Figure 1.-- Here we have a photo depicting children wearing pleated kilts in everyday life. It was taken in Glenfinnan (1903). This was a hamlet in the Lochaber area of the Highlands. Two young brothers are riding the same horse. They are Lachlan (1894-1936) and James (1898-1916) McLaren. The boys were the sons of Catherine and Duncan McLaren. Their father was a deerstalker on Glenfinnan estates. We susoect that the sons of someone working on estates might be more likely to wear kilts than the average Highland boy, but that is only a guess. It was very common for Scotish children to go barefootb at the time, especially in the Higklands. A photograph taken of a Subday School group at the Cumberland Stone is a goog example. Both boys are wearing pleated kilts with jackets in bare feet. We know that both the brothers joined the British Army during the First World War. The younger brother was killed on the Western Front in France aged only 18 (1916). Lachlan served in the Army for the full duration of the war and was discharged for health reasons (1919). He went on to become a gamekeeper. He died of tuberculosis aged 42.

This image priovides insights into the use of kilts as part of everyday life in the Highlands. As far as we can tell, not many Scottish boys wore kilts as everyday clothing (by the 20th cenury). We believe the same was the case. We are not sure about in the mid-19th century as so few photographs are available. We think earlier in thev 19th century, kilts were more common at least in rural areas and among poorer families. A kilt could be imoprovised by simply simply wraping a tartan homespun textile around the boy's waist. The Industrial Revolution was bringing down the cost of clothing and thus pants were much less costly than earlir in the century. Here we have a photo depicting children wearing pleated kilts in everyday life. It was taken in Glenfinnan (1903). This was a hamlet in the Lochaber area of the Highlands. Two young brothers are riding the same horse. They are Lachlan (1894-1936) and James (1898-1916) McLaren. The boys were the sons of Catherine and Duncan McLaren. Their father was a deerstalker on Glenfinnan estates. We susoect that the sons of someone working on estates might be more likely to wear kilts than the average Highland boy, but that is only a guess. It was very common for Scotish children to go barefootb at the time, especially in the Higklands. A photograph taken of a Subday School group at the Cumberland Stone is a goog example. Both boys are wearing pleated kilts with jackets in bare feet. We know that both the brothers joined the British Army during the First World War. The younger brother was killed on the Western Front in France aged only 18 (1916). Lachlan served in the Army for the full duration of the war and was discharged for health reasons (1919). He went on to become a gamekeeper. He died of tuberculosis aged 42.

Created: 12:40 AM 2/8/2023
Last edited: 12:40 AM 2/8/2023