Feather bonnet age?

[Jags]

The trick is the sizing, at least for somebody like me with a big head, 62 in UK sizing.

Feather bonnets are made to exact sizes, just as Glengarries and Balmorals are.

Anyhow here's several of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders feather bonnets being worn



And here in action, the last days of the Argylls... but they've come back before!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d9zS9IxwYw

In their current Public Duties role, the pared-down "incremental company" (Balaclava Company)

The pipes & drums appear to be those of 4 SCOTS (The Highlanders)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enmLzK0E3ok

which makes me wonder what happened to the pipes & drums of 5 SCOTS. One would think in their ceremonial role having their own pipes & drums would be necessary.

Great photo! I notice they're all wearing white plumes. Both my bonnets came with red plumes and I had thought only the Black Watch were allowed to wear red plumes, but then I read that other Pipes and Drums wore red and so it was overlooked. Interesting that the Argyll's band wore white.

[48HofC]

Great photo! I notice they're all wearing white plumes. Both my bonnets came with red plumes and I had thought only the Black Watch were allowed to wear red plumes, but then I read that other Pipes and Drums wore red and so it was overlooked. Interesting that the Argyll's band wore white.

The plumes are actually called hackles and a usually made from vulture feathers by tradition. Most of the Highland regiments , Gordons, Argylls, Queens Own Highrs, RHF wore white hackles except for the BW with red. The military Band of the SCOTS wore red for a while, not sure if they still do, and the Scots Guards pipers wear red and blue. White has been the standard for years.

[Jags]

The plumes are actually called hackles and a usually made from vulture feathers by tradition. Most of the Highland regiments , Gordons, Argylls, Queens Own Highrs, RHF wore white hackles except for the BW with red. The military Band of the SCOTS wore red for a while, not sure if they still do, and the Scots Guards pipers wear red and blue. White has been the standard for years.

Oh, aren't hackles the short ones worn on Glengarries and Balmorals and plumes the longer ones worn on feather bonnets?

[Taskr]

Coghlin & Upton, Military Accoutrements and Historical Supplies, UK, uses Plumes, Hackles & Tufts on their web page for such items. I can't much tell the difference between them.

[48HofC]

Oh, aren't hackles the short ones worn on Glengarries and Balmorals and plumes the longer ones worn on feather bonnets?

Might be a cultural thing between English and Scots, or military vs civilian. When I was was issued my bonnet I had to sign for it and - hackle, white, feather bonnet. I know some of the English regiments refer to them as plumes depending on what they are made of. The short hackles are only worn on the tam'o shanter and the cockfeather is worn on the glen with the exception of the pipers of the Highlanders who wear an eagle feather.

[Jags]

Might be a cultural thing between English and Scots, or military vs civilian. When I was was issued my bonnet I had to sign for it and - hackle, white, feather bonnet. I know some of the English regiments refer to them as plumes depending on what they are made of. The short hackles are only worn on the tam'o shanter and the cockfeather is worn on the glen with the exception of the pipers of the Highlanders who wear an eagle feather.

It was a guy at the Highlander's Museum in Fort George that corrected me when I called it a hackle. Mind you, he also told me all of the regiments covered by the museum wore red and white dicing...

[48HofC]

It was a guy at the Highlander's Museum in Fort George that corrected me when I called it a hackle. Mind you, he also told me all of the regiments covered by the museum wore red and white dicing...

Another consideration is only the pipes and drums wore feather bonnets after full ceremonial dress was done away with, and they might be called plumes by those outside the bands. Last I heard there were only 3 full time staff at the museum, the rest volunteers, so who knows where his info came from. By the way, at one point the Gordons wore the red/green/white dicing as well.

[Jags]

Anyone know when plastic straps first made an appearance?

[slothead]

There aren't nearly enough pictures in this thread to make it useful!

[OC Richard]

To my mind "plume" conjures up a very different thing, like a big ostrich feather worn in a musketeer or pirate hat.

The Black Watch wore red hackles in their feather bonnets but also in their Tam O Shanters. The TOS hackles are of course much shorter.

I can't recall seeing any of the Scottish Highland regiments wearing hackles in their Glengarries.

Various regiments also wore hackles in their sun helmets.

With the formation of The Royal Regiment Of Scotland it became hackles in the TOS for all battalions:

1SCOTS black
2SCOTS white
3SCOTS red
4SCOTS blue
5SCOTS green
6SCOTS grey
7SCOTS purple

The pipers of the Cameron Highlanders wore eagle feathers in their Glens, while pipers of several regiments wore a blackcock's tail.