Unicorn Preservation Society. Anne was updated on the plans to relocate the ship.

Museum director Matthew Bellhouse Moran said: “The pledge from Mr DeJoria marks the start of our major fundraising programme to undertake the immediate repairs highlighted by our recently completed survey works.

“HMS Unicorn has gone from strength to strength, and we can now say we are in a position to progress with the next stage in the project. We are delighted that Mr DeJoria’s pledge has arrived just as we prepare to start our major fundraising campaign.”