Boy's Highland or 'Scotch' suit; UK, about 1918

Boy's Highland or 'Scotch' suit, consisting of kilt (with bodice), jacket, waistcoat, short trousers, sporran, plaid, brooch and glengarry bonnet.

Given by Thomas Jobson Smith

This suit has been worn by three generations of the same family and is exceptionally well documented. It was originally worn in Yorkshire by the sons of a butcher, George Smith: it was given to the elder son, George Everard Smith (born 1910) by his paternal uncle John Smith, who worked for the Co-Operative Wholesale Society in Grantham. It was subsequently worn by the younger son, Thomas Jobson Smith (the donor, born 1916), his son John Smith (born 1953) and daughter Margaret Smith (born 1955) and Margaret's son John Paul. The kilt and plaid appear to be of Urquhart tartan, but the Smiths have no Scottish ancestry that they know of.
Tom Smith recalls that he wore it once to be photographed in, and once to the birthday party of the vicar's son, Teddy Deely, where the young Tom (rather than the birthday child) was the centre of attraction for his unusual outfit, although his grandmother, with whom he lived, would not allow him to wear buckled shoes with it "because he's a lad".

Reason For Production: Retail

B.17:1-2002