Hi.........um.........am I the only female in this site?  ???  I am Rosemary and have been studying my genealogy for a couple years now, but have cousins who have worked on it for over 20 years.   I always knew I was Italian and English ancestry, but also discovered in our search that I am also Scots-Irish.   If my ancestors were in a clan it would be Taylor, sept of the Cameron, or MacArthur.  I have many great-grandmothers with Scottish surnames.  In my search, I discovered that one of my great-grandfathers was a soldier who fought and died in the 1715 Jacobite Rising on the Isle of Man.  which got me interested in the Jacobite history. However, in researching this out further, I discovered real recently he was a Quaker and on the opposing side.     so having said all that, I am more Scottish in heart than however much Scottish ancestry I may have.  I am very interested in Jacobite history and a supporter for the cause of a free, independant Scotland.  Now who do I think is the heir to the Stuart throne? I am still working on that part in my search too.

I am new to all the re-enactment stuff and still working on my persona. I believe that I want to be a middle class Jacobite woman and currently trying to research out all the garb the women wore.

I do have a question though.  Not all Jacobites were Scots, right?  Weren't there other nationalities involved in the cause as well?

Okay, you can tell I am a woman........yackety...yak...yak. 

Thanks so much, Steve, for all the information.  Well at least you know one of the reasons why I am here, is not only find garb to portray but to learn as much as I can about Scottish and Jacobite history so I can help educate the public as much as possible with what little knowledge I have.  You all are so kind to help me out. 

Hello Rosemary and other Ladies and Gentlemen on the Forum,

My newly formed unit, Clan Chattan, has just two Jacobite events under our collective belts or should I say kilts.  Anyway, I portray Mistress Mary MacCrimmon, wife of Piper William MacCrimmon.  Jacobites are just a short jump backward in time from our French and Indian War Unit, the 77th Regiment of Foot, Montgomeries Highlanders.  Our web site is below if you care to view it.

http://musketsofthecrown.homestead.com/Home.html

I have never really posted before but here goes my two pence worth for Scottish clothing.    Don't know if you have seen Mara Riley's most excellent site on Scottish Dress but if you haven't, check it out at:
 
http://www.marariley.net/celtic/scotland.htm

She has lots of good information about the type of clothing to wear as a Scotswoman (or man). Also links for jewelry, patterns, etc, etc, etc.  I do wish everyone would read her info.  Guys, it wouldn't hurt you to know what correct women's clothing is.......(don't even get me started on the bodice!)

In my experience, it does help to be pointed in the right direction as far as the time period you wish to represent.  In the long run, it  helps you avoid mistakes.  I am afraid that not everyone is dressing the part.  After all, if we are trying to honor those whom we re-enact, we should try to be as correct as the latest research allows! (My never to be humble opinion)
Hope this helps......

Yr Mst. Hbl & Ob't Svt,
Susan Gable aka Mistress Mary MacCrimmon
Clan Chattan

Hello again Rosemary!

Good to hear that you are well acquainted with Mara Riley's work!  She is a great resource for our time period.

My group does Rev War as well as F&I and the occasional Jacobite event.   I am fortunate enough to have different clothes which are appropriate for each time period.  The older stuff (except the kirch which I only wear for Jacobite) I do wear every now and then for Rev War but of course, never the other way around.  It is interesting, the subtle differences.  Of course, my motto is "You never have enough re-enacting clothing!"  Good thing that I learned how to sew! 

By any chance, will your Rev War unit be at Whitpain next weekend?  If so, I would love to meet you!

Take Care,
Susan

bonsoir,
I am new to the Jacobite era, though I've been reenacting for 10 years,  mostly in the French & Indian and Rev War eras. I am originally from Illinois, where I participated with a French militia group in the NWTA, then moved to Ohio nearly 5 years ago, where I joined the Detroit French Marines (F&I). I also joined Gordon's Royal Americans after they did a winter muster at Caesar's Creek Pioneer Village, where I was a member. Gordon's 60th is a great group, and I'm still with them, even though I can't make all of their events any longer. I am now living in Pittsburgh, and when the members of Gordon's 60th can't make the events, I hang with Ourry's 60th, commanded by Jeff Graham, who is also in the Appins Clan. Small world, no? I attended my first Jacobite event this past May at Fort Erie in Canada, and loved it. I was checking out a group that also does English Civil War, and decided that Jacobite was great, too!

In the past, I've participated in the American Civil War events that were held each year at the Caesar's Creek Pioneer Village, but no other such events anywhere else. I hope to become more involved in that era in 2006, and am now doing my own research on period carpet bags so that I can create my own reproduction carpet bag. I'm about 2/3 of the way done with my research, and enjoying every minute of it.

