Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01523 · Session 4

Give the Tinkers' Heart of Argyll back to the Travelling People

Closed Submitted 17 Apr 2014 Culture & Sport
Signatures
1
1,179 online signatures with a country
Comments
127
Considered
4 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to direct Historic Scotland to investigate what action can be taken to ensure the restoration and preservation of the Heart of Quartz stones positioned in a field next to the A815, opposite the junction of the B839, overlooking Loch Fyne, known as the Gypsy Wedding Place, referred to locally as the Tinkers’ Heart.

What the petitioner did first

Early failed attempts to have the area restored by writing to local councillors, Loch Fyne ‘Here we are’ group from Cairndow, land owners and associates led to me approaching Michael Russell MSP. Mr Russell has been extremely helpful and ‘hands on’ in this matter. He has written to various bodies. He has met with the Landowner, councillors, Historic Scotland, written to Fiona Hyslop and several groups to resolve this matter without success.
I did receive encouragement when Archaeology Scotland, through their ‘Adopt A Monument’ scheme, offered to help but although a representative and I have met on several occasions (Phil Richardson) nothing has materialised.
RCAHMS were more forthcoming by photographing the area and recording its position. However, this simply dictates its location. The landowner has the final say. Kate Howe (landowner) lives in England and has mostly been negative in her views regarding the culture of the people that the Tinkers’ Heart represents.
I wrote and sent all relevant info to the present Duke of Argyll, who also lives in the south of England, but he refuses to help on the grounds of his friendship with Ms Howe.
Mrs Howe and her associates have not answered my emails but they have conversed with Michael Russell MSP
- but only to voice their views on the cultural significance in a negative manner.
In June 28th 2013 I met with Mike Russell MSP, Councillor Louise Glen-Lee, a rep from Visit Scotland and Historic Scotland at A&B council offices at Kilmory, Lochgilphead but once again no positive outcome.
The Rep from Visit Scotland queried how his organisation would benefit from supporting the project. I told him the area was not about tourism but about an entire culture that had been overlooked for centuries and that the Tinkers’ Heart was all they had as a marker of their ancestors. I did add that many of the Diaspora came from these humble beginnings and would be more than satisfied to see their culture protected by law.
The Historic Scotland rep said they would not go against the wishes of the landowner.
Time and events march on without a positive outcome therefore I have been left with no choice but to raise awareness through petitioning which I hope shall reach a wider audience and allow me to gauge how the public respond to such a request.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 30 Sep 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 9 Dec 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 17 Feb 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petition
    1 mention
  4. 7 Sep 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

1,179 online signatures
  1. Scotland662 56.1%
  2. United Kingdom197 16.7%
  3. England161 13.7%
  4. United States55 4.7%
  5. Australia17 1.4%
  6. Canada16 1.4%
  7. New Zealand12 1%
  8. Wales12 1%
  9. Northern Ireland9 0.8%
  10. Ireland8 0.7%
  11. 19 other countries30 2.5%

