Hunterston Tartan
The Clan Chief decided that we should have our own Clan Tartan and in 1981 he appointed
Capt. T Stuart Davidson, the original founder of the Scottish Tartan Society, as tartan
consultant to Clan Hunter. After two years of extensive research and study a new sett was
completed. This has been named the "Hunter of Hunterston Sett" to separate it
from the other Hunter tartans. It is more commonly known as "The Clan Hunter
Tartan". The sett or design was carefully chosen to incorporate a close relationship
with the clan history: a predominantly green hunting ground colour, with narrow gold
(yellow) and red stripes representing colours from the Chief's coat of arms. The yellow
stripe indicates the royal appointment as huntsman to the king. The Clan holds an
international trade registration patent on the design of the Clan tartan. This is the
tartan displayed at the top of this web page. One must be cautious with regards to the colours
displayed on your terminal or PC. Colours may not be exactly as shown. Clan members
wishing to purchase items may contact the clan mail order service or items may be
specially made by our sole licensing agent
Geoffrey (tailor) Highland Crafts Ltd.
Edinburgh
(Information pack from Geoffreys on request).
mailto:101675.1173@compuserve.com
There have been three tartans associated
with the Hunter family:
1. The Hunter, Russel, Mitchell, Galbraith, tartan shared by the four families.
It seems certain that the
tartan was first known as Galbraith in the collection of the Highland Society of
London. William Wilson and Sons of Bannockburn recorded the pattern as Russell
in their pattern book of 1847, although it was named Hunter in the earlier book
of 1819. John Telfer Dunbar states that he has a record of aHunter tartan
designed by a gentleman of the name Hunter in 1824 but without a thread count.
Galbraiths ('Briton's son in Gaelic) are connected with the Earls of Lennox, and
at one time took protection as a Sept of Clan Donald. The name Galbraith is
associated with the West Coast island of Gigha. Named in honour of General Billy
Mitchell when it was adopted as the tartan of the United States Air Force pipe
band.
The source of tartan #1094 was:
Wilson's of Bannockburn
2. The Hunters of Bute tartan. A group of Hunters sought allegiance from the Stewarts at
one time. Bute is very close to Hunterston.
Hunter Family Tartan
The pattern books of the old
firm of weavers, Wilson's of Bannockburn, provide a reliable early source for
this tartan. Wilson's were in business with a monopoly to supply tartan to the
regiments in the second half of the 18th century before this pattern was
recorded.
The source of tartan #1866 was:
Wilson's of Bannockburn '1819'
3. The Hunters of Peebleshire tartan. An old branch of the family.
Hunter
of Peebleshire Tartan
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