Registering a new tartan

[roy croft]

Hello, folks.

I've been working on a design for a new tartan that I should like to register. I have a couple questions about how this would work out. The tartan will be for general use by hobby enthusiasts. I'll not mention the hobby right now, but there are some associations/clubs related the hobby, and my desire is to register a tartan that anyone can use, and not have any one of the associations/clubs claim any kind of ownership/authority/naming of it. I first of all want to know how I should register it - should it be a corporate tartan? That seems the closest to what its purpose would be. Secondly, if I do register it as such, will there be any questioning of an individual registering it that way vs. a "corporate" official?

I hope you can see that I want to do this so as to avoid any political or other factional influence over it. I'll happily foot the bill for the registration to ensure that its use is not encumbered in any way.

I'd appreciate any input from folks who know more about how the Tartan Registry works. I'd also like a rough idea of how long it generally takes from submission to registration.

Slàinte!

[unixken]

The Scottish Register of Tartans recommends a corporate designation for "a company, organization or an informal group of individuals." Based on what you've described, either that, or a fashion classification, would seem appropriate. The specific interest or hobby your design represents, and any restrictions (or statement that there are no restrictions), can be spelled out in other sections of your application.

[figheadair]

In order to be accepted as a Corporate tartan you will need to provide evidence in the form of a supporting statement by the Governing body, the chairman or senior representative or some such. Otherwise it will need to be classified as a Fashion tartan. It is the intent to refine the categories and introduce 'Other' for cases such as this. Unfortunately that it some way off as it is scheduled to happen under a major software re-write and is dependent on prioritisation of funding for IT projects in the National Archives.

[roy croft]

Thank you for your prompt and informative reply. I thought it might be the case that I would have difficulty registering as a corporate tartan, but it seems the best match category for what I want to do. "Fashion" doesn't really fit the bill, IMO, but I can see how that might be the best way to do it for now. When I'm ready to submit my application I want it be as correct as possible to help ensure that things go smoothly. I'm obviously new to this, and your pointing me in the right direction is much appreciated.

Whenever your software rewrite happens (I sense nobody should engage in breath holding in the interim) will existing tartan registrations likely be recategorized?

Slàinte!

[figheadair]

Whenever your software rewrite happens (I sense nobody should engage in breath holding in the interim) will existing tartan registrations likely be recategorized?

Just to be clear, it's not my software re-write, I am but a member of the Tartan Advisory Committee. The problem is, as I understand it, one of server capacity and the fact that all the National Archives are centralised. There is much work to be done to rationalise and update various Dbs and the NTR one is pretty much at the back of the queue. When (if?) that does happen then there will be a rationalisation of certain categories; Portrait/Artefact for example is a pretty meaningless term and a category that has been used as a dumping ground for pre-NTR setts that don't fit eslewhere.

When (if?) the NTR update does happen then the majority of existing records will remain unaffected. Where we feel that a new/existing tartan should be in the Other category then it is being temporarily assigned elsewhere, Fashion for example with a tag noting that it is to be moved when the upgrade takes effect.

[roy croft]

Just to be clear, it's not my software re-write, I am but a member of the Tartan Advisory Committee. The problem is, as I understand it, one of server capacity and the fact that all the National Archives are centralised.

Yes, it was clear to me that you, personally were not doing the software rewrite. I was referring to the Tartan Advisory Committee. It wasn't clear that the committee were not in charge of the project. Being at the mercy of the National Archives it seems this could be a long-term frustration. The database as it exists is a great asset, and to come as far as you have in consolidating/cataloging/registering hundreds of years of history in less than 10 years is quite an accomplishment. Thank you for your part with this work.

Slàinte!