18th century scottish regiments

[Troglodyte]

I can't find the original but here is the aquatint showing Grenadiers of the 42nd or Royal and 92nd or Gordon Highlanders by J C Stadler after Charles Hamilton Smith, 1812.

Attachment 43979

The tartan appears to be Wilsons of Bannockburn's 42nd Pattern Officers, Sergeants and Privates which was included in their 1819 Key Pattern Book as Coarse Kilt with Red. Here's me weaving it.

Attachment 43980

The Coarse Kilt with Red tartan appears to have been adopted by the 42nd in the 1780s and seems to have been what Logan, whose reference was based on David Stewart of Garth's history of the 42nd, seems to have been the basis for the 42nd red line claim. I am not aware of any contemporary evidence to support Lord John Murray introducing the red stripe.

It's great to see proper hands-on weaving in action!

Is what you are weaving a replica of the added-red version that Garth mentions? Your photo makes it appear different from the woven examples of Black Watch Red Hackle to be found online, and the Register's digital image of it. I assume the red overstripes are placed differently.

I had imagined the original BW with the red overstripe running in place of the narrow black line on the green, or between the two central black lines on the blue.

Do you know of an original sample still in existance?

[figheadair]

It's great to see proper hands-on weaving in action!

Is what you are weaving a replica of the added-red version that Garth mentions? Your photo makes it appear different from the woven examples of Black Watch Red Hackle to be found online, and the Register's digital image of it. I assume the red overstripes are placed differently.

I had imagined the original BW with the red overstripe running in place of the narrow black line on the green, or between the two central black lines on the blue.

Do you know of an original sample still in existance?

I'm weaving the tartan from Wilsons 1819 Key Pattern Book where it was called Coarse Kilt with Red. The 1790 Account Book listed it as Officers’, Sergeants’ and Privates' Kilts for the 42nd Regiment.

It was a simplified sett with alternating blue/green grounds.



Alas, there is no known surviving example but it appears to be the sett worn by John Murray 4th Duke of Atholl in this portrait c.1782. He'd served in the 42nd regiment and was a Murray - coincidence with the claim that Col Murray introduced the red line?