TER November 2022

99

US Consulate teams up with Prickly Thistle to

develop three designs for first official tartan

US tartan poll

THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN NOVEMBER

Hospital radio has

diamond celebration

SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS in 1962 the

Edinburgh Hospital Broadcasting Service

has counted more than 600 individuals as

voluntary members. Many members have

gone on to successful careers in

broadcasting, from BBC Radio One legend

Mark Goodier to Fame Academy’s Richard

Park. The service has also hosted a roster of

famous visitors from throughout its history

including Cliff Richard and the Beatles at

the height of their sixties fame, as well as a

more recent visit from then-Health

Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

Now broadcasting as red dot radio, the

station currently airs a two-hour request

programme every day of the year to

hospital patients throughout both the

Western General and the Royal Infirmary of

Edinburgh. Any former members are

welcome to join the 60th anniversary party

on Saturday 12 November for a cost of £30.

To get involved contact 

[email protected]

13TH: In 1850, author Robert
Louis Stevenson was born in
Edinburgh at 8 Howard Place.

15TH: In 1824, fire broke out
about 10 o’clock at night in a second
floor workshop in Old Assembly
Close, belonging to the engraver,
James Kirkwood. This turned out to

be one of the most destructive fires

in the history of the city, destroying

the High Street, Parliament Square

and the Tron Kirk over five days. And

in 1996, the Stone of Destiny was

ceremonially returned to Edinburgh

from Westminster Abbey where it

had been installed by King Edward I

700 years previously, in 1296.

24TH: In 1572, John Knox, a

leader of the Scottish Reformation,

died in Edinburgh. And in 1861, at

around ten past one on the morning

an immense 16th century Edinburgh

tenement containing at least 77

inhabitants suddenly gave way and

collapsed to the street below; the

building was located on the north

side of the High Street between

Bailie Fyfe’s Close on the west and

Paisley Close on the east.

Compiled by Jerry Ozaniec,

Membership Secretary of the Old

Edinburgh Club.

Email: membership@

oldedinburghclub.org.uk

Clare Campbell of

Prickly Thistle

Robert Louis

Stevenson

By OