Tartan trews in late Victorian - edwardian period

[OC Richard]

Thanks Peter!

The tartan of those Donald Stewart trousers is interesting, in that the size of the red band is sort of halfway between some modern settings of Royal Stewart and the widest-red settings of PCES.

The trews matter reminded me of the strange garment seen in this painting, trouser-like and seemingly far too tight at the bottom to put your feet through, pinked bottom edge, and worn over red & white diced hose.

Hesketh's caption reads

Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster by Sir Henry Raeburn, 1797, in the uniform of the Rothesay and Caithness Fencibles, of which he was Colonel Commandant.

A great authority on Highland Dress, Sir John maintained that the most ancient form of it was trews, not the kilt, and his regiment was dressed accordingly.

[figheadair]

Thanks Peter!

The tartan of those Donald Stewart trousers is interesting, in that the size of the red band is sort of halfway between some modern settings of Royal Stewart and the widest-red settings of PCES.

The trews matter reminded me of the strange garment seen in this painting, trouser-like and seemingly far too tight at the bottom to put your feet through, pinked bottom edge, and worn over red & white diced hose.

Richard,

The trews, as painted, are indeed a little strange. The bottoms are painted as though they are ragged and not seamed or bound as one might expect of something worn by a gentleman. The yellow/gold cloth around the bottom appear to have a two-button closure that would explain how the narrow angle could be fitted.



The closure reminds me of the ones of this pair of c.1820-25 trews.

[OC Richard]

Thanks, that explains how the things were put on.

I just switched the photo to a bit clearer one, still not clear enough.

Interesting that the trews have scalloped "cuffs" and trouser-stripes down the inner leg in the Facing Colour. I'm guessing that there would also be stripes down the outer leg, where the stripes on military trousers usually are.

In any case those things are sort of halfway between actual trews and trousers, perhaps pointing towards the 72nd getting tartan trousers for the regiment as a whole a quarter-century on.

[Pleater]

Fabric cut on the bias is very stretchy - it could be that the unhemmed edge was like that to make use of that to get them on and off.

Facings on the inside of the leg might be covering a split closed with hook and eye or small buttons, like a placket to get them on and off again.

I met up with an old friend a little while ago who was feeling a bit dismal - his mate's funeral is tomorrow.

I was shown a photo of the mate, who worked with the RNLI, taken at a wedding and there he was wearing a kilt and there were two other men with him one in tartan trousers between the two in kilts - all in full fig, and I am guessing all ex military. I'll see if I can get a copy of the photo once things are less fraught, and any gen on who they are and if my guess about military is correct.

I tend to think of bifurcated garments cut on the square as trousers and those on the skew are trews, having not come across ones cut half and half before - but all types are quite rare here.

Anne the Pleater

[Father Bill]

My friend Bert from Cupar - 1996 Yes, they're trews.

[Canadian Vet]

Thanks, that explains how the things were put on.

I just switched the photo to a bit clearer one, still not clear enough.

Interesting that the trews have scalloped "cuffs" and trouser-stripes down the inner leg in the Facing Colour. I'm guessing that there would also be stripes down the outer leg, where the stripes on military trousers usually are.

In any case those things are sort of halfway between actual trews and trousers, perhaps pointing towards the 72nd getting tartan trousers for the regiment as a whole a quarter-century on.

... camouflage in a flowery glenn ...

[OC Richard]

I just put together a collage showing the 72nd Highlanders and their unique Highland uniform granted in 1823.

It combined the feather bonnet and doublet worn by the kilted Highland regiments with tartan trousers.



Sadly this striking and unique kit was swept away in the 1881 Cardwell Reforms when the 72nd became 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders and switched to the uniform of the 78th, MacKenzie Seaforth kilts.