h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well done, the history of tartan is pretty complicated and confusing at times, but this article is a good place to start.

Why thank you!

It could have been a huge and complicated entry as there is so much information to be had on this subject, but if I say so myself I'm proud of this one - simple but informative!

I've got to admit that I was not aware that the modern kilt (the one that pops up in awful wedding photos) was invented by an Englishman!

You know what, it serves us Scots right!

I'm afraid that much of your early history is highly inaccurate and misleading. Suggest you look at www.tartansauthority.com.

fords,
I enjoyed your entry and was enjoying the comments until I saw
the rather unkind posting from Tartan Man above.
I say unkind, not because it is entirely untrue but because it
lacks specifics.

Instead of offering suggestions he makes a general dismissal of the
entire effort. Grossly unfair and ignorant. If only he had opened
a dialog on some particular point. Then a discussion could have followed
and various points considered.

For example, I had recent conversation with re-enactors of several
Highland Regiments which served in North America during the so called
French-Indian Wars, the Revolution of 1776 and the War of 1812.

Their understanding of their equipment and dress comes from both
official historic records and writings by their ancestors who often
served in the original regiments before being granted lands in the
colonies and settling here.

Two points they made which stand out in my memory are the suggestion
that the original designs were copied from Roman togas. The Scots
along Hadrian's wall saw and appreciated the general efficiency of
Roman military styles and copied and improved upon it.

And they believe, based on personal letters and official complaints,
that corruption in English bureaucracy led to the evolution of the small
plaid. Standard issue of 9 yards of tartan was cut to 6 by greedy suppliers
and middle-men who gave 'cut-backs' to ordinance officers and government
clerks. Attempts to complain were met with resistance by officers who insisted
that since the upper body was to be covered with the official and standard
British red coat 9 yards of tartan material was surplus to requirements.
This 'shortage' resulted in the need to adapt the cloth.

Because these claims are made by descendants of men issued insufficient
material to create a full sized blanket and who subsequently froze in the
woods of New England winters, I am inclined to believe the stories.

Of course every army is full of whiners and complainers who blame their
officers government bureaucrats for all the hardships they encounter.


~jwf~

Thanks for the kind comments It is a little bare in parts but at the time I did want to keep the article simple but informative. I must admit, I missed Tartan Man's comment at the time - I've only seen it now because of your post