Tartan Adoption in the Borders

[davidlpope]

I've recently been re-reading George MacDonald Fraser's "The Steel Bonnets". I'm intrigued by the question of when clan tartans were officially approved by the chiefs of the Borders families.

It seems that many of the most powerful Borders families were included in the VS. When did these designs gain approval from these Borders families, given that this wasn't traditional in that area?

Did the Borders chiefs officially sanction these tartans? Did they register their designs in a manner similar to the HSL?

Any suggestions for books that deal with this issue are appreciated. Thank you for your help.

[The Wizard of BC]

This is an interesting question and one I get on a regular basis.

May I suggest you take a look at the listings for each Tartan you are interested in.
The official Scottish Govt. listing can be found @ https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/
The Scottish Tartans Authority listing can be found @ http://www.tartansauthority.com/tartan-ferret

As just one example - The Tartan Border Bell;
is listed not as a Clan or family Tartan but a name Tartan
The International Tartan Index number is 370
Dated 1987
Designed by James Scarlett

The description is;
"Initiated by Mrs May Roberts (now Madam McKerrell of Hillhouse) in 1987 as a tartan for the Scottish 'Bells' and designed by James Scarlett MBE. It was originally known as 'Bell (Blackethouse)' - Blackethouse being the former chiefly home of the Bells - and was registered with STS in 1986/87. However, one of the family of Bell of Blackethouse told Mrs Roberts that it 'caused offence' as the name would be used by the Chief when appointed by Lord Lyon so she requested a name change to 'Border Bell' in 1989. To recap, this Bell here (370) is 'Border Bell and has a Scottish lineage. No 1489 is Bell of the Borders and has a US lineage. The story is more complicated than can be documented here and reference should be made to Tartans Authority archives.' 'Bell South' is the name given to this tartan by the American based Clan Bell International. Sample in STA Johnston Collection. Notes in Electric Scotland include the statement "acquired when the Clan Bell International and Clan Bell Descendants merged. The tartan is named "Bell South." Both tartans will be registered with the Lord Lyon office at the appropriate time." As at August 2009, there are no Bell tartans recorded in any of the Lyon Court Books."

It is interesting that The Court of the Lord Lyon is given such prominence as The Court deals with Heraldry and not Tartan. The Lyon Court website now directs the subject of Tartans to the Scottish Register.
Your mention of the VS is also interesting. There is a very good article on The Vestiarium Scoticum on the STA website - http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...rium-scoticum/

[figheadair]

The HSL's Vol 2 was compiled 1906-36 and contains a number of Lowland tartans certified by the relevant chief. Before this date they wore what the Sobieski Stuarts or later authors invented for them but had not, so far as I know, officially adopted their 'clan tartan'.

[Jock Scot]

The HSL's Vol 2 was compiled 1906-36 and contains a number of Lowland tartans certified by the relevant chief. Before this date they wore what the Sobieski Stuarts or later authors invented for them but had not, so far as I know, officially adopted their 'clan tartan'.

I am no tartan expert, but what you have written above is pretty much how I understand things went in the Lowlands.

I think some get rather snooty when discussing tartans designed by the Sobieski Stuarts and others. Someone had to design them and whoever designed them, some of these tartans are still older than many countries.