Allowed tartans

[MacWage]

I also believe that Black Watch should be restricted to Black Watch soldiers and family of the Black Watch.

"Ancient Campbell is the same as Black Watch tartan--hardly surprising, since that illustrious regiment is a Campbell regiment, raised by the Duke of Argyll in 1739. (Indeed, as Alastair Campbell of Airds Yr., Chief Executive of Clan Campbell, has indicated in his authoritative book Campbell Tartan, the Black Watch tartan may well have been adopted as the clan's tartan because so many members of the clan were already wearing it, owing to their service in the regiment.)"

This was taken from the Clan Campbell Society of America's web page
Just thought I would throw in my two cents for what it's worth.

Unless SOMEONE, ANYONE can show me a PORTRAIT or some other PRIMARY source of ANY Campbell in "Black Watch" or similar tartan BEFORE the formation of the regiment, I maintain the following:

The tartan for the Black Watch was CREATED FOR the regiment. It is NOT based on ANY "clan" tartans, esp. as clans HAD NO "CLAN TARTANS" when the Black Watch came into existance.
Also, the OFFICIAL name for THAT tartan is "Govenment Sett" (though 99% of folks call it "Black Watch").
The "Regimental" tartans were usually ADAPTATIONS of Black Watch (note: Gordon, for example, and Forbes).
However, SEVERAL of the clans then adopted the regimental tartans from the regiment bearing its name (note: Campbell and Gordon, as 2 famous regiments AND clans). I contend that these tartans were created FOR the regiments (the "Government sett" based ones were VARIATIONS for REGIMENT IDENTIFICATION purposes), THEN adopted by the clans AFTER THE FACT.

UNLESS someone shows me EVIDENCE in a primary source format, I hold the above.

Now, whether one sees "Black Watch"/Government Sett as appropriate for a "general" tartan we can debate until we are black, blue, and green..
The FACT remains, that the sett is probably the EASIEST to get your hands on and also the most common and popular.
So, appropriateness is really just an academic question at this point.

(Off now)

Now, where is my Blackewatch greatkilt?



(For those who do not know, THAT last statement was a stick at my own preference for "belted plaid" and Cajunscots pet peave of "Blackwatch"/"Black Watch")