Trying to find the oldest kilt

[orangehaggis]

Matt: If you suspect that your MacGregor is a military garment, it may well be from the Essex and Kent Scottish Reg't of Windsor, Ontario. A good mate and lodge brother of mine is a swing tenor drummer in the regiment's pipes and drums.

http://www.army.dnd.ca/Essex_Kent_Sc...ts/main_e.html

Mark O - USA

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Matt: If you suspect that your MacGregor is a military garment, it may well be from the Essex and Kent Scottish Reg't of Windsor, Ontario. A good mate and lodge brother of mine is a swing tenor drummer in the regiment's pipes and drums.

http://www.army.dnd.ca/Essex_Kent_Sc...ts/main_e.html

Mark O - USA

It very well may be. However, there are no labels, markings, stamps, or any other identifying elements in the kilt. Most military kilts I have seen have had some kind of government label in them -- but then again I am not familiar with Canadian regiments.

The vintage clothing dealer I bought it from knew nothing about kilts and I don't think really knew what she had. She could tell me nothing about the origins of the kilt -- she apparantly got it from an estate and who knows where they got it from.
M

[David White]

Matt, I'd really like to see a picture of your MacGregor kilt- hint, hint.

[The Wizard of BC]

Here is a kilt that came into the shop a couple of weeks ago.

All I know about it's history is that it survived WWI and WWII, was worn regularly till about 1955 when the gentleman passed it to his son.

The son promised to bring me more information. Anyone want to guess the Tartan?

Along with the kilt were a horsehair sporran with very thick hand-made chain, a belt with regimental buckle, a pair of hand-knit hose, Black flashes about 10" long, and a sgain dubh with silver fittings. All in perfect condition for being worn that much and stored for that long.


This shows the apron and the straps. One short hip strap and one loooong waist strap which goes all the way around.


This shows the back. There is one loop centered in the back to hold the long strap from shifting. This also shows the inside of the aprons.


A detail of the one loop centered at the back.


Pleat depth is right at 1 3/4".


This shows the straps and how they fasten. Note the loop on the front apron.


Here is the label. It reads Thos. Gordon & Sons. Ltd. Glasgow.

[MacWage]

Steve, it's Gunn, right. Do I win it now??
And in a tartan I WANT too . . .

Also, the belt is JUST like the one Matt discussed in THIS blog:
http://blog.albanach.org/2006/05/nov...ilt.html#links
AND
http://blog.albanach.org/2006/05/str...two.html#links

[The Wizard of BC]

Bingo McWage. You have won a certificate printed on my own real color printer with the title Tartan Guesser Extraordinair Second Class. With my endorsement signed as 2nd Laird of Lochaber, in ink.

Now for the hard question. Does anyone know which unit wore this?

[macwilkin]

Bingo McWage. You have won a certificate printed on my own real color printer with the title Tartan Guesser Extraordinair Second Class. With my endorsement signed as 2nd Laird of Lochaber, in ink.

Now for the hard question. Does anyone know which unit wore this?

The label that is in said kilt appears to be a civilian label; I had a ex-army kilt in Government Sett from Thomas Gordon, and the label looked completely different -- the most glaring thing missing from that label is the MoD's "broad arrow".

I don't know of any regiment that wore the Gunn tartan either.

Regards,

Todd