Leatherneck Tartan Question...

[Chef]

I understand the distinction you're making, but I get the distinct impression that the vast majority of tartans were created by the marketing departments of industrial revolution-era mills.

True to an extent but with an important distiction. The designers and mills turned out many tartans which were identified by number only. Families, Clans and other organisations that didn't have registered tartans adopted these tartans and in many cases eventualy registered them as theirs. Yes in many cases it was originally the mills that put the names to the numbers and they were later identified with a clan or clans.

Today organisations that wish to have their own tartan have it designed for them. I am not aware of books of unnamed and unsold tartans that organisations choose from to call their own. many of these designs are restricted. However that doesn't mean that mills wait for someone to ask for a tartan, far from it. Lately the marketing dept. of mills have decided to design tartans to fill a need they identify as a good marketing niche. It is these I have a problem with.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Chef,

If you'll allow me to make a few corrections to your history. You are correct in that many tartans were originally designed by mills and assigned numbers, and were only later associated with names. However, the manner in which these tartans recieved their names is anything but cut-and-dry.

One principle that needs to be understood from the beginning is that there is no such thing as "registering a tartan" to make it official. There is no official registery of tartans (there is actually a bill before Scottish Parliament on this matter, but that's a whole 'nother post). What you do have are various collections of tartans. The largest, by far (and the one referenced by the majority of those producing tartan today) is the International Tartan Index maintained by the Scottish Tartans Authority.

In the eighteenth century, there were no collections of tartans! This didn't come about until the early nineteenth century, and one of the first was the collection of the Highland Society of London. But this wasn't a registery in the sense that a tartan must be in their collection to be official. Rather, it was a private collection meant to preserve record of certain tartans for future generations.

What the Highland Society of London did was to ask the clan cheifs to submit samples of their tartans for the collection. And this is what makes the tartans "official" as it were -- the acceptance of the clan cheif. It doesn't matter is the tartan is 500 years old or 5 minutes old, if the clan cheif says this is the clan tartan, then it is the clan tartan.

We get some interesting stories from the Highland Society of London collection, and the records of eighteenth and nineteenth century tartan weavers, such as Wilsons of Bannockburn. One of my favorite examples is Wilsons' tartan No. 43. The first name Wilsons gave to this tartan was "Caledonia," a nice romantic fancy name. Then that same tartan was called "Kidd," not because it was formally adopted by the Kidd family, but rather because they sold a certain amount of that pattern to a gentleman named Kidd. (This is still the Kidd tartan sold today, by the way).

Later on, they sold quantities of this cloth to a gentleman named MacPherson who used it (apparantly)to outfit his slaves in the West Indies. So his name was added to the tartan record.

So when the Highland Society of London wrote to the MacPherson cheif asking for a sample of his "clan tartan," he simply asked Wilsons to send him "the MacPherson tartan" and what he recieved was No. 43, or Kidd. This he attached his seal to and submitted to the Highland Society for their collection. And today we know it as the MacPherson tartan.

Sometimes tartans recieved their names because a person of that name bought the tartan. Sometimes the name comes from some other connection -- maybe the name of the designer of the tartan. Maybe it was named after a city it sold well in, like Aberdeen or Dundee.

In their 1819 Key Pattern Book, Wilsons has this note next to the count for the Logan tartan: "Note: Can get no information how this pattern was named Logan. Most probably it was after a Merchant called Thomas Logan who made or procured for us a number of new patterns."

In that same book they give counts for two MacNab tartans. By one, they have the note: "This is the real Clan MacNab Tartan. The pattern named No. 199 or MacNab having been only made within these 20 years has no claim whatever to be the Tartan of this ancient Clan."

Again, from that same book, by the Ritch tartan, they write, "This sett was named RITCH from the great quantity of silk with which it was generally made." In other words, Ritch is a spelling varient of "rich" (as in rich cloth) and not a surname at all!

By the Waggrall tartan, they write that it was named after a merchant name dWaggrall.

Wilsons also kept many of the letters they recieved. One letter, from a merchant, simply said, "Please send a sample of the Rose tartan. If there is none, please send another tartan and call it Rose."

