what of the lowlanders??

[weeknee]

I see a lot about highlanders but what about the lowlanders?? Did they dress similarly?? Im in the midst of on again / off again research and am pretty sure my name comes from a lowland clan.....Thanx for any info.

[davidlpope]

It really depends on what time period you are talking about. Can you be more specific?

Historically, Lowland and Borders clothing tracked much more closely with styles south of the Border, instead of the more "picturesque" dress of the Highlanders, who were often viewed as barbarians by other Scots prior to the romanticism of the 19th century.

By the time of George IV's visit to Edinburgh in 1822 and the publication of the Vestiarium Scotium in 1842, many Lowland Families (not "clans" in a strict sense of the word) had already begun to adopt aspects of Highland culture, particularly tartan, which muddied the distinctions between the Highlands, Lowlands, and Borders.

In terms of current practice for "Scottish Gathering"-type events, I think the only clothing distinction between Highland/Lowland families may be a slight preference given among the Chiefs of Lowland families (e.g. the Duke of Buccleuch, the Chief of the Nisbets, Lord Borthwick, etc.) to wear regular trousers or tartan trews, instead of the kilt. This same kilt/trews distinction was traditionally applied to the Lowland Scottish units of the British Army, although there were a few exceptions.

Cordially,

David

[Jock Scot]

----- or to put it bluntly, the kilt is Highland Scots attire and the Lowland Scots have recently,say the last 100/150 years, borrowed it. Actually it was not really until the kilt hire business really got going in the 1970's was the kilt worn much in the Lowlands and I think this is one of the reasons that the kilt is regarded as "best dress", by so many.

[ThistleDown]

Until perhaps the late 1970s and except for very special occasions, my family didn't wear Highland dress outwith the Highlands. I agree with you, Jock, that it was the promotions of kilt hire firms that made the kilt popular for weddings and the like in the cities of the Lowlands.

Rex

[skauwt]

what about all the highlands and lowlanders that moved to the central belt ?

my great grandfather was originally from thurso his family moved to invernessshire area and then he moved here for work in about 1910-20 surely more folk wore the kilt here in the central belt than some may think

[Jock Scot]

Skauwt.

I am sorry ,but with the admitted arrogance of this Highlander(others too), it is thought that anything that is not the Highlands is, well, the Lowlands and the Central Belt is not in the Highlands!

You do raise a fair point about the Highlanders that moved, from necessity no doubt,to the South. I think that many a Highland kilt never saw the light of day after the move.

Did you ever hear the cry of "kilty,kilty cold bum" whilst you were at school? I did. That was a very common cruel taunt, amongst others, of Lowland school children that gave Highland children hell when at school down south. Certainly guaranteed to dissuade many a Highland child outside their natural surroundings from ever wearing the kilt.

[macwilkin]

what about all the highlands and lowlanders that moved to the central belt ?

my great grandfather was originally from thurso his family moved to invernessshire area and then he moved here for work in about 1910-20 surely more folk wore the kilt here in the central belt than some may think

There were at least two territorial battalions of Lowland regiments that wore the kilt; the "Dandy" 9th Battalion of the Royal Scots, and the Glasgow Highlanders, which were a TA battalion of the old Highland Light Infantry -- both the RS and the HLI wore trews. The Dandy 9th's ranks were Highlanders who had moved to Edinburgh.

Chappell's Scottish Units in the World Wars depicts a sergeant of the 9th Royal Scots in a Stewart Hunting kilt. I just found this picture of the noted Olympic runner Arthur Farrimond, who served with the 9th during WWI:

http://www.boltonrevisited.org.uk/sei/s/1397/1097.jpg

Source: http://www.boltonrevisited.org.uk/p-...farrimond.html

T.



T.

[skauwt]

Skauwt.

I am sorry ,but with the admitted arrogance of this Highlander(others too), it is thought that anything that is not the Highlands is, well, the Lowlands and the Central Belt is not in the Highlands!

You do raise a fair point about the Highlanders that moved, from necessity no doubt,to the South. I think that many a Highland kilt never saw the light of day after the move.

Did you ever hear the cry of "kilty,kilty cold bum" whilst you were at school? I did. That was a very common cruel taunt, amongst others, of Lowland school children that gave Highland children hell when at school down south. Certainly guaranteed to dissuade many a Highland child outside their natural surroundings from ever wearing the kilt.

sadly im a wee bit young to have had those taunts i was only born in 78 and being in the central belt folk i went to school with had ancestors from both northern and southern scotland so where more open to the idea of kilts compared to southern counterparts perhaps
as you mentioned in a post a few months back kilts where seen to be mostly a military thing in the past and with the 2 world wars perhaps folk just didn't want to be reminded of the horrors of war regardless of there heritage in the 20th century

i understand that folk from the north may refer to anything south as the lowlands but the central belt is certainly neither the highlands or the lowlands i just wish folk around the world would actually relise that scotland doesnt just consist of lowlands /highlands and that most of the current population of this fine nation actually live in the central belt
i can see the start of the highlands but that doesn't mean im a lowlander due to living slightly south of that geological line

[BoldHighlander]

There were at least two territorial battalions of Lowland regiments that wore the kilt; the "Dandy" 9th Battalion of the Royal Scots, and the Glasgow Highlanders, which were a TA battalion of the old Highland Light Infantry -- both the RS and the HLI wore trews. The Dandy 9th's ranks were Highlanders who had moved to Edinburgh.

On pages 31 & 32 of the Vintage Kilts photo thread I posted some photos of the Glasgow Highlanders. Here's one of them below:

Queen Elizabeth reviewing the Glasgow Highlanders (1964)

[davidlpope]

i understand that folk from the north may refer to anything south as the lowlands but the central belt is certainly neither the highlands or the lowlands i just wish folk around the world would actually relise that scotland doesnt just consist of lowlands /highlands and that most of the current population of this fine nation actually live in the central belt

You mean Gordon Menzies got it wrong?

From the Gaberlunzie song "Schiehallion":

Chorus:
Schiehallion, Schiehallion, I hear your voice calling
Across the great glen to the coast of Argyle
The Lowlands, the Highlands, the Borders, the Islands
All drink tae the back o' Schiehallion