prohibited tartans

[Deil the Yin]

Sir Malcolm MacGregor has made it plain that the tartan often called Hunting MacGregor is really MacGregor of Cardney and should only be worn by those descended of that household, though it is easily obtained with no special permission in modern, ancient and weathered colours. As the story is told, the knowledge of this tartan's history as reported by Sir Malcolm's father was ignored by one of the Tartan Societies(?) recording such things and thus ended up as a common tartan.

You can find the Chiefs letters on the MacGregor website here.

Regards,
Wesley

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Sir Malcolm MacGregor has made it plain that the tartan often called Hunting MacGregor is really MacGregor of Cardney and should only be worn by those descended of that household, though it is easily obtained with no special permission in modern, ancient and weathered colours. As the story is told, the knowledge of this tartan's history as reported by Sir Malcolm's father was ignored by one of the Tartan Societies(?) recording such things and thus ended up as a common tartan.

You can find the Chiefs letters on the MacGregor website here.

Regards,
Wesley

I had the pleasure of having an in-person conversation with Sir Malcolm about this very tartan while he was here in 2008 for the Stone Mountain Highland Games, and then to spend some time visiting his Clan Society. I asked him what he thinks about all these American MacGregors wearing the MacGregor of Cardinay tartan, knowing that he considered it to be proper only for that one family.

He fully realizes that, since it is popularly marketed under the name "MacGregor Hunting" most MacGregors who wear it are operating under the assumption that it is a fully legitimate clan tartan; he told me he has no ill will towards those who wear it so long as it is worn with pride.

On a related note, while we were talking about this tartan, he mentioned that Cardinay was married in a kilt in either the red & green MacGregor or the red & black (I cannot remember which), but his wife, Lady Fiona, asked him, "Why didn't he wear his own tartan? Wouldn't that have been more proper for him to wear?"

Sir Malcolm just shrugged as said, "He wanted to wear the other one." Enough said!