Help Me Choose a Tartan!

[ForresterModern]

Here is the link to the Batley mills closing thread from a couple months ago:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/b...ghlight=batley


In that thread you will find the address for N Batley mills:

N Batley Ltd.
Woodland Mill
Dale Street
Huddersfield
HD3 4TG
West Yorkshire

Tel: 01484 427874
Fax: 01484 485420

www.tartan-fabric.co.uk

You will see that they are not made is Wales but rather Yorkshire in the north of England. While not scottish, they are pretty close to the Borderlands where much of the scottish tartan is milled.

I have 13oz Batley Torridon tartan in a kilt and it is great quality, especially for the value you get becasue their prices are lower than any other mills weaving tartan, in general. I have felt their 16 oz tartan at several games and it too is of good quality, such that I would not fear the weight or quality of the material from thier mills to be significantly inferior, and doubt that most folks on this forum would be able to tell them apart from other mills comparable weight tartan, with a blindfold in place. As previously stated their colors do tend to be more muted across the board than others, but getting a swatch would help you know what to expect from them.

By the way, Nick from scotweb is a forum member and can be reached by PM under the forum name of Nick (Scotweb) or through the Scotweb forum heading here in the vendors section if not through Scotweb's customer service contacts. If you only live a stone's throw away I would believe him likely to be able to let you see/feel a swatch onsite or at least cut you a deal on getting it to your flat. Contact him directly with your questions.

I, like Jock (Hi Jock!), believe that your family name tartan worn proudly in kilt form would be the best way to demonstrate your love for your new found home. My family tartans (Forrester Modern and Hunting) only date back a couple decades, but are the official tartans of my Clan Association, and as such I wear them proudly, moreso than I would a more universal tartan like Caledonia or Flower of Scotland. Our "clan" is actually one of the Border clans, some English, some Scots, some changing allegiances on a whim historically, and when chased back geneologically far enough probably not even initially scottish, but rather Flemish in origin.

I see nothing "un-Scottish" about wearing a Welsh family tartan of recent development in a proper scottish kilt, especially if done so with pride. You are bringing your Welsh ancestry into your current life and melding it with your love of your new home in Scotland. If you do find some other scottish links through geneological research more power to you to get kilts in those tartans as well, if you like. If you do NOT find geneologic scottish links, as others have stated you can always expand your kilt selection with universal tartans (Black Watch, Royal Stewart), generic Scotland tartans (Caledonia, Pride of Scotland, Flower of Scotland, Heritage of Scotland, etc...), district tartans of where you live or have visted and found joy and great memories (Isle of Skye, Black Isle, Manx, etc...), choose the Bruce tartan which many hold as universal as well, or just any clan tartans that suit your particular fancy, as long as they are not in offense of any of those particular clan's associations and charters (several are restricted). There are non Scottish tartans----career tartans (firefighter's memorial), military (if you have a military background that waqrrants you wearing it), corporate tartans, US and Canada state/provincial tartans, generic tartans from non-scottish countries (Maple Leaf, American Heritage, Dutch Friendship), and many many more to choose from. Just find your own connection and have your own reasons for choosing what you decide to purchase and wear. Heck you can even design your own and name it what you want and register it with the STA, then have it woven into tartan and have a kilt made out of it.

But (like Jock) I believe there is nothing as strong as blood and family, and personally I would say wear your family tartan, regardless of its vintage or origin, as long as you like its looks.

Jeff

[denmcdough]

A great universal tartan is the Isle of Skye. It's down right beautiful! I just ordered one last month at Marchbrae in Scotland. It was stock in 6 yards, and 13 ounce, and wool. Wow, it's awesome! Just something to consider if all the other stuff doesn't work out.

[Dixiecat]

generic tartans from non-scottish countries (Maple Leaf)

Just a little Canadian trivia...Canada's first two Prime Ministers, John A. MacDonald and Alexander MacKenzie were born in Scotland. The sixth PM spent several years in Edinburgh where he broke with his Baptist faith tasting whiskey for the first time. The last Prime Minister of Upper Canada, Allan MacNab,was born in Canada of Scottish parents and became the chief of Clan MacNab. While Canada is a non-Scottish country, we can lay claim to a great deal of tartan blood.

