Click the tartan to view its entry in The Scottish Registers of Tartans which includes registration details, restrictions, and registrant information.
Unregistered tartans may link to one of the web's online design environments for similar information.
For any questions about reproduction of designs or weaving of these tartans, please contact the registrant directly or via this website.
Guy Fawkes Night
"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent
To blow up the King and Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow.
By God's providence he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa, boys, holloa, boys, let the bells ring!
Holloa, boys, holloa, boys, God save the King!"
~ Traditional
History in the making on November 5th! Although not associated with Guy Fawkes Night directly, this tartan celebrating West Point Military Academy uses as it colourways inspiration, the components of gunpowder!
Also known as Bonfire Night, Fireworks Night, Gunpowder Treason Day, Plot Night, Cracker Night, and Guy Fawkes Day, November 5th is a day steeped in history! Guy Fawkes Night commemorates the foiling of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot—a scheme to blow up the English Parliament and assassinate King James I of England, who was also James VI of Scotland. This plot, orchestrated by a group of English Catholics, including Guy Fawkes, aimed to remove James and restore Catholicism to a Protestant-led Britain. With James's ascent to the English throne in 1603, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland, the stakes of this conspiracy were heightened, impacting both nations under his rule. The day is marked in the UK with bonfires, fireworks, and effigies of Fawkes, symbolizing both the failure of the assassination attempt and the survival of a king who held dual sovereignty.
The West Point Association of Graduates tartan, also known as the ‘Old Grad Plaid’, is representative of a long history of illustrious military leadership and service to the United States of America and celebrates their 150th Anniversary of its establishment by an act of Congress, signed by President Thomas Jefferson, in 1802. The Academy colours of black, grey and gold stem from American Military History, representing the components of gunpowder: charcoal, saltpetre and sulphur, and are also used in the uniforms of the school mascots and cadets. West Point's mission is to educate and train future leaders of the U.S. Army, emphasizing the principles of service to the nation, personal integrity, and moral responsibility. "Duty, Honor, Country"! 🖤 🤍 🧡 💣 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 💥 💥 💥
Designed by Siobhan Smith, this tartan has the following register notes:
"This West Point Association of Graduates tartan, known as the ‘Old Grad Plaid’, is representative of a long history of illustrious military leadership and service to the United States of America and celebrates their 150th Anniversary. For the past 150 years the Association of Graduates has served West Point and ‘The Long Gray Line’. A Cadet who makes it through the arduous forty-seven-month experience and graduates is known as an Old Grad. The Academy colours of black, grey and gold stem from American Military History. These colours represent the components of gunpowder: charcoal, saltpetre and sulphur, and are also used in the uniforms of the school mascots and cadets."
West Point, officially known as the United States Military Academy, has a rich history that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Located along the Hudson River in New York, the site was chosen by George Washington in 1778 for its strategic location, as it provided control over the river’s narrow “S” curve, making it nearly impossible for British ships to navigate without being spotted. During the war, West Point was heavily fortified, and its famous Great Chain—a massive chain stretched across the river to obstruct British ships—became a symbol of American resistance.
In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing the United States Military Academy at West Point, making it the nation's first military academy. The early curriculum was focused on engineering, as Jefferson believed that a foundation in the subject would serve a developing nation. West Point quickly gained a reputation for producing skilled engineers, many of whom went on to play critical roles in building the nation's infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and railways.
The Civil War marked a pivotal chapter for West Point, as graduates found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Many prominent leaders, such as Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, were alumni, and their training at West Point influenced the strategies and tactics used throughout the war. The academy continued to evolve after the war, expanding its curriculum to include more diverse military sciences and leadership training.
Today, West Point remains one of the world’s premier military academies. Its mission has broadened to develop leaders of character who will serve in various capacities, both military and civilian. The campus, known for its impressive Gothic architecture and historic significance, is both a national landmark and an active military institution, embodying a tradition of honor, leadership, and service.
For more on this revered institution, click the full dress uniform.