Losing my Marbles

My current fortunes appear to be the inverse of Blip....

Okay, so I'm still waiting for the formal offer of the newjob, waiting on them getting the references sorted out, but today was a rather superb day. If a little scary. And most certainly exciting.

I've blipped the Craigentinny Marbles twice before, but today I was back, with a cameraman (or VJ as he was referred to) Blair, and producer chap Moray (who said he fancied a trip out of the office, but I suspect was seeing if I was any good). Any good at what though? Presenting on the tellybox... Blair and Moray were from STV Edinburgh, and I was essentially trying out for doing some local history stuff. They've got a new, immediately popular, show called The People's History, and it's filled with segments from Edinburgh and Glasgow (as it's also shown on STV Glasgow) that aim to be a bit 'I didn't know about that' in approach.

Hence the Marbles. I was stunned to be offered the chance to present, and chat with members of Craigentinny Bowling Club which sits in the shadow. And feedback afterwards was positive on the possibility of future pieces. They like the 'cycling' angle (I was there on my bike, and did lots of filler shots riding past and up to the camera), and it turns out I can natter to camera quite happily (only one unplanned retake in the whole three and a bit hours).

Draining, but happy.

Helped I'd done my research. Pay attention, this is the history bit.

The Craigentinny Marbles (so called because the friezes on the sides were reminiscent of the nicked Elgin Marbles) is a mausoleum. There's a chap called William Henry Miller in there, who was MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, and heir to the Craigentinny Estate. When he died his will contained burial instructions, so he's about 40 feet below, in a concrete shaft. All sorts of rumours abounded as to why he would go to such lengths, including that he was actually a woman (which seemed to be based on the fact he was slight of frame, never married, and didn't grow a beard...). More likely is that when he died in 1848 there was still a grave robbing problem in the city.

The structure above was (partially) completed about 8 years later. Those involved in creating it are just as interesting. David Rhind was the architect, and he just happens to be the guy who designed (amongst other things) the Dome on George Street in Edinburgh, and Stewart Melville's College. So not exactly a lightweight. The friezes, depicting biblical scenes (the dark Overthrow of Pharoah in the Red Sea on the north side, and much lighter the Song of Moses and Miriam on the south), were added a further decade later. Carved by Alfred Gatley, originally from near Macclesfield, but wound up living and working in Rome. The Pharaoh frieze was exhibited in the 1862 International Exhibition in London (it should have been accompanied by Moses and Miriam, but it wasn't ready in time, coming a year later). Their addition was actually 3 years after Gatley himself had died. Allegedly (according to three different residents who came up to ask what we were doing) there were supposed to be two smaller friezes on the east and west elevations, but the boat carrying them sank in the Forth en route from Rome.

It's a massive monument when you get a sense of scale next to the 30s bungalows around it, and I just love it, so I was chuffed to get the chance to share it. I've got some voiceover stuff still to record, but today I paid attention, and learned, and made sure I did exactly as I was told (as well as occasionally surprising them I think, like delivering an unscripted 2 minute monologue on the above straight off the bat, without hesitation or deviation, though there may have been some repetition).

I mean, this is all low key stuff really (and unpaid at this juncture), but so good to be involved in, and it's given me a bit of a taste to want to do more. Fingers crossed that can happen, it was always really in my own hands to make sure I delivered today.

Now, need to get in touch with some folk about this Scottish cycling magazine possibility....