origins of the black watch tartan

[figheadair]

Just to muddy the waters further....
I read a report several years ago that the original name for the Black Watch was the Keith-Campbell highlanders (of whom the Campbells made up the greater members). The Black Watch tartan is the same as the Keith modern tartan, but with colors switched, (and Campbell is very similar also in ancient).
I wish I could remember what book it was that I read this, but ...

As has been mentioned, the 87th (Keith's Highlanders) were a different regiment to the 43rd (later 42nd) or Black Watch.

Whilst the 87th, like the majority of early Highland regiments, wore the Government tartan, it is not the same as the Keith tartan. Nor is the latter a colour reversal of the former, the colours are the same but the pattern quite different.


The Keith tartan was an early 19th century fancy pattern by Wilsons of Bannockburn who called it No.75 or Austin. It didn't become Keith until c1840.

Finally, the Campbell tartan is not similar, it is the same design. Shades do not affect the pattern and older versions of the Black Watch tartan were much lighter than the darker version latterly worn by the regiment.