The first act to disarm the Highlands was actually introduced in 1716 after the attempt the year before to depose King George I. The Rising in the year 1745 brought about another attempt to subdue the disaffected clans. The Act of Proscription 1747 gave the authorities a year to prise all arms from the miscreants. August 1st 1747 was day from which point forward no man or boy, within that part of Great Britain called Scotland . . . . will wear or put on the clothes commonly called Highland Clothes (that is to say) the plaid, philibeg, or little kilt, trowse, shoulder belts, or any part whatsoever of what peculiarly belongs to the highland garb; and that no tartan, or party-coloured plaid or stuff shall be used for great coats, or for upper coats . . . . For a first offence, the punishment was six months in prison or, if a second offender, transportation to any of his Majestys plantations beyond the seas and there to remain for a space of seven years. There were many contemporary reports indicating that it would take more than act of Parliament to stop the Highlander wearing his traditional clothes. There were few recorded cases of prosecutions for putting on Highland Clothes. An exception is Archibald Chisolm of Strathgless who, in October 1750, was committed to the Inverness Tollbooth for six months for for using the Felibegg contrary to Law.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 23:20:49 +0000
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