Robert Kerr

Born: 7 September, 1927, in Armadale, West Lothian.

Died: 25 April, 2009, aged 81.

SCOTTISH politics was a major part of Robert Kerr's life and he was a passionate campaigner for the Scottish National Party and independence. His political participation started when he was a relatively young district councillor in the 1960s, and was a stalwart of the local branch – one of the many people whose tireless efforts behind the scenes are the backbone of any organisation.

Robert Kerr was born in 1927 in West Lothian, the fourth child of Jim and Mary Kerr and brother to Davie (well known local historian and poet), Jessie, Jimmy and Agnes. He attended Armadale Primary School, becoming Dux in 1939, and went on to Bathgate Old Academy. On leaving school he became an apprentice architect with Thomas Roberts of Bathgate, during which time he also attended Glasgow Art College on day release. Robert eventually qualified as an architectural draughtsman and worked for many different employers over the years.

He was in the Scouts and enjoyed camping and youth hostelling. In his early teens, Robert became a keen piper and joined Whitrigg Colliery Pipe Band, and he also followed in his father's footsteps when he played the cornet in Armadale Brass Band. At the age of 19 he did his National Service, with postings to England and Germany. At one time, in England, he was left on his own to guard three high-ranking German officers in a castle, and freely admitted that he would probably have run a mile had they tried to escape. In 1953, he married Jessie Brown from Torphichen village, where they settled and raised a family of four.

Long-time friend Billy Wolfe, the chairman of the SNP from 1969-79 and also from Torphichen, recalls how in 1959 Robert not only persuaded him to join the party but also to stand as a candidate for the West Lothian constituency, thus directly influencing the shape and direction of the Party over the next 20 years and more.

Robert was also an ardent fundraiser for the SNP. He was particularly interested in supporting craft workers and selling their produce. He and Jessie were to be found at craft fairs all over Scotland for many years. He also sold the produce of his own large and beautifully kept garden.

Robert campaigned vigorously with others for the re-opening to passenger traffic of the railway line from Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate. He began as soon as the line was closed and he stimulated the SNP to campaign with him. Partial success came in 1986 with the re-opening of the route from Edinburgh to Bathgate, while work has now started on the missing link to Airdrie. Robert's quite exceptional dedication to the aims of the SNP were recognised by his party colleagues in 1978, when he had completed 25 years as a member, with the presentation of a set of crystal glasses, and he continued to be a pillar of the SNP for the next 26 years.

He always had a keen interest in Scotland's history and heritage, especially at a local level, although it wasn't until he retired that this hobby became almost a full-time occupation. He loved Scots words and language and was an enthusiastic member of the West Lothian "Broadly Scots Society", and he also learned to speak some Gaelic at night school.

Scholars are often described as "men of letters" – in Robert's case this was quite literally true. With his depth of knowledge, insight and forensic political mind, Robert corresponded with a fervour with the Scottish press for many years, most notably The Scotsman and West Lothian Courier. The number of letters he had published must easily run into three figures. Eventually, in recognition of his valued contribution to their pages, The Scotsman awarded Robert a gold pen, which was quite an accolade.

Gardening was a major hobby and he spent many hours developing his large plot at Torphichen, although he slowly introduced the best labour saving device there is… large areas of concrete. When he had done his own garden he could often be seen digging an elderly neighbour's, and he even spent a couple of summers single-handedly clearing the drains at the local Scout camp, never expecting any reward for his efforts.

Robert spent all of his working life in the building industry and was for many years a clerk of works on major housing projects. In his latter working years his vast experience earned him a position as a housing inspector with West Lothian Council where he remained until his retirement in 1991.

This then became Robert's favourite period of his life, as he had all the time he wanted to devote to his study of local history. He wrote dozens of pamphlets on just about every community in West Lothian and was soon on first name terms with the local library staff. In 2008 (by which time Robert was very ill) his book Armadale in Minutes was compiled and published by the History of Armadale Association.

To many folk who knew him he personified the ten Scout laws; "Trusty, loyal, helpful / Brotherly, courteous, kind / Obedient, smiling, thrifty / Pure as the rustling wind". Robert Kerr is survived by wife Jessie, four children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Upon hearing of his passing Alex Salmond, the First Minister, paid the following tribute; "I still remember with great affection my days of activity in West Lothian in the 1970's when Robert was a stalwart of the Association, and remember thinking how the strength of the country was reflected in the skilled artisans such as Robert at the heart of our campaigns – I still believe that and will miss Robert very much indeed."