Brown (the name, not the color) Tartan

[Fedgunner]

<snip>
The Brown tartan was commisioned by Queen Victoria for her friend Major John Brown.

I've heard this more than once, but can find no record of it. Can you point to any information?
Thanks!

[kmaclea]

Please post all tartan-related questions in the heraldry & tartans section.

FYI, I had a hard time finding it (and did look, but failed, since it's not on the top list). Sorry about that!

Kyle=

[kmaclea]

As for the other bits, thanks all for their replies!

As was noted, I do know my Browns are Scottish. They may not have been forever, but they were at least for a time. I appreciate the genealogical warnings and all, it's definitely worth the warning for the not so wary. I have been doing genealogy for several years, so I have a good idea of these. Still, it is good to be cautious.

That being said, the Brown line in my family, alas, I have not researched very far. My ancestor James Brown MacLea who came from Scotland was named after his grandfather James Brown. I don't know much about James yet, other than that he is listed as a Porter on his children's birth records, and later as a Session Clerk. His origins are somewhat mysterious (I do have a town noted somewhere, but am not at home and will have to look it up). I suspect with such a name I will never really know his origins for sure.
Anyway, he lived in Glasgow with his wife and children later, and there his daughter met my James Brown MacLea's father, Peter McLea, his own father likely from the Western Isles of Scotland, the Isle of Bute in particular.

The best I can probably hope for is to have an idea of where my Browns come from and their likely associations. I'm not looking for iron-clad, but something slightly better than "I picked this tartan from a hat."

I already have my Livingston (MacLea) tartan.

I just want to expand my collection, and thought I would look at other and collateral branches for those ideas!

I will post on James Brown's hometown when I get home.

Also, thanks Fedgunner for the most prevalent Brown tartan info, and the very nice picture to see the detail. Would appreciate a tartan ID number on that, or some links to where it can be bought! Thanks!

Allow me to thank you all again, and look forward to more discussions in the future!

Kyle=

[Cawdorian]

I've heard this more than once, but can find no record of it. Can you point to any information?

I may have read it on the net, I can't find the place at the moment, but we all know everything we read on the net is true!

Matt, can you help us out with this question on the Brown tartan?

I am happy to see a kilt made of the Brown tartan, it is on my wish list for sure. I've always wondered how a kilt made of this tartan would look.

[gilmore]

...The best I can probably hope for is to have an idea of where my Browns come from and their likely associations. I'm not looking for iron-clad, but something slightly better than "I picked this tartan from a hat."

I already have my Livingston (MacLea) tartan.

I just want to expand my collection, and thought I would look at other and collateral branches for those ideas!

I will post on James Brown's hometown when I get home....

If you want to wait to spend several hundred dollars on a Brown tartan kilt until you know with more certainty which Brown tartan would be more appropriate, yet want another kilt in a related tartan now, you might take a look at the possibility of district tartans from the town, county or other location where your James Brown hailed from.

(Come to think of it, wasn't it North Augusta, South Carolina? I feel good...)

[kmaclea]

If you want to wait to spend several hundred dollars on a Brown tartan kilt until you know with more certainty which Brown tartan would be more appropriate, yet want another kilt in a related tartan now, you might take a look at the possibility of district tartans from the town, county or other location where your James Brown hailed from.

Yes, the district tartans are also a good choice. And one I may definitely take advantage of.

I am also considering the purchase of a US State tartan as well, so that one may actually come first.

As for my James Brown, I have now looked at my records. The best I know about him is that he is likely "of" Eastwood in Renfrewshire, son of Robert and Jean, born about 1797. Since this is pretty close to Glasgow and on the border between highland and lowland Scotland, it's probably hard to say what older clan linkages his family might have had. I have not extensively researched his family, and plan to look into it some more now.

I may very well be stymied in my efforts, though.

But based on this information alone--anyone hazard to make a clan affiliation recommendation to start as a first choice?

(Come to think of it, wasn't it North Augusta, South Carolina? I feel good...)

According to Wikipedia, Fount of All Knowledge, he was born in Barnwell, SC, and then moved to Augusta when he was 6 to live with his aunt.

But I am willing to hazard a guess that neither my second great-grandfather (JBM) nor my 4th (JB) were in their lifetimes, nor after, known as the Godfather or any other relative, of Soul. However, if I later determine that to be true, I will need to append "Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandson of Soul" to my signature line.

K=

[thescot]

What tartan did Victoria's John Brown wear? I believe he was known for his highland attire, and I would guess that what he wore in the queen's presence would be a good choice. I can find a few pictures, but in black-and-white, you can't tell.

Matt says that he also wore solid kilts, so you can try that if you like, but I prefer taran.

[BoldHighlander]

What tartan did Victoria's John Brown wear? I believe he was known for his highland attire, and I would guess that what he wore in the queen's presence would be a good choice. I can find a few pictures, but in black-and-white, you can't tell.

Matt says that he also wore solid kilts, so you can try that if you like, but I prefer taran.

I have a couple of color prints of John Brown, but both show him in a solid colored kilt:




(...& what of the plaid/tartan tossed over his arm?)

I also have this one of him in tartan, unfortunately it is in b&w:



Then there is this one listed as 'Archibald Brown' in a nice understated tartan:

(I don't know any details on the subject, but think he bears a bit of resemblence to John Brown in the other print).

You can see other John Brown photos I posted at:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/p...78/index3.html

Finally, though this does not feature any 'Brown kilts/tartans', I like this painting of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert & the royal retinue fording the River Tarff in Glen Tilt (painted by Carl Haag in 1861).

Is that possibly John Brown leading Victoria's horse through the river?
It resembles him in profile

[BoldHighlander]

Here's a larger view of the plaid draped over John Brown's arm:



this was posted in the other thread that I posted a link to above.
Note that the color is lighter than the version I posted. I would go with the darker version I posted, it's closer to the "true" color of the original painting.

[kmaclea]

I hadn't really even considered that the famous John Brown would have been observed in tartan! An inspired idea!

Perhaps there has been some work online somewhere as to which tartan he wore? I will have a look around as well and report back if I find anything, and where.

Thanks!

Kyle=