Now, as to the subject of this thread, many of the US military tartans are the product of the commercial weaving industry. Strathmore Woolen mill is the main producer and designer of many of these (USAF, Armed Forces, Sea Bees, and Army). However, the Leatherneck tartan was not designed by a woolen mill or any other commercial interest.

It was designed by Bob Hall (an American) and Ruardi Halford MacLeod (a Scot) to honor the USMC. They did it simply because they wanted such a tartan, and to my knowledge haven't made a dime off of it.

However, none of the US military branches have officially adopted a tartan, with the exception of the Coast Guard (and oddly enough, that is one you don't see in general production). So all of these military tartans (except Coast Guard) are, strictly speaking, fashion tartans.

Now, out of all the military fashion tartans, the Leatherneck has the longest history (being designed in 1984, more than 20 years ago), and is perhaps the most widely used. This means that through wont and usage, even though this tartan has never been aopted by the USMC, it has nearly the status of an official tartan, as far as its wearers are concerned. It's been around long enough to have a bit of tradition behind it.

I'm not saying this in order to dictate one way or another whether a non-marine should wear the Leatherneck tartan. That's strictly up to the tartan wearer. But being aware of the circumstances of the creation of the tartan and its usage can help you make up your mind about wearing it.

Aye,
Matt

[Riverkilt]

Go for it AnimalK,

I'm waiting for an RAF tartan kilt to honor my late father's service in the RAF. Think that's an unofficial tartan too. But the principle is that I want to honor my father's service.

Same deal on the Leatherneck tartan. My USMC service was pretty embarrassing, if/when I do get one it'll probably be more to honor my late brother's service as a Marine Drill Instructor than my own.

Stand tall. If anyone asks or questions you just tell them your reasons. If they disrespect that they're just either rude or rule bound.

Ron

[Raphael]

Thank you for great information, Matt.

Was Bob Hall ever a member of the USMC?

[filman]

As a former Marine I say go for it and honor your father and your friends.
Wear it with honor and pride.

Matt thanks for that breif history.

[AnimalK]

Thanks for the responses, y'all. When I get it, I shall wear it proudly.

Who knows, maybe my dad will want to steal it from me...

[TartanMarine]

I discovered this site while checking on the Leatherneck Tartan. I am the Bob Hall who started the project, and designed the Leatherneck Tartan, with input from Rory MacLeod of the STS. The writer who said I had not made a dime off it is correct--but I have spent quite a few on the project. I put the project in hand to give Marines and Marine supporters a way to honor the Corps at Scottish functions.

I have absolutely no objection to family members and friends of Marines wearing the tartan to honor them. I would object if a wannabe was holding himself out as a Marine and had never served.

The tartan is also open to Navy personnel, such as our beloved Corpsmen, who served with Marines.

Robert A. Hall, FSA Scot, CAE
tartanmarine@charter.net

[Riverkilt]

Semper Fi, welcome aboard, and thank you for your service - including the most beautiful tartan design.

I did get one sewn up by Kathy Lare and I love it and wear it with pride in honor of my late brother's USMC service and all the Corps stands for over the years.

Ron

[jackson1863]

I am an Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom who would have no problem with anyone wearing the Army tartan. In my opinion, wearing the Army tartan shows support for every soldier who has served and is serving.

By wearing the Marine Corps tartan, you would be showing support for the Corps.

I say wear it with pride in your father's service and in the service of the Marines who have served and are currently standing in the gap for our freedom.

[ccga3359]

I discovered this site while checking on the Leatherneck Tartan. I am the Bob Hall who started the project, and designed the Leatherneck Tartan, with input from Rory MacLeod of the STS. The writer who said I had not made a dime off it is correct--but I have spent quite a few on the project. I put the project in hand to give Marines and Marine supporters a way to honor the Corps at Scottish functions.

I have absolutely no objection to family members and friends of Marines wearing the tartan to honor them. I would object if a wannabe was holding himself out as a Marine and had never served.

The tartan is also open to Navy personnel, such as our beloved Corpsmen, who served with Marines.

Robert A. Hall, FSA Scot, CAE
tartanmarine@charter.net

Wow! Welcome aboard, Sir. Wonderful tartan, admirable reasons behind the design.