"Blackwatch Tartan - Then and Now . . . "

 James Norton - looking resplendent in a Blackwatch Tartan 

dinner jacket from Hackett on London.

Greetings,

When one thinks of classic Scottish tartans - the ever-present Blackwatch pattern almost always springs to mind.  But, it's history could be considered a bit more English than it is Scottish. 

Just after the Jacobite uprising in 1715 - the English government was having a hard time keeping those rowdy Scottish in line. And they were also having an issue with keeping a standing army in Scotland to keep those aforementioned rowdy Scotsmen in line.  

So "The Night Watch" was created.  

Therefore, Independent Highland Companies(of what would be known as the "Black Watch") 

were raised as a militia in 1725 by General George Wade to keep "watch" for crime. 

He was commissioned to build a network of roads to help in the task. 

The six Independent Highland Companies were recruited from local clans, 

with one company coming from Clan Munro, one from Clan Fraser, one from Clan Grant, 

and three from Clan Campbell. These companies were commonly known as 

Am Freiceadan Dubh, or the Black Watch, this name may well have been 

due to the way they dressed. Four more companies were added in 

1739 to make a total of ten Independent Highland Companies.

 In 1793 George III asked the Duke of Argyll to raise a regiment. Argyll delegated that 

task to Duncan Campbell of Lochnell and in July of the following year the 98th 

Argyllshire Highlanders (later 91st) were founded. Lochnell garbed the regiment 

in the tartan which the Campbells by then thought of as their own 

- the Government Tartan.
In 1800 Major-General William Wemyss (a cousin of the Countess Elizabeth) raised 

the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders. The regimental tartan, though called "Sutherland" 

was in reality the Government Tartan (as confirmed by Wilson's records).
The Government Tartan was worn widely by Highland military units and it became 

the basis of regimental tartans such as the Seaforth Highlanders (with red and white 

over stripes), the Gordon Highlanders (with yellow over stripes), and a number 

of Fencible regiments. It is believed that the adoption of these patterns as 

Clan Tartans by, for example, MacKenzies, Gordons, Grants, 

Munros and Sutherlands, arose from the military association.

- from The Scottish Tartan Authority 

When I was first researching tartans for my own collection of textiles for Scot Meacham Wood Home - I knew I had to include Blackwatch as part of the mix.  In many ways, I've always thought of this classic pattern as a neutral - because it works with everything . . . . 

 SMW Home's "Blackwatch Tartan"

100% Wool - milled in Scotland  

 SMWH's marvelous new 

100% Cashmere Blackwatch Tartan Throw 

The ever-lovely Kate - in an Alexander McQueen Blackwatch coat. 

An array of our Throws and Decorative Pillows

from SMW Home. 

 SMWH's Pair of pillows featuring

Highland Fling in Navy and our own Blackwatch Tartan. 

Another classic Blactwatch Tartan dinner jacket -

this time from Gant.

and a VERY sneak preview of

SMWH's Inverness Tufted Sofa in Blackwatch Tartan

(launching later this Fall!) 

Cheers,
Scot