Is Stewart Hunting REALLY universal??

[figheadair]

The STA has a fairly comprehensive list of regimental tartans from the Commonwealth here:

http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...mental-tartans

T.

That's a pretty good list with the exception of the Territorial Army units each of which wears a particular tartan for a specific reason. I hope to get this updated at some point soon.

[figheadair]

What's also not been mentioned is that fact that the Hunting Stewart was the first recorded 'hunting' tartan by a number of years. It appeared in Wilsons' 1819 Key Pattern Book and probably dates to c1800. Regretably their records say little about it beyond that it was a 'check' (meaning asymmetric) pattern.

In answer to an earlier statement; the Royal Scots moved to the Hunting Stewart in 1908 so about 100 years before its first known existance.

[Spartan Tartan]

Wow! What great information.

[O'Callaghan]

My understanding is that the Stewart tartan, in all its forms, is the Royal tartan and the Queen is its effective clan chief. As subjects of the Queen, anyone can wear any Stewart tartan with the exception of any tartan based on that sett that are reserved to the Royal Family itself (e.g. Balmoral - I think it has a Stewart base to it)

How that applies to anyone outside the UK I do not know but I doubt anyone will be sent to the Tower to be beheaded

Of course, most tartans including the Stewart variations are well out of copyright now anyway so legally there's not much that can be done to stop anyone wearing practically anything they wish to

This is my understanding. Of course, I would naturally assume that colonials wearing Royal Stewart are asking to rejoin the British Empire, as their tartan expresses their allegiance to the crown, LOL! (ETA: Unless their country is still a member of the British Commonwealth, of course).

[figheadair]

My understanding is that the Stewart tartan, in all its forms, is the Royal tartan and the Queen is its effective clan chief. As subjects of the Queen, anyone can wear any Stewart tartan with the exception of any tartan based on that sett that are reserved to the Royal Family itself (e.g. Balmoral - I think it has a Stewart base to it)

This has been claimed by some earlier writers to be the case with the 'Royal' Stewart but it doesn't apply to the numerous variations such as: Black, Blue, Camel etc which are Trade setts and it certainly doesn't apply to the other old Stewart setts; Bute, Atholl, Appin, Galloway Urrard etc, etc.

The Balmoral is indeed based on the Royal Stewart. It is said to have been designed by Pronce Albert but that may be a myth. I've never seen any evidence to support the claim.

Of course, most tartans including the Stewart variations are well out of copyright now anyway so legally there's not much that can be done to stop anyone wearing practically anything they wish to

Absolutely correct.