My parents are staying with us at the moment and yesterday Little Owl and I took them for an outing to the Scottish Mining Museum. I have drawn one of the coal trucks for you. I find industrial typography irresistible. Little Owl had a whale of a time exploring the old buildings and interesting bits of cogs and wheels. An ex-miner gave us a tour of the old workings and and a mock-up of the coal face. John started mining when he was 15 and he explained to us what things had been like when he first went into the mines. We all found the whole thing fascinating and if you’re looking for a wet weather activity around Edinburgh I’d recommend it. I found the audio exhibition of witness statements collected by the Royal Commission of 1842 especially moving. Check out this song (The Testimony of Patience Kershaw) by the Unthanks which tells the story of one of the children documented by the Commission.
Also, have a look at my friend Emma’s blog where she has posted some beautiful pics of our day out in Fife.
