-Carruthers: The Clan/Family Tartan –
Clan and Family Tartan
As a Society, we take or time, cross our t’s and dot our i’s to ensure that what we are building for the clan sits firmly on solid and long-lasting foundations. In the recording, making and adding to Carruthers history, Clan Carruthers Society – International remains at the forefront. What we have achieved over the last 13 years, and especially over the last 25 months, has never been achieved by our family in over 200 years, and in some cases, not at all.
The tartan is one which falls into the latter category. Therefore to ensure that Carruthers had their own visual identity in the guise of a tartan, one was designed by Brian Wilton MBE, of Creif Perthshire, Scotland in December 2016, at the behest of the Clan Convenor, Dr George Carruthers FSA Scot, who financed the same.
Registration
The Red Carruthers Tartan was registered and numbered STR 11700 with the Scottish Register of Tartans (STR), in January 2017. The colours and sett were designed to reflect our past links with the Family of Bruce and our own reiver history, and further, in order to reflect our own ancestry and ancient past, the design was kept simple.
On registration, the tartan itself was made freely available to all of our name, without the retention of any commercial interest by Dr Carruthers himself.
Also in 2017, the Executive of the Clan Carruthers Society – International, voted to accept STR 11700 as their official tartan, and following their Convenor’s lead, ensuring and retaining direct access to both the weaver and any outlet of the same. This was done for all of our name and made the tartan official and available to the family itself.
However, in order to fully benefit the clan as a whole, it could not be considered for full adoption as the clan/family tartan (or accepted as such by the Scottish Tartan Register) until a Chief of Carruthers was in place.
Scottish Register of Tartans- who they are?
This is taken directly from the STR website:
‘The Scottish Register of Tartans was established by an act of the Scottish Parliament in November 2008 following a Member’s Bill submitted by Jamie McGrigor MSP in February 2007. The full text of the Scottish Register of Tartans Act 2008 is available to read online.
‘Members of the Scottish Parliament voted to establish a single, independent Scottish register of tartans which promotes and preserves information about historic and contemporary tartans from Scotland and throughout the world. The Register was launched on 5 February 2009 and the first tartan to be registered on that day was the Scottish Register of Tartans’ Tartan (STR #10000).
‘The Register is administered by the National Records of Scotland with advice from the Court of the Lord Lyon and representatives of the Scottish tartan industry. The Keeper of the Records of Scotland and Registrar General for Scotland is also the Keeper of the Scottish Register of Tartans. Prior to the establishment of the Register, tartans were recorded by the Scottish Tartans Society, the Scottish Tartans World Register and the Scottish Tartans Authority.
‘The Register database contains information on thousands of tartans, which can be freely searched. It includes all tartans registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans since its introduction on 5 February 2009. The database also incorporates all tartans formerly recorded by the Scottish Tartans Society (STS), the Scottish Tartans Authority (STA) and/or the Scottish Tartans World Register (STWR).’
Changing a registered tartan’s designation and category
In order to have a pre-registered tartan re-registered and categorised as belonging to a Clan/Family, the following had to occur:
- The Chief of the Clan would have to agree to the adoption.
- The registered owner of the tartan would have to give up ownership and registration, to the clan.
- The Executive Council of the Clan Society, as recognised by the Chief, would have to agree to the adoption.
- These agreements, with proof of the same, would have to be presented to the Scottish Register of Tartans for their consideration.
- Evidence of those agreements: from the Chief, the Convenor and the Society Executive once checked by the STR, would then be passed to the Lord Lyon for his approval.
- If the Lyon approved the change in designation, the STR would be informed of his decision.
- The Register would then be altered to reflect the change in category and ownership – from personal to Clan/Family.
Change in Category Achieved
After the confirmation of our Chief, Dr Peter Carruthers of Holmains, by the Lord Lyon in August 2019, negotiations between parties have been ongoing.
- Firstly, the Chief agreed to the adoption of the Red Carruthers as the Clan tartan , accepting any restrictions and the STR was informed of the same.
- Secondly the Clan Convenor, Dr George Carruthers agreed to give up the ownership and registration of the tartan to the clan, and the STR was informed of the same.
- Thirdly, having been officially recognised by the Chief as the Clan Society representing Carruthers worldwide, the Executive Council of Clan Carruthers Society – International unanimously agreed to support the adoption. This occurred at the end of December 2019, with the relevant paperwork sent to the Tartan Register in mid January 2020 for their action.
- Fourthly, the paperwork was sent by STR to the Lord Lyon, who approved the re-catagorisation on January 28th 2019, and –
- Fifthly, the category was changed from personal to Clan/Family on the 29th January 2019, to reflect the full adoption of the Red Carruthers tartan as our Clan’s very own.
What does this mean for us.
It means that our tartan will now be included as a Clan/Family tartan in all pattern books covering the same. It is therefore more likely to be available to clan and society members. Furthermore, on well-visited and respected websites such as Scot Clans (https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-carruthers/) the tartan, the clan badge and the Chief will progressively be listed clearly for all to see. This will enhance who and what we are, while giving us the recognition we deserve. Others in a similar industry will definitely follow suit. Again Carruthers history is being made by your Society, not for ourselves, but for the whole Clan and Family worldwide.
Why the ‘Royal Flush’:
When we as a group, which progressed to become ‘the Society’, set out on our path nearly 13 years ago to build something that the whole Clan could be proud of for generations to come, our goals were to achieve five things. These goals were put in place in order that we could ensure our Clan and Family would become well placed, with an official footing, on the Scottish clan and cultural map for generations to come.
As it is the highest hand in poker, it was felt that these five goals, once achieved, would represent the highest of attainments for the clan and family. It would also represent a culmination and recognition of the work that the Society have been carrying out behind the scenes on your behalf.
Once these ‘cards’ were in place, there would be an assurance that Carruthers will have attained a sound recognisable status worldwide and for that reason the Clan Convenor designated those goals: the Royal Flush was used to reflect an unbeatable hand once fully achieved.
They were:
The Ace: To have a Chief of our Clan and Family confirmed legally through the Lord Lyon: Dr Simon Peter Carruthers, Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers.
Success: ☑️ (August 2019)
The King: To have the additiments confirmed by the Lord Lyon. These included the Chiefly Arms of Carruthers being granted supporters and the Clan plant badge being registered. This reflected our status as a Scottish Clan and Family and was : Two fallow deer bucks, Rampant as supporters, and Yellow Gorse (ulex europaeus) as the plant badge.
Success: ☑️ (November 2019)
The Queen: To have our Society recognised by the Chief of Clan Carruthers as the official representatives of our clan and family worldwide: Clan Carruthers Society – International is the official representative of all of our name, internationally
Success: ☑️ (August 2019)
The Jack: To have an officially recognised tartan registered under the category of Clan/Family in the Scottish Register of Tartans: Carruthers Red STR 11700.
Success: ☑️ (January 2020)
The Ten: To have active members in the Clan Society regionally and in place: The Society is represented in the UK, Europe, Canada, Australasia / Oceania and the USA under the umbrella of Clan Carruthers Society International based in Scotland.
Success: ☑️ (January 2017)
The final goal with the adoption of the tartan was achieved this week and we hope you will celebrate in what the Society has accomplished on your behalf to date.
So, if you feel that the work we do is worthwhile, please apply for Society membership, join and Support the CCSI here:
clancarrutherssociety.org/membership/
We feel that Carruthers sits well with those of our neighbours, and we hope you agree.
