White Cockade?

[Peter Crowe]

I would completely agree.

While we are on the subject I would be grateful for Jock’s comments on something relevant.

The persecution of the Highlands after 1745 is often spoken of simply as the English persecuting the Scots. Surely that’s only partly true? It was a small part of Scotland being persecuted by the rest of the UK, including the rest of the Scots.

One of the most distinguishing features of Scottishness since the days of John Knox was their Presbyterian religion, which had wide spread grass roots support and by C17 standards a democratic structure. This was why the Scots opposed the Stuarts from Mary Queen of Scots to James VII, who were both catholic. The Highlands by contrast had never been Presbyterian. The Jacobites were a threat to that religious settlement.

I hope I can say without controversy that the treatment of the Highlands after Culloden was wicked and as an Englishman I am deeply ashamed. I am not trying to white wash the English.

I agree with this, although I would add one caveat, that support for Jacobitism did not break down on strictly Highland/Lowland lines. There were North Eastern Episcopalians (culturally and geographically Lowland) who were Jacobite, and there were Highland Clans (and not just the House of MacCailein Mòr) even then who were Presbyterian and supported Hanover. Some Clans also backed Charles Edward Stuart for non-ideological or non-religious reasons, as they resented the power of Clan Campbell and believed a Stuart restoration would increase their relative power and prestige.