Comments

127 comments, oldest first
127 comments · showing 1–50
  1. Jenny Blain 17 Apr 2014
    Good luck! This is an important issue and I hope will be taken up by many people throughout Scotland.
  2. Helen Jones 17 Apr 2014
    I'm priviledged to sign this really important petition.
  3. will latham 17 Apr 2014
    The cultural contribution in music,song,and storytelling of the Travellers is worthy of praise.
  4. Elisa S-R 17 Apr 2014
    At long last
    - well done, Jess
    - well done, all!
  5. Astrid Hockey 17 Apr 2014
    Just.... WHY wouldn't you want to save a historical memorial site? It is after all such a small site and would take little to maintain but its ability to touch the heart of so many speaks volumes to its importance to the everyday people. Let us hope that common-sense has not died out completely in governments!
  6. James Stewart 18 Apr 2014
    Why do you take land from people and destroy history from the past) to put money into the government's pocket.
  7. Marion Horton 18 Apr 2014
    I live in England but was born in Glasgow. It is vital that the Scottish Government embrace and celebrate the diversity of groups and traditions of the many that makes Scotland unique.
  8. Stephen Dicks 18 Apr 2014
    No-one should be in a hurry to destroy a church, nor any Holy Place, surely God will see.
  9. Tom Cole 18 Apr 2014
    One Scotland many cultures? I hope so.
  10. Bernadette Mahoney 18 Apr 2014
    I hope this historical site is reclaimed and preserved as a vital part of Scottish heritage.
  11. Maranda Willson 18 Apr 2014
    We must retain this important, amazing and unique part of our history!
  12. Christopher Blackwell 18 Apr 2014
    The travelers are part of of history and their sites deserve as much to be noted ad protected as anybody else's.
  13. jean mcmonies 19 Apr 2014
    This is a very important site to the Travelling people especially but also to the people of Scotland as a whole..We owe the travellers a huge debt of gratitude for the retention of songs and tunes and stories which would have been lost to our culture without the Travellers... Please sign this petition..Jean Mcmonies
  14. Elspeth Waldie 20 Apr 2014
    This is an important part of our heritage I urge Historic Scotland to ensure the restoration and preservation and it should be important to the Scottish Government.
  15. David Adams McGilp 21 Apr 2014
    The supporting information is incorrect. I was the VisitScotland representative at the meeting with Michael Russell MSP. I did not ask how my organisation would benefit
    - I asked how the wider visitor economy would benefit.
  16. Annette O'Donnell 21 Apr 2014
    It's little to ask in order to honor a culture and preserve a heritage of the people who have contributed so much to everything that is Scotland!
  17. Ewan McVicar 21 Apr 2014
    I do not usually sign these petitions
    - but this one speaks to my heart!
  18. David Bell 21 Apr 2014
    Preserve culture for everyone.
  19. peter Macdonald 21 Apr 2014
    give them more space
  20. Paul Dixon 21 Apr 2014
    If you do not know your past you do not know your future. Any distinct cultural group which has contributed to our national history deserves at the very least recognition of its existence. If we have any sense of honour we will not turn our faces away. We will grant the travelling people, through the auspices of Historic Scotland, assistance to restore and preserve the Tinkers' Heart. This will signify to our humanity and show the world that Scotland is genuine in its respect of minority cultures.
  21. James Dippie 22 Apr 2014
    I've been a 'towny' all my life, but that life has been greatly enriched by our breadth of cultures in Scotland, not least that of the travelling communities, for me through their stories, music and song
    - invaluable. Thanks to you all and Adam McNaughtan & Hamish Henderson among others for introducing me to so much.
  22. Euphemia Macdonald 22 Apr 2014
    They have taken so much from us already, surely they can leave "The Tinkers Heart"
  23. Sharon Livingstone 23 Apr 2014
    Preserve this Historic sight for future Generations
  24. bella stewart 23 Apr 2014
    The true Travllers made us Travllers today so we are today we should respect them Travllers that's made this life for us to be happy to carry the memorys and the honor to those Travllers that's though all there life for us to have the life we have today so we ask everyone to sign this for us to keep tinker heart make more apace for us to live and bring out young wains into the life of Travllers more space for all Travller family to come toghter stay near each other to live and laugh toghter
  25. ann margaret allan 23 Apr 2014
    i remember my daddy taking me here when i was a little girl lovely piece of our heritage keep the heart please
  26. Jane Mcneill 23 Apr 2014
    Good luck
  27. Claire wood 24 Apr 2014
    What a way to treat a monument. Surely such a lovely part of Scottish history deserves better?
  28. Jean Gardner 24 Apr 2014
    Places like this NEED to be preserved, it's part of our history, too many have been lost already, please save this one.
  29. Carole Mckillop-Mash 24 Apr 2014
    Wishing the campaign all the very best.
  30. Aria McNeill 24 Apr 2014
    Good luck
  31. Steve Rhodes 25 Apr 2014
    It is imperative that ancient sites such as this are preserved for future generations.
  32. joyce ellaway 25 Apr 2014
    it is not too much to ask that they have such a small piece of ground for something that is very important to them. what harm can be done ?
  33. Martin Byrnes 26 Apr 2014
    My address may be outwith Scotland, but my heart will always be there. Travelling people in Scotland should be remembered, not forgotten about.
  34. Manus Doherty 26 Apr 2014
    Good Luck
  35. Judith Swift 27 Apr 2014
    Good luck and thanks for drawing attention to the Tinkers' Heart!
  36. Kate Ellix 27 Apr 2014
    Good luck
  37. James Park 27 Apr 2014
    Save Scotlands Heritige
  38. Donald MacKenzie 27 Apr 2014
    This is a proven part of our history and culture. It should be precious to all of us.
  39. Susan Maclean 27 Apr 2014
    Good luck, it is so important that Scotland's heritage is preserved for future generations we have lost too much of it already.
  40. Wilf Wilshaw 27 Apr 2014
    As a Gorger who grew up near the biggest Gypsy encampment in Kent, Corks Meadow, I fully support this petition. And I would like to see the Traveler culture and traditions preserved.
  41. Ian Peter Nelson 27 Apr 2014
    Land Reform long past overdue.
  42. Kenny Brill 27 Apr 2014
    We all need connections to place and culture.
  43. Rachel Whyte 27 Apr 2014
    The contributions that tinker and travelling people have made to our country are to be celebrated and their stories told and re told. We must stand together to ensure Tinkers Heart, this little piece of Scotland remains with the people of Scotland forever.
  44. Tom Forrest 27 Apr 2014
    This important cultural and historical site should be maintained by Scot Gov and should also be taken into public ownership.
  45. Derek Pretswell 27 Apr 2014
    This is part of Scotland's cultural heritage and should rightly be protected. Well done Jess and Michael Russell.
  46. William Townsley 27 Apr 2014
    Aye find this quite amusing that's why aye will put my name down and you may do with that as you well
  47. charlotte mckenzie 27 Apr 2014
    I am traveller and i say yess to whatever this is
  48. Margaret Mulholland 27 Apr 2014
    Good luck.
  49. Stuart Paterson 27 Apr 2014
    Best of luck with your campaign. The neglect & vilification of the history & culture of Scotland's travelling people, going back many centuries, shames us all. This might go some small way towards rectifying that recognition & in some small way help contribute to moving towards the official & legal parity they should definitely be given.
  50. Sue Doring 27 Apr 2014
    I do not live in Scotland, but her history needs to be preserved for future generations to see and for travelers as myself to be able to see it in person.