Figure 1.--. |
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In the immediate aftermath of Culloden, the English Army hunted down the Highland clans that had support Bonnie Prince Charlie. There were summary and public execuutions. Whole families were slaughtered or their homes burned down and women and children turned
out to face the elements. Many emigrated to America. New laws were enacted to supress
Scottish nationalism. The English Government seeking to end Highland uprisings forever, enacted a law making it illegal for Highlanders to own or possess arms. The English next in
1747 enacted the Dress Act restricted the wearing of Highland clothes. Any form of plaid, philbeag, belted plaid, trews, shoulder belt, or little kilt were not to be worn in public. Punishment for a first offence was a 6-month imprisonment, a second offence earned the wearer a 7-year exile to an oversea work farm. I am not sure just how the Dress Act was enforced, especially as regards boys. The bagpipes were outlawed, being considered an instrument of war. Only those individuals in the British Army were permitted to wear the plaid, and as a result, it is told that many Highlanders enlisted simply to be allowed to wear their more comfortable traditional dress. More likely it was the economic enducements. British repression of the clans left mans clans men with little alternative employment. We are not sure to weht xtent this was enfirce against children.
In the immediate aftermath of Culloden, the English Army hunted down the Highland clans that had support Bonnie Prince Charlie. There were summary and public execuutions. Whole families were slaughtered or their homes burned down and women and children turned
out to face the elements. Clansmen and their families faced starvation. Many emigrated to America. Subsequent emigrations in the 19th century also went to Australia and New Zealand.
New laws were enacted to supress Scottish nationalism.
The English Government seeking to end Highland uprisings forever, enacted a law making it illegal for Highlanders to own or possess arms. The bagpipes were outlawed, being considered an instrument of war.
The English next in 1747 enacted the Dress Act restricted the wearing of Highland clothes. Any form of plaid, philbeag, belted plaid, trews, shoulder belt, or little kilt were not to be worn in public. Punishment for a first offence was a 6-month imprisonment, a second offence earned the wearer a 7-year exile to an oversea work farm. I am not sure just how the Dress Act was enforced, especially as regards boys. We are not sure just how the Dress Act was enforced, especially as regards boys. The kilt or kilt-like garment was cheaper than breeches. Scottish highlanders were not wealthy people. It is unclear where they would have suddenly found the money to buy breeches for all their boys. James Boswell who toured the Highlands with Dr. Johnson in 1773 described the typical attire of youths in Dunwegan (Skye). He wrote that the ordinary dress as "a loon (boy) with bare legs and feet, a dirty kilt, ragged coat and waist coat, a bare head, and a stick in his hand." This does not sound greatly different than the attire of poor Scottish boys, especially rural Highland boys in the early 20th century.
Only those individuals in the British Army were permitted to wear the plaid, and as a result, it is told that many Highlanders enlisted simply to be allowed to wear their more comfortable traditional dress. More likely it was the economic enducements. British repression of the clans left mans clans men with little alternative employment. Thus it was that the Highland clans which had for centuries steadfastly reisted the English found themselves joining Scottish regiments in the British Army. These regiments became the shock troops of the Army and were soon to lead Britains imperaial expansion around the world--a development that would have been unheard of before Culloden.
The Dress Act was repealed in 1783. By then, however, the fabric of Celtic life had been irevocably alltered in the Higlands. One historian contends that the Dress Act succeeded in altering Highland Society to the extent that many of the old traditions and customs had been lost forever. In spite of the many efforts to revive the traditions, wearing the plaid had become seen as only a nationalistic statement, and was no longer considered a way of life for Highlanders. Some Scotts did begin wearing the kilt again. I have no information at this time as to how common it was for Scottish boys to wear kilts during this period. I believe it was probably most common for pooer boys in rural areas, but this is just a suposition on my part.
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