Regimental Sporrans

[OC Richard]

My understanding is that sporrans with long horsehair tassels are associated with highland regiments.

Setting aside for the moment the topic of tassels, the long horsehair sporrans still worn today by The Royal Regiment of Scotland emerged in more or less their present form by around 1840.

Sporrans went from being fairly basic leather pouches c1700 to being fur with hinged metal tops by c1800. Then from c1800 to c1840 the fur kept getting longer, first goathair, then when even more length was needed horsehair extensions were laid over the goathair.

These long goathair/horsehair sporrans were worn by military and civilian alike throughout the Victorian period.

By c1910 civilians switched from long hair sporrans to small leather sporrans, and small animal mask sporrans (pine marten etc) for Day Dress with tweed, though civilians continued to wear long hair sporrans for Evening Dress.

Then c1930 small seal sporrans with silver tops were gaining favour over long hair sporrans for civilian Evening Dress, though to this day many civilians continue to favour long hair sporrans for Evening.

So it's never been accurate to think of long hair sporrans as being specific to the military.

However, civilians haven't generally worn them for Day Dress since the late 19th century.

[OC Richard]

Now about the tassels, it might surprise some to find out that all Victorian-era Highland regimental sporrans originally had either five, or six, short tassels.

After 1809 there were only five kilted Highland regiments, here they are:



In the 1850s the 79th changed to two long tassels, followed by the 78th in the 1870s and the 92nd in the 1880s.