An exceptional archive of nearly 800 historic tartan samples, including textiles crafted for Queen Victoria, has been gifted to the nation. The collection, produced by J&D Paton, a leading tartan manufacturer throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, was donated by Stuart Paton, the great-great grandson of the firm’s founder, to National Museums Scotland (NMS).
Contents of the Archive
Among the items are fabrics made for Queen Victoria and the royal family during the 19th-century Highland revival, military tartans supplied to Scottish regiments, and previously unrecorded clan designs. There are also rare examples woven for women’s fashion. Some pieces date back over two centuries.
Significance for Research
Experts suggest that the collection, which chronicles the company's history from its 1820s foundation to its closure in the 1960s, could significantly alter current understanding of tartan. Dr Mhairi Maxwell, curator of modern and contemporary history at NMS, said: “Tartan is one of the most recognisable symbols of Scotland and the exceptional J&D Paton collection is of immense importance to ongoing research into the history of the iconic textile. We have only just begun to uncover the stories woven through this remarkable archive and I’ve no doubt there are many discoveries waiting to be made, all thanks to the generosity of Stuart Paton and his family.”
Historical Context
J&D Paton was at its most popular in the late 19th century and carried on production through both World Wars. At its peak, the family-run firm employed hundreds of people across four factory sites in Stirlingshire, near Tillicoultry. It produced internationally renowned tartans and tweeds, and won awards for fine fashion textiles sometimes woven with silk.
Rewriting Tartan History
Previous knowledge of tartan history in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries has been dominated by what is known about Wilsons of Bannockburn, another prolific producer based in Stirlingshire. Dr Maxwell said the acquisition of the J&D Paton archive will help provide a fuller picture of tartan production during that period. “We are really hoping that this will rewrite the history of tartan production as we currently understand it,” she said.
Fashion and Royal Influence
NMS said the archive provides a rare and detailed picture of the history of mass manufacturing at a time when tartans were expanding into global marketplaces and new fashions. Dr Maxwell added: “J&D Paton also seem to have been the pioneers of more fashionable tartans and that’s really exciting, because the time that they were really mass-producing these tartans is the peak of the kind of romanticism of Scotland. The idea that Queen Victoria was decking out Balmoral in her tartans and was herself pictured in beautiful tartan shawls, it was no surprise then that there would be a demand from the middle classes and the elite to also have a bit of their own fashionable tartan. So, we’re really hoping this archive can shed light on that and we’ll be looking at the colours that were popular.”
Preservation and Donation
She said the archive, featuring a “kaleidoscope of tartan”, has been beautifully preserved by the Paton family. Stuart Paton, former director of J&D Paton, said: “I am delighted to find a long-term home for the collection with National Museums Scotland. The donation is made in memory of my godfather Captain Paton, a long-time chairman of the company, in the hopes it will become a valuable asset for those researching and learning about Scotland’s textile heritage for generations to come.”
Future Plans
The archive will now undergo cataloguing before being made accessible for research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh. NMS is keen to hear from any descendants of employees who worked in J&D Paton factories and have any items relating to their time there, or have memories or stories that have been passed down through the generations. They can contact NMS at info@nms.ac.uk.
