Kilts in 19th century USA

[OC Richard]

I just got back from the Caledonian Club of San Francisco's 146th annual Highland Games. Yep, they've gone on every year since 1865, even through earthquakes and World Wars.

There was an interesting history of the Club and the Games in the programme, and this peaked my interest: the club was founded in 1866, had 97 members in 1867, 650 members in 1894, and 1,225 members in 1896.

1,225 members in 1896! Now, the population of San Francisco in 1897 was 300,000 (at least that's the number I found online) meaning that more than 1 in 300 San Franciscans was a member of the Caledonian Club.

I don't have numbers for the New York Caledonian Club, but it was founded in 1856, the Games from 1857. A regiment was raised, largely from Club members, in 1858.

The point is that Scottish immigrants were a much larger proportion of our population at that time, and these people formed clubs, held Games, and dressed up in kilts.

Here are some of them, first some photos taken in New York:









and Brooklyn:



and New Jersey:



and St Paul:



This is good to keep in mind, lest someone might think that the wearing of kilts here is a relatively recent thing.

(Note that the members of the 79th New York, and two of the civilians, are wearing sporrans with 5-lobed cantles, which I have never encountered in images from elsewhere, not even in The Highlanders of Scotland.)

[Nick the DSM]

I wish there were more pics of people in kilts that were more along the lines of a casual dress than trying to be the "peacock".

[macwilkin]

I wish there were more pics of people in kilts that were more along the lines of a casual dress than trying to be the "peacock".

Something to keep in mind, though -- people in the 19th century dressed up to have their likeness taken -- unlike today, with the advent of digital photography (and for that matter, with the advent of portable cameras at the beginning of the 20th century), where we can take photos of "casual dress" in an everyday setting, people in the 19th century did not have their photos taken everyday, and many of them used photographs as a momento of a special occasion, such as Civil War soldiers going off to war.

Richard is quite correct; there were a number of Scottish organizations across the United States in the mid and late-19th century. Most were Caledonian and St. Andrew's Societies, although there were also a number of Burns Clubs -- the late historian Fernec Szasz notes that American Scots celebrated Burns's birthday more easily, given St. Andrew's Day (November 30th) being so close to American Thanksgiving.

There was also the Order of Scottish Clans, a 19th century fraternal order that had individual lodges that took the names of Scottish Clans and wore their tartans. The the late-19th century was a era of many fraternal groups, including a number of ethnic ones such as the OSC. Membership was popular among males as a form of entertainment and as a way to display your membership in a particular community. The OSC eventually disappeared after the Second World War, when new forms of entertainment, such as television, caused the demise of a number of fraternal groups.

T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The OSC eventually disappeared after the Second World War, when new forms of entertainment, such as television, caused the demise of a number of fraternal groups.

T.

Actually the OSC lasted into the mid-1970s, when it merged with the Independent Order of Foresters. Both organizations were founded as fraternal insurance schemes.

[Cygnus]

Wonderful photos, Richard!

I can't help but wonder what the world would be like today (and what general opinions would be) if more Highland Scots of the diaspora had continued to wear their native dress and successively passed it down through the generations.

Interesting stuff - thank you!

[macwilkin]

Actually the OSC lasted into the mid-1970s, when it merged with the Independent Order of Foresters. Both organizations were founded as fraternal insurance schemes.

Which was after WWII. I didn't have my article on the OSC handy when I composed that post.

T.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

When my wife and I visit Charleston we like to visit the Charleston Museum and very often in their clothing displays I note at least a tartan waistcoat or two. On a visit a couple of years back there was a complete boy's Highland outfit, including diced hose, tartan kilt & sash, velvet doublet and glengarry. It was an unknown tartan and I was able to estimate a thread count and have it recorded with the STA.

The outfit was from the latter half of the 19th century and the owner's name did not sound Scottish at all! Perhaps on the mother's side? :-)

[Nick the DSM]

Something to keep in mind, though -- people in the 19th century dressed up to have their likeness taken -- unlike today, with the advent of digital photography (and for that matter, with the advent of portable cameras at the beginning of the 20th century), where we can take photos of "casual dress" in an everyday setting, people in the 19th century did not have their photos taken everyday, and many of them used photographs as a momento of a special occasion, such as Civil War soldiers going off to war.

Richard is quite correct; there were a number of Scottish organizations across the United States in the mid and late-19th century. Most were Caledonian and St. Andrew's Societies, although there were also a number of Burns Clubs -- the late historian Fernec Szasz notes that American Scots celebrated Burns's birthday more easily, given St. Andrew's Day (November 30th) being so close to American Thanksgiving.

There was also the Order of Scottish Clans, a 19th century fraternal order that had individual lodges that took the names of Scottish Clans and wore their tartans. The the late-19th century was a era of many fraternal groups, including a number of ethnic ones such as the OSC. Membership was popular among males as a form of entertainment and as a way to display your membership in a particular community. The OSC eventually disappeared after the Second World War, when new forms of entertainment, such as television, caused the demise of a number of fraternal groups.

T.

Oh, right, silly me! I don't know why I didn't take that into consideration!

[piperdbh]

I like this sporran the best of all of them.

[NorCalPiper]

I always thought that the picture of the 3 soldiers from the 79th-the one soldier on the left who is really giving the "pose" looks like Gabe (Hothor). Its uncanny....