Some Victorian tartans for Welsh names

[figheadair]

Long before the establishment of the Welsh Tartans Centres a series of tartans for Welsh surnames were designed by the now defuncted firm Wm. Ross & Son of Alva in the late 19th century. All of the designs were Patented in 1876, possibly the earliest examples of tartans being protected.

Correctlt speaking these were a small series of tartans that had Welsh names as opposed to being Welsh tartans per se. There are eleven of these Patented tartans, some of the names are found throughout Britain, others are purely Welsh in origin and some have other tartans more commonly associated with the name today: Anderson, Brown, Evans, Hughes, Hunter, Jones, Marshall, Roberts, Smith, Thomson and Williams. Here's the latter.

[KiltedKnome]

Is the thread count of the Williams tartan accessible?

[tripleblessed]

Is there a site where we can see the rest? More than curiosity; a couple are family lines. My Hughes came from Kingoldrum. Thomsons not yet
known for sure, but still interesting. I'm sure none are available.

[figheadair]

Is the thread count of the Williams tartan accessible?

Forgive me for asking but why would you want it?

[figheadair]

Is there a site where we can see the rest? More than curiosity; a couple are family lines. My Hughes came from Kingoldrum. Thomsons not yet
known for sure, but still interesting. I'm sure none are available.

Not there isn't, I was sharing some research I recently did. You're righ, none are currently woven; but they could be if there was sufficient interest.

[KiltedKnome]

Forgive me for asking but why would you want it?

If permitted (patented in 1800's ....still restricted?), I would like to weave it. My last name is Williams (my grandfather's family moved from Wales to Barbados in the early 1800s). I have a scarf in the Williams tartan from the Welsh Tartan Centre, but I have never been fond of the colours, pattern.

[figheadair]

If permitted (patented in 1800's ....still restricted?), I would like to weave it. My last name is Williams (my grandfather's family moved from Wales to Barbados in the early 1800s). I have a scarf in the Williams tartan from the Welsh Tartan Centre, but I have never been fond of the colours, pattern.

If you're a weaver and it's for personal use then I'm happy to share. Email me info@scottishtartans.co.uk

[LKM]

I have seen several tartans from Wales that predate the Welsh Tartan Center by a few hundred years, most of these appear to be fashion tartans without a family connection implied with them. Many of the known welsh artifact tartans have been named for the earliest known person who owned them, and most were not registered or listed anywhere until recently. There are numerous pictures from the Victorian era that show tartan scarves, waistcoats, aprons, and shawls in all parts of Wales.

Some, clearly not all, of the tartans are listed at https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ yet you will need to search by name for the tartans.

[figheadair]

I have seen several tartans from Wales that predate the Welsh Tartan Center by a few hundred years, most of these appear to be fashion tartans without a family connection implied with them. Many of the known welsh artifact tartans have been named for the earliest known person who owned them, and most were not registered or listed anywhere until recently. There are numerous pictures from the Victorian era that show tartan scarves, waistcoats, aprons, and shawls in all parts of Wales.

Some, clearly not all, of the tartans are listed at https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ yet you will need to search by name for the tartans.

By a 100-150 years (mid-Victorian) then yes but nothing much before then as far as I know.