HOW SCOTLAND LAUNCHED CAMOUFLAGE

When is a Prince of Wales not a Prince of Wales? When it is a Glenurqhart. But the fact is that many checks labelled Prince of Wales may take inspiration from both. And both were part of Scotland's lead in the creation of camouflage cloths.

On the left, the Glenurquhart check, a large black and white. Right, Prince of Wales, basic brown and white with slate grey overcheck.

In his authoritative book "Scottish Estate Tweeds", the late Edward 'Ned' Harrison of Johnstons of Elgin points out that the Glenurquhart has influenced fashion houses all over the world. He states that it was originally a dark blue and white but later changed to black and white. Inspired by Caroline, Countess of Seafield around 1840, it is this black and white check that forms the basis for many now described as Prince of Wales checks, often with a coloured overcheck.

The Prince of Wales check is not listed in this book, presumably because it is not strictly a Scottish check. The then Prince of Wales, later Edward Vll, had the basic Glenurquhart changed to brown and white in a much larger check, with a slate grey overcheck added. This was used for the livery for his shootings at Abergeldie House on Scotland’s Deeside.

Since then, many designers and manufacturers have taken liberties with both checks, applying their own colouring and overchecks. The Duke of Windsor, when Prince of Wales, favoured variations with different colourings, and it is his influence that has seen so many derivatives dubbed 'Prince of Wales' check.

The Estate Tweeds took over where the clan tartans left off. As the influence of the clan chiefs diminished in the 1800s, new tenants and owners wanted to take on the tradition of having their retainers clothed in an estate pattern but had no right to a tartan.

In addition, they wanted tweeds that would provide camouflage for the stalkers - and even the brightest of these patterns do blend in with the heathers and mountain scenery.

Lord Lovat is credited with pointing out how the colours of heather, bracken, bluebells and birches blended into a beautiful colour effect, resulting in the Lovat estate check around 1845. Lord Elcho took inspiration from the marled colouring of the Lovat to have the Elcho mixture created, a khaki cloth that became the first camouflage uniform for the London Scottish Regiment, and forerunner of others throughout the world.

The Strathconan emerged from Lord Balfour sending a succession of stalkers up a far hill, where he viewed them thought his glass to see which pattern was the most invisible. The first estate tweed is credited as the Glenfeshie, around 1835, for the gillies and keepers of that estate. And basis for many of the checks was the simple black and white Shepherd check, evident in the Coigach check. This was adopted by one of the gun clubs in the U.S. around 1874, and 'gun club' has been its popular name since then.

It is a fascinating, esoteric subject for those interested in textiles and Scottish history, methodically covered in Harrison's book. It is one that might well be researched and enjoyed along with another fascinating and esoteric subject - that of Scottish whisky.

From top right, the Lovat, Strathconan, Glenfeshie and Gun Club estate tweeds. Please note that these are not scaled to the true dimensions of the checks.
The Scottish Estate Tweeds book (ISBN 0952532905) published by Johnstons of Elgin in 1995.