[ForresterModern]

Just a little Canadian trivia...Canada's first two Prime Ministers, John A. MacDonald and Alexander MacKenzie were born in Scotland. The sixth PM spent several years in Edinburgh where he broke with his Baptist faith tasting whiskey for the first time. The last Prime Minister of Upper Canada, Allan MacNab,was born in Canada of Scottish parents and became the chief of Clan MacNab. While Canada is a non-Scottish country, we can lay claim to a great deal of tartan blood.

Thanks Dix, for the correction and education. I guess I should have said countries that were not Scotland itself, rather than leave open the scottish heritage door.

There certainly is/was a lot of scottish blood in Canada, probably as much as there originally was in the early colonial days of the US. Nova Scotia (New Scotland) is enough evidence for that, let alone all the other things you mentioned. I know in the US it is estimated that 60% of the serving line soldiers, enlisted as well as militia, in the colonial army during the US Revolutionary War were of Scottish or Scots-Irish origin or heritage. The Scots/Scots Irish immigrations are still believed to be the largest cultural group statisticially to ever enter the US, but becasue it was over more than 150 years and before great records were kept over here it is the least well known, compared to the forced immigration of slaves from Africa, the Irish immigration in the 1800s and subsequent european, asian, indian subcontinent, and Hispanic immigrations of later years.

Thanks, Dix.

jeff

[guitarmatt]

2) You've mentioned many, many times how much you love Scotland and the area in which you live. Why not choose a tartan such as Pride of Scotland, Scotland the Brave, Flower of Scotland or one of the city of Edinburgh tartans?

Yeah, I realized I was starting to go on a bit about that. The thing is, Edinburgh is the most beautiful city in the world, at least of the bit of the world that I've had the pleasure of seeing so far. And the several years we've lived here have been life changing for me. My wife and I have spent most of our married life here, we had our firstborn here, and so much more. We'd always assumed we'd go back to the states at some point, but now that that point is approaching, we're starting to do all we can to stay here, even if just for a little bit longer.

This has been such a unique experience for us that I want to commemorate it with something a bit out of the ordinary. I'll still have my Utilikilt and my Lyndsay casual, along with whatever else I get down the line, but I want to figure out one real good kilt in that one perfect tartan that'll be really special.

[ForresterModern]

If Edinburgh is sentinel in your memory you could commemorate your time there with an Edinburgh tartan kilt, or consider one of the two Midlothian tartans, or the East Lothian or West Lothian if the area east or west of Edinburgh strikes more your fancy. Each has a beautiful tartan of its own.

[guitarmatt]

Tangent: Through a bit of Googling I just discovered that the company founded by my great grand uncle was, many years after the family's involvement ceased, responsible for one of the worst industrial accidents in history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster

[guitarmatt]

Grah! I found a 10 year old post on ancestry.com asking for information about my great grandfather. The poster says they have a pretty good picture from about 1700 until him, and I don't really know anything further back than him. I posted a reply, but that's a real shot in the dark. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you?

[Dixiecat]

Yeah, I realized I was starting to go on a bit about that. The thing is, Edinburgh is the most beautiful city in the world,

No need to explain or justify your feelings. I think it's wonderful to feel such a connection and it's specifically because of such strong feelings that in my opinion, you should choose a tartan that reflects them instead of a distant family connection. Just think, in the future, it could be your grand or great grandchildren who are wearing the tartan that you choose today and telling the story how their great-grandfather came to Scotland and loved it so much that they wear the tartan of (name of tartan you chose) to honour him.

ForresterModern: I was just showing how Scottish Canada actually was back in the days. Even our first internal rebellion was lead by a Scot. And, the time period of that I referred to, was just over a hundred years ago.

[creagdhubh]

Matt,

As someone who has a strong interest in highland culture but an English surname, here's my $.02:

If you are planning to frequently attend highland games or Scottish events, I'd strongly encourage you do further genealogical research and see if you have any connections to the Scottish Highlands which might guide you in the choice of a tartan. Many folks have a very enjoyable time as part of a particular "clan society". This gives you a base of operations, so to speak, at the games as well as a community of people that you will get to know and enjoy hanging out with. If this becomes the case then you would almost certainly want that clan's tartan.

For my part, I believe that the kilt is the attire of the Highlands of Scotland and attempts to make it a "pan-celtic garment" actually do damage to it's rich cultural heritage, hence I'm not too keen on "Welsh" tartans.

That being said, if you are solely looking for a kilt to wear as a garment of clothing, devoid of it's cultural pedigree, then I would purchase what looks best to you, in the same way that one would purchase a shirt, tie, or suit.

Cordially,

David

I agree!