Plans for a National Tartan Centre

**figheadair** · 28th August 16, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

It seems , yet again, Rex that investment in the Highlands with the attached employment bonus of direct and indirect employment opportunities is going to be lost . I do understand the commercial "footfall" considerations and why Stirling meets that particular criteria, but yet again the geographical and historical "curse" of the Highlands of being in the wrong place appears to be striking again.

Its probably too late now but as a suggestion, Fort George appears to heading towards redundancy as a barracks and there are going to be hopefully excellent development opportunities there, was that investigated by the powers that be, as a suitable place for the museum? Interesting and inevitable questions are bound to be asked over the reasons of choosing Stirling-------the easy option?----- as the right place, following the excellent initial decision of identifying the need for the museum.

Jock, I think you'll find that Fort George will remain as part of the military estate for the foreseeable future.

Would I prefer that the NTC was in the Highland, absolutely. What's required? Central funding for the purchase and build of the Centre in a preferred location and a guaranteed 10+ funding package to meet the staff and running costs, including day to day enquiries and deeper research, irrespective of visitor income. Is that going to happen? Unfortunately not IMO and experience.

**Jock Scot** · 28th August 16, 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

Jock, I think you'll find that Fort George will remain as part of the military estate for the foreseeable future.

Would I prefer that the NTC was in the Highland, absolutely. What's required? Central funding for the purchase and build of the Centre in a preferred location and a guaranteed 10+ funding package to meet the staff and running costs, including day to day enquiries and deeper research, irrespective of visitor income. Is that going to happen? Unfortunately not IMO and experience.

Indeed experience can put a dampener on many things. I don't think that Fort William was ever in the running for something like this, its too isolated, far from easy to get to and from in the height of the tourist season and generally caters for the wrong clientele. Your thoughts about Fort George are interesting, I hope you are right!

**O'Callaghan** · 29th August 16, 09:57 AM

My wife's mother's mother was a Davidson from Stirling. Clan Davidson is generally a recognised Scottish clan from the border area, albeit they were founded as border reivers, a weasel word for people who rustled English livestock across the border. They certainly have their sett duly registered, and the STA date it from 1842. Not all Scottish clans are necessarily in the highlands.

**ThistleDown** · 29th August 16, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by O'Callaghan

My wife's mother's mother was a Davidson from Stirling. Clan Davidson is generally a recognised Scottish clan from the border area, albeit they were founded as border reivers, a weasel word for people who rustled English livestock across the border. They certainly have their sett duly registered, and the STA date it from 1842. Not all Scottish clans are necessarily in the highlands.

O'Callaghan, the name 'Davidson' is attached to five quite distinct clutches from as early as the 14C: The Borders (where they were tenants of the Scotts and Kerrs), Ayrshire, Mid-Lothian, Aberdeenshire/Angus, and Badenoch (where they were clients of the Mackintoshes and Macphersons). You are correct that only Badenoch is in the Highlands, but both recognised tartans evolved from there: the Davidsons of Tulloch and the Davidsons of Cantray.

**ThistleDown** · 29th August 16, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

Would I prefer that the NTC was in the Highland, absolutely. What's required? Central funding for the purchase and build of the Centre in a preferred location and a guaranteed 10+ funding package to meet the staff and running costs, including day to day enquiries and deeper research, irrespective of visitor income. Is that going to happen? Unfortunately not IMO and experience.

No, I think we all agree that that's a vague dream. We have such superb facilities as the Highland Heritage Centre at Inverness (https://www.highlifehighland.com/highland-archive centre/), well-funded, well-staffed, and doing superb research and archival work, and the Harris Tweed Authority (http://www.harristweed.org/) to protect and promote that iconic fabric, but we never seem to have been able to take the same level of ownership for tartan that we have for other aspects of our heritage.

**neloon** · 29th August 16, 12:57 PM

I believe the link to highlifehighland has not transcribed correctly - it should be
https://www.highlifehighland.com/hig...rchive-centre/

Alan

**ThistleDown** · 29th August 16, 01:49 PM

Thanks, Alan.

**figheadair** · 29th August 16, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by ThistleDown

No, I think we all agree that that's a vague dream. We have such superb facilities as the Highland Heritage Centre at Inverness (https://www.highlifehighland.com/highland-archive centre/), well-funded, well-staffed, and doing superb research and archival work, and the Harris Tweed Authority (http://www.harristweed.org/) to protect and promote that iconic fabric, but we never seem to have been able to take the same level of ownership for tartan that we have for other aspects of our heritage.

Am Fasgadh/the Highland Folk Museum is indeed a fantastic resource and fully deserves its funding suport from Highland Council which means, amongst other things, that entry is free. Unfortunatley no such offer is on the cards for the NTC.

The Harris Tweed Association is of course a commercial organisation that has the benefit of having its product protected in law by an Act of Parliament. The tartan genie is well and truly out of the bottle and it can never be protected in the same way, just look at the amount of tartan woven outside Scotland.

**ThistleDown** · 30th August 16, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

Am Fasgadh/the Highland Folk Museum is indeed a fantastic resource and fully deserves its funding suport from Highland Council which means, amongst other things, that entry is free. Unfortunatley no such offer is on the cards for the NTC.

I was referring to the Heritage Archives -- with its tartan component -- funded and maintained by Highland Council, and wondering if merging the NTC with an existing organisation has been given much consideration.

Two examples of centres that can't be merged are Am Fasgadh in Badenoch and Auchindrain in Argyll. Am Fasgadh's public funding allows it to continue researching and developing, whereas Auchindrain (http://www.auchindrain.org.uk/) struggles to make ends meet on entry fees and donations. Perhaps tartan archiving and researching could be combined with a publicly funded organisation such as the Heritage Archives or the Tartan Registry. Just thinking and looking for more background.

Thanks for keeping us informed, Peter. Best wishes for NTC's success.

**figheadair** · 30th August 16, 10:07 AM

All possibilities are being considered. The NTC itself will naturally stand by itself as far as the subject is concerned. The STA is already linked in with the National Archives, I sit on their Tartan Advisory Committee, but of course they are themselves Government funded and so ultimately it all comes from the same pot.

Interesting times and for the first time I can remember there is widespread support for the idea from across a range of organisations and key players.