1737 Household Valuation

[Woodsheal]

That's not quite right . The character only seems to have been used as the first of a double 's' and is found in the middle and at the end of a word. For example, the invantary (sic) includes vefsel, sicfers (the single 's' might be a c1970 transcription error), brufs and harnefs to name but a few.

Righto! (I was half asleep and hung over from a very "festive" Burns Supper when I wrote that! ). But, "shifts" (not "shists" ) must still indeed be an 18th C. usage for shirts - at least in Scotland....

[Mike_Oettle]

Peter, I stand corrected. As you say, the f character does occur in paired SSes, looking like fs.
I was confusing it with the Greek usage, where the more familiar of the two forms for lower-case s always appears at the end of a word.
Regards,
Mike

[figheadair]

Well, well. We dug out the original document and the c1970 copy that I'd been working from contained a number of errors. Most importantly, the original lists not a meeder vide plaid but a madder reid plaid.

I take the term to mean a deeper/darker red than the pinkish shade so often seen in old tartans which was the result of a light cochineal dyeing with an alum or weak tin mordant. Interestingly, as most dark reds were also produced with cochineal I suspect that this plaid was similarly dyed rather than having been madder dyed which was usually a brick/orangey red. The owners have a dark red plaid of the approximate same date, along with some other items mentioned, so it might just be that the two plaids are one in the same. Exciting stuff.

A wig and bonnet has also been found in the inventory meaning that we have now identified a complete set of clothes and weapons.

[Dixiecat]

meeder vide plaid but a madder reid plaid.

Ha! My wide guess was right!

[figheadair]

The Inventory continues to give up some great information and it now looks at thought a complete set of cloths was given:

Bonnet
Wig
Coat
Shirts
Trews
Underwear (Preserves)?
Purse/Sporran & belts
Plaid
Boots
Spurs
Weapons – sword, targe and pistol

The items in bold indicate where the family still has examples of the era athough it's not known if they are the items listed. This gives us a good idea of the everyday dress of a Highland gentleman.