The Tinkers’ Heart (5)
Things are looking up! The Parliamentary Committee meeting originally intended to hear evidence about why The Tinkers’ Heart should be scheduled as a monument on August 5th. Jess Smith was invited to present evidence, with A.N. Other, should she wish.
Mike Russell MSP wanted to be there as he is very supportive and interested in Jess’ petition and the history of the Heart. This was also the day that the SQA exam results were released in Scotland and Mike Russell MSP is the Minister for Education. Not a good day to meet, Mr Russell would obviously be needed elsewhere, so it was rescheduled.
Rescheduled it was and a small group of us accompanied the author and storyteller, Jess Smith, to the Parliamentary Committee hearing on 30th September. We’d all worked hard on this petition and it was rather exciting to be invited to give evidence. Initially, Jess had asked if I would also present evidence with her. I’d agreed (although the thought had me shaking in my shoes.) Luckily, I was spared the ordeal as Mike Russell asked if he could do so. Not a problem! I can do the moral support thing, no worries!
The meeting went very well indeed. It was obvious that those MSPs who made up the committee had read their briefings and really were taking an interest in what Jess Smith and Mike Russell had to say about the site and why is should be listed. They asked very perceptive questions: two MSPs in particular, John Wilson and Angus MacDonald, showed a very keen interest and knowledge about the background to the Petition. Mike Russell spoke eloquently and he did a much better job than I would ever have managed.
The end result is that the committee will write to Historic Scotland and other parties, and then forward those replies to Jess for comment. This will take another 8 weeks or so, but we left the committee room feeling very hopeful indeed that this little part of Argyll will always hold the memories of the Ancestors, of the Tinkers who married, baptised their babies and mourned their dead at that spot.
If you’d like to read more / watch Jess’ presentation, this link will take you to a page where you can read the transcript of the meeting and see the video of the proceedings:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01523
And this is the video from the Scottish Parliament’s Website:
Jess Smith presenting evidence to the Parliamentary Committee
