Kilted For All Eternity

[Riverkilt]

Sadly, many young men have died kilted in battle. And I'm sure many men have keeled over dead from heart attack or stroke while kilted.

My question for our esteemed historians is - have many men been buried kilted?

While on one hand kilts may be much too valuable to bury, or the family may want the kilt as a rememberence, I can see where a man might specify in his will that he be buried kilted. Or, the family may wish a man buried kilted if that's how he lived and that's how they want him to enter the next life (however they may perceive that).

What does history, or personal experience, tell us?

Do you wish to be buried in a kilt? Which one? What do you want in your sporran for the long journey to the great unknown?

Ron

[macwilkin]

It's an interesting question Ron, to be sure. I wonder if Diana Henderson has anything to say about it in her book Highland Soldier? Dr. Henderson is respected scholar of the Scottish Regiments.

But in the meantime, there is the story of the Laing tartan:

This is the official Clan Laing Society tartan which was recovered from the grave of George Henry Laing who died in 1853 in East Texas. George had moved to Texas from Liberty County adjacent to the Gaelic speaking community of Darien in Georgia. James, his grandfather, had moved to The North Carolina Scottish Colony of the Cape Fear River from Scotland some time between 1745 and 1765 bringing the sett with him. The relatively dry climate and local soil conditions are accredited with the remarkable preservation of sufficient portions of his great kilt to allow the reconstruction of the sett. The exhumation came about through the construction of a pond adjacent to the cemetry which necessitated the removal of 56 graves - one of which was that of George H Laing.

-- http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar....aspx?ref=2027

Regards,

Todd

[Dan R Porter]

I wonder if during the times when the kilt was the normal dress in Celtic cultures, if the kilt was removed from the body and reused out of need. Just a wierd thought.

Personally I could care less if they put me in a clown outfit, I am dead and won't mind.

[KFCarter]

I do want to go to the grave kilted but have been torn about the "legacy" issue. I will want the kilts that are most meaningful to me to pass to my sons and hopefully to theirs one day. My connection to kilts and kilt wearing is intimately entangled with my interest in genealogy and the family story so I'm making sure my children understand that the kilt is more than a garment to me, and if for no other reason, they'll value it after I'm gone because they recognize it as emblematic of their dad and the things that mattered to him. So it's a conflict that I haven't resolved to my own satisfaction yet. Very interested to hear from the rabble on this one.
:ootd:

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I've been to many funerals where the decedent was kilted. It seems a "normal" thing to do, as normal as being buried in a suit and tie, or laid to rest in your military uniform.

[JSFMACLJR]

I'd say this decision certainly is a personal one. One of my great uncles was buried in the kilt, and unfortunately an absolutely stunning sporran rests with him in Cave Hill Cemetery here in Louisville!

I do not want to be buried in the kilt, though, as I want my sons to inherit my "things."

[GMan]

I was just thinking of that the other day, but which Kilt would it be.

[Riverkilt]

What a great story Todd! Thanks.

I'm like GMan..."which one?????"

Back in the 70s when I was a California Licensed Funeral Establishment Manager I don't recall ever seeing anyone buried in a kilt. Military uniforms for sure. Even saw men that chose to be creamated wearing their full uniform. Not sure what that was about.

Don't think anyone would want to be creamated in a kilt...

More stories...looks like being buried kilted may be more common than most folks would guess.

An interesting twist the conflict between wearing a favorite kilt for eternity and leaving it to heirs.

Ron

[Colonel MacNeal]

Since I'm planning to be cremated, the issue is moot. But my urn might look good on top of my kilt, at the funeral and the wake. (as long as some drunk SOB doesn't knock it over at the wake)

Getting my ashes into some Hebridean water might prove a challenge though. Sounds like a good business opportunity for an enterprising mariner - Americans can send their loved one's ashes back to the auld country (Scotland & Ireland especiallly) for a trip to the deep six.

[Dan R Porter]

Since I'm planning to be cremated, the issue is moot. But my urn might look good on top of my kilt, at the funeral and the wake. (as long as some drunk SOB doesn't knock it over at the wake)

Getting my ashes into some Hebridean water might prove a challenge though. Sounds like a good business opportunity for an enterprising mariner - Americans can send their loved one's ashes back to the auld country (Scotland & Ireland especiallly) for a trip to the deep six.

Neat idea, but I am sure this service, like all other funeral related servioces, would be expensive and I wish to not add that to the large burden already place on my family. I told my wife to chop me up in little pieces and throw me to the fish haha.

Maybe science donation will work!