tartan register...

**macwilkin** · 4th January 05, 04:22 AM

From today's on-line issue of The Scotsman:

http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cf...20050104111907

If you look closely, you'll see a kilt in the background that looks like the Irish National tartan.

Cheers,

T.

**Kiltedmusiclover** · 4th January 05, 05:18 AM

Todd,

Great article! I believe that is an Irish National Kilt.

**phil h** · 4th January 05, 07:38 AM

at risk of highjackin this thread, this just goes to show that anyone can wear any tartan.well nearly any, if you can get yer hands on it.
there's no official tartan register.
even the so called "tartan autority" has no authority.it's like some kid calling himself a "comicbook authority" just 'coz you know a lot does not make you an authority 8)

**Mike n NC** · 4th January 05, 08:04 AM

He said the Keeper of Tartans would be paid a minimal salary to act as the final arbiter on what is a tartan.

"It must not be thought we are trying to stop anyone from designing their own tartan," he added.

"New tartans would be registered and all existing tartans would be moved from the existing registers to an official one.

Be afraid, be very, very afraid. Any time the government gets invloved it just means more needless rules and regulations.

What is coming next? Authorization to wear a tartan kilt?

Mike

**macwilkin** · 4th January 05, 08:05 AM

there's no official tartan register.
even the so called "tartan autority" has no authority.it's like some kid calling himself a "comicbook authority" just 'coz you know a lot does not make you an authority

Read the article again, Phil -- the whole point of the article is the creation of an "official" register of tartans under the jurisdiction of the Lyon Court and/or the Scottish executive. The whole purpose is to make things easier for Scots, expats and descendants, as well as others, to find out information about tartans and which tartan to wear, not to "restrict" anything.

As far as the STA, the authority is composed of some of the leading members of the Tartan industry, with years of knowledge about Tartans, including Hugh Cheape, Brian Wilton and James Scarlett, all of whom have done considerable & respected research on the history of tartans. The comparison to a teen-age comic-book collector (and my Dad is one of those, btw, so I'm not belittling them) is rather unfair in my opinion.

Cheers,

T.

**Kiltedmusiclover** · 4th January 05, 08:26 AM

Phil,

I don't think your highjacking the thread at all.

I just got a different meaning from the article.
I could show you what I consider to be a Wallace tartan. It might actually be a Macqueen Tartan.
Who has the final say as to what the actual name is
of the tartan? I took it to say they would
be the official guide to distinguish which tartan is which.
If you want to make your own tartan you could and register it with them.

I believe, like you, that a person can wear whatever
they want to.

**macwilkin** · 4th January 05, 08:31 AM

I just got a different meaning from the article.
I could show you what I consider to be a Wallace tartan. It might actually be a Macqueen Tartan.
Who has the final say as to what the actual name is
of the tartan? I took it to say they would
be the official guide to distinguish which tartan is which.
If you want to make your own tartan you could and register it with them.

That is exactly what they are trying to do, Nelson, although I would imagine they are not going to "rule" that only one tartan can represent one clan/family, since many tartans represent two or even three names.

Think of this registry as the National Archives or Library of Congress of Tartan information, a central location where one could do research on the history of a particular tartan and see the "officially" known tartans -- again, they are not going to restrict "unknown" tartans or someone's ability to wear one, but provide a great reference service to the scholar, genealogist and tartan "buff" alike.

Cheers,

T.

**phil h** · 4th January 05, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Mike n NC

He said the Keeper of Tartans would be paid a minimal salary to act as the final arbiter on what is a tartan.

"It must not be thought we are trying to stop anyone from designing their own tartan," he added.

"New tartans would be registered and all existing tartans would be moved from the existing registers to an official one.

Be afraid, be very, very afraid. Any time the government gets invloved it just means more needless rules and regulations.

What is coming next? Authorization to wear a tartan kilt?

Mike

may I reply to a few points....
I agree mike, will we be restircted in any way, who will pay for this service?
and why should I pay to register a tartan with someone who has no authority(at the moment).I know the comicbook thing is a bit "off" but why call yourself an authority? when you are not.

they are not going to restrict "unknown" tartans or someone's ability to wear one

lets hope not,who knows for sure?

**macwilkin** · 4th January 05, 09:37 AM

I agree mike, will we be restircted in any way, who will pay for this service?
and why should I pay to register a tartan with someone who has no authority.I know the comicbook thing is a bit "off" but why call yourself an authority? when you are not.

Once again, I think we're jumping to conclusions here and assuming the worse before something is even happened.

As for the word authority, I think that you're placing far too much meaning behind the word. The STA does not view themselves as the "final word" on tartans.

From the STA's web site:

We are a registered Scottish Charity with the major objective of promoting a deeper knowledge of Scottish Tartans, their origins, manufacture, use, history and development and we study, record and stimulate research on the subject.

A vitally important objective has also been to compile and maintain the International Tartan Index to record and document all known historical tartans and to provide a free, dependable and accountable information resource for the public and a 'register' for the Recording of all new tartans.

The Authority's long term aim is also to establish and develop a visitor centre and interpretative museum relating to Scottish Tartans worldwide that would become a major international heritage facility. Work on this project has been ongoing for some time and various opportunities are coming to fruition

So . . . those are the dry objectives! In simple terms we offer a free permanent help line to the general public, weavers, tartan and Highland dress manufacturers and retailers and members of the press from around the world. We stimulate and promote research into tartan and related interests, we continually add to and update our electronic and tartan cloth archives and we design and record new tartans for private individuals and national and international companies. We give lectures, write articles, attend trade events and have recently launched our first international tartan exhibition in Tuscany, Italy.

Many scholars are considered to be "authorities" on their subject area by their peers, the media, etc., but that does not make them infalliable and demi-gods, just as the STA does not view itself as always right and the final source.

T.