Kirking

[macwilkin]

Much of this article was drawn from the Massachusetts St. Andrew's Society. The US institution of the Kirkin may well have been largely a propaganda move to gain support for the war effort amongst US Scots.

As Paul mentioned in a previous post, I have been researching the history of the Kirkin' tradition for well over a decade, and I have yet to find any documentation for a pre-1941 origin of the service. In fact, a good friend of mine in the Baton Rouge Caledonian Society wrote the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and obtained a copy of Dr. Peter Marshall's first "kirkin" sermon from the Spring of 1941. If Dr. Marshall were aware of such an "ancient" tradition, one would think he would reference it -- there is none, only references to the Allied cause against fascism and common cause of Great Britain and the USA. While there certainly were elements of "propaganda" (a word with a pejorative tint to it), the main reason for the service was a fundraiser for the efforts of the wife of a Highland Chief to relocate children from Glasgow and Edinburgh to the Highlands to protect them from Nazi air raids.

Personally, I have always wondered if the Conventicles of the Lowland Scottish Covenanting Presbyterians were more of Dr. Marshall's inspiration, given his background and Coatbridge origins, but it's pretty safe to say that no primary source document, even Carmichael's collection of Highland prayers & charms, confirm a specific liturgy by the Catholic or Episcopalian Churches for the blessing of outlawed tartan. That being said, if one ever appears, I'll be the first to amend my article, but until then, I just simply can't endorse the "myth".

T.

[Peter Crowe]

As Paul mentioned in a previous post, I have been researching the history of the Kirkin' tradition for well over a decade, and I have yet to find any documentation for a pre-1941 origin of the service. In fact, a good friend of mine in the Baton Rouge Caledonian Society wrote the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and obtained a copy of Dr. Peter Marshall's first "kirkin" sermon from the Spring of 1941. If Dr. Marshall were aware of such an "ancient" tradition, one would think he would reference it -- there is none, only references to the Allied cause against fascism and common cause of Great Britain and the USA. While there certainly were elements of "propaganda" (a word with a pejorative tint to it), the main reason for the service was a fundraiser for the efforts of the wife of a Highland Chief to relocate children from Glasgow and Edinburgh to the Highlands to protect them from Nazi air raids.

Personally, I have always wondered if the Conventicles of the Lowland Scottish Covenanting Presbyterians were more of Dr. Marshall's inspiration, given his background and Coatbridge origins, but it's pretty safe to say that no primary source document, even Carmichael's collection of Highland prayers & charms, confirm a specific liturgy by the Catholic or Episcopalian Churches for the blessing of outlawed tartan. That being said, if one ever appears, I'll be the first to amend my article, but until then, I just simply can't endorse the "myth".

T.

I agree Todd!

The only reference I ever read of 'Kirkin' the tartan I ever came across in my 37 years living in Scotland (including 4 years studying Scottish History at University) was in the American, Scotty MacThomas's book "So Your Going To Wear The Kilt". I heard of 'Kirkin' the Council services in Burghs before Local Government Reform in 1975, and the 'Kirkin' of the Cornet service in Hawick (still extant) prior to the annual Common Riding festivities.

The Rev. Peter Marshall explanation that you give makes total sense, and I think you are on to something with the Conventicles of the Covenanters, who were primarily from Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, and Dumfriesshire.