I read the Black Watch tartan is Campbells

[minimalistix]

tartan.

Is there a major difference between what is used by Black watch and the Campbells clan regarding color.

Also why was the Campbell tartan adopted by the black watch?

[macwilkin]

tartan.

Is there a major difference between what is used by Black watch and the Campbells clan regarding color.

Also why was the Campbell tartan adopted by the black watch?

Matt Newsome had a nice, concise post about this subject some months back:

Actually, the Black Watch tartan is the Campbell clan tartan. There is absolutely no difference in the sett whatsoever. Black Watch = Campbell. No difference.

In addition to being used as the Campbell clan tartan, the Black Watch is also used as a hunting tartan by Clan Grant and Clan Munro. And, because of its origins as a "government sett" it is used very often as a general use tartan by those with no clan connections.

It is not uncommon to find the same tartan shared by more than one clan, or having different names. For instance:
Campbell of Cawdor = Argyle District = MacCorquodale
Keith = Austin = Marshall
Hunter = Russel = Mitchell = Galbraith
MacIan = MacDonald of Glencoe
Morgan = Mackay Blue
MacDonald of Sleat = MacCullough

There are more, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. What is interesting about the Black Watch, though, is not only that it is shared by three different clans (Campbell, Grant, and Munro), but that it is also a military tartan, and widely used as an all-purpose general tartan as well.

Note that the Grants and Munros also "claim" the Government Sett. All three clans were involved in the raising of the Highland Companies that formed the nucleus of the Royal Highland Regiment, or the "Black Watch".

Cheers,

Todd

[Prester John]

The Black Watch is also used as the "base" for the Hunting Robertson, which has a red and white stripe added to it.

Thanks to Barb for that info.

[Barb T]

Note also that the Black Watch was the original regimental tartan of the 43rd Highland Regiment, formed by the British when it consolidated the Highland companies into a regiment in 1739. The British issued uniforms that had a kilt in a tartan known as the "government pattern" (which we now know as the Black Watch). The tartan was later adopted by Clan Campbell.

Barb

[Wompet]

Barb,

Where did you get the link between the Black Watch and Hunting Robertson tartans? And, more importantly, what is the link ? (If there is one, maybe one of my ancestors just like the colors. )
The Hunting Robertson is my preferred of the two Robertsons, but I never made the connection to the Black Watch before. (Shows how observant I am.)

[minimalistix]

Barb,

Where did you get the link between the Black Watch and Hunting Robertson tartans? And, more importantly, what is the link ? (If there is one, maybe one of my ancestors just like the colors. )
The Hunting Robertson is my preferred of the two Robertsons, but I never made the connection to the Black Watch before. (Shows how observant I am.)

Your just not as cool as us Campbells. ;-)

This isn't what you are looking for but its interesting non the less
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/tartan/history.htm

[Wompet]

Your just not as cool as us Campbells. ;)

This isn't what you are looking for but its interesting non the less
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/tartan/history.htm

Cool is overrated. I prefer to belong to a bunch of salt-of-the-earth folk who like to tear it up now and then.;)
(That may not fit all Robertsons, but it's a good description of my mother's ancestral line.)

Thanks for the link - paragraph 5 gives me a starting point at least.

[highlander_Daz]

I have a black watch Kilt as my Uncle was in the Black watch, It does have an unfortunate association with the Campbells, but it is a Tartan to be worn with pride as a Tartan of a Highland regiment. Its very common to see Black watch worn at weddings by people who dont feel they have a surname related Tartan, and I think the hire shops like it becasuse its easier to keep clean !!!! plus it looks really cool as well !

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The asnwer to the question about the Hunting Robertson tartan is found in my article, "The Sources of the Tartans."

But in case anyone doesn't want to read the whole thing, here it is:

The first attempt by anyone to record all the "clan tartans" was undertaken by the Highland Society of London in 1815. They wrote to all the clan cheifs and asked them to submit a sample of their clan tartan for the collection. Most of the cheifs had no idea that they were even supposed to have a tartan, let alone know what it was.

Many handled the issue by simply writing to the tartan manufacurers and asking for a sample of "their" tartan. (There is an interesting story about the MacPherson tartan in my article, if anyone is interested). Other cheifs went about the region asking all the elders of the clan if they knew what "their" tartan was.

The cheif of the Robertsons did this. He went all about Atholl asking all the old men if they knew what the clan tartan was. Several did claim to know, but they all thought the tartan was something different. The tartan that the cheif ultimately decided on, and submitted to the Highland Society of London, was the tartan worn by the Loyal Clan Donnachie Volunteers, a kind of "home guard" raised in 1803. Like most military tartans, it was created from the Black Watch, by adding different colored stripes. And there you have it.

There are a lot of tartans that have been created from the Black Watch. To name just a few: Gordon, MacKenzie, Forbes, Lamont, Scottish National, MacLachlan, MacNab, Tyneside, etc.

Another bit of trivia: We mentioned already that Black Watch is also called Campbell, Hunting Grant, and Hunting Munroe. I forgot to mention that it is also the same as the Sutherland District tartan. So add yet another name to the list!

Aye,
Matt

[Riverkilt]

Which is why my grandfather Murdoch Macdonald told me NEVER to wear the Black Watch tartan.

I hope he doesn't mind that I occasionally wear a pair of boxer shorts in the Black Watch tartan.

Ron