In the meantime, I am a graphic designer, but lost my last graphics job in November, and decided to go back to school (The Art Institute Online) to update my design and  technology skills before I attempt to enter the job market here in Pittsburgh. I had been working for a newspaper, and such work is notorious for killing one's creativity.

My persona is — and tends to always be — a French woman who is married to a black market trader; he is usually not with me, but shows up once or twice a year with some sort of bauble or trinket, then goes away again, whic is why I love him so much. Her name is Rose Dupre, and she has one Scottish grandmother on her mother's side. My real middle name is Rose, so I always go by that in the reenacting world, since my first name, Carol, just isn't a common 18th century name.

I'm glad to be on this message board, and to meet anyone who is knowledgeable about the Jacobite era. I am waiting until their annual meeting to be voted into the Appins Clan, and am very happy to have met several other Jacobite reenactors at "The Road to Culloden" and "The Road to London" this year.

Hello, all on the forum.  I enjoy greatly reading your posts, finding out about your journeys into re-creating the past and seeing all of the very helpful advice freely shared.  That's one of the many things I personally enjoy most about re-enacting--the re-enactors themselves.
I began my re-enactment involvment at Clan Wars 2000 in Milford, NY in the usual way, a kit that covered so many time periods that it must have had the seasoned veteran re-enactors either laughing, scratching their heads, shaking their heads, or all of the above.  Gently, gradually, I have been led, advised and persuaded to create a much more accurate outift for a Jacobite Highlander of the '45 Rising.  My wife, youngest son and I joined the Clann of the Wolf, which portrays Clan Cameron during this time period, and have found the members of our clan to be among the most helpful, friendly and interesting bunch to share an encampment with.  Most especially we are indebted to Larry and Missy Clark of Barkertown Sutlers (www.barkertownsutlers.com) for encouragement, correct information, and most affordable and historically accurate and authentic clothing and accessories.  
After researching my own ancestry and discovering that my father's family is a sept of Clan MacDonald, my great grandfather having migrated from Gunnislake, Cornwall, and my mother's family is Scots-Irish (Lyons on her father's side, Abernethy on her mother's side, sept of Clan Leslie), I became very interested particularly in Scottish history.  I found that my mother's maternal grandfather, William Sumner Abernethy, from whom I get my given name, was himself named for an ancestor named Willam Abernethy, one of the few commoners to sign the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.  Interestingly, I found that the village of Abernethy (means "mouth of the river Nethy") on the Firth of Tay no longer has anyone with the surname Abernethy living there.  It does, however have one of only two remaining Pictish towers in Scotland.
I began my re-enacting as a simple lowly Highlander who rallied to the standard of the Stuart cause under the Lochiel.  Over time I have put together a kit that includes a non-descript tartan great kilt and waistcoat, raw silk shirt and scarf, highland jacket, Clann of the Wolf tartan bag socks, and turn shoes.  I even tried my hand at leather craft, and made my leather belt, sporran, baldric, cartridge case, shot/ball pouch and simple currans.  I armed myself with a 1728 first pattern Long Land Brown Bess, a basket hilt backsword, a personalized targe,  period dirk, and sgian dubhs.  I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in battle re-enactments, especially when it came to portraying the Highland charge.
Since the car crash that left me paralyzed from the midline of my chest down in April of 2004, I have had to give up the Highland charge and the use of claymore and Bess for the sword of the Spirit, changing my persona to that of a humble Highland Presbyterian vicar in the mostly Catholic Army of King James (some of those who rallied to the standard were Presbyterians).  I have chosen the name of my brave ancestor, Willam Abernethy for this persona.  I have added to my kit a period-correct wooden three-wheeled wheelchair, a lap writing desk and a copy of the 1599 edition of the Geneva Bible, favored highly by Presbyterians of this period.  I get to command the artillery crew of Clan Cameron when use of our howitzers is allowed during battle re-enactments.  And I was asked by HRH Prince Charles to share the responsibility for narration of scenarios with Roger Kirwin, curator of Old Bedford Village at the Labor Day weekend March to London event held there this year.  There is always something for everyone to do.  

Quote:


Susan! So far I have hired a gal who is in the  know to sew most of the outfit for me...shame on me as I used to be a great seamstress. But I wanted to see how all the parts of the dress were sewn and put together first as it has been 20 years since I have been on a sewing machine! 

No, no chance for me to be at Whitpan. I live in the southwest of the states and I don't get beyond that.  We here in AZ are trying our very best to re-enact and bring up the past! We had a very good event the first of November. Was wonderful and even the Jay Leno show came out and filmed us. however, I have yet to see us be on his show.    You know how that goes!

Hope this finds you well and everyone else. Great to be on the site again!  Many thanks to all you here who have helped me get into this hobby. You have all been a tremondous help.

Happy Holidays, Rosemary