Burns Check Tartan
Many BPBC members wear ties in the pattern below for Suppers and other functions and it seems to be outstripping the club-tie (top right of this page) in popularity. It is based on the Shepherd tartan - the oldest known plaid design. The original shepherds (those who looked after sheep ) needed warm clothing to do their job and so, made 'plaids' from the wool of their sheep, in a simple black and white pattern. These hardy Lowlanders subsequently took the surname 'Shepherd' and kept the plaid pattern as their own. More can be read about the origins of this here
The green and brown were subsequently added, to represent Robert Burns' connection to the land, by George Harrison & Co. Edinburgh, possibly from an idea floated by a member of staff from the "Scotsman" newspaper. The design was accepted in June 1959 by the "Burns Federation" who were to receive a small commission on the sale of the design: a condition being that the goods should be made in Scotland, and thus the Burns Check Tartan was born. (From "Our Scottish District Checks" by E.S. Harrison, Edinburgh, 1968.)
(with thanks to both Bob Shepherd and Dougie Abercrombie of BPBC for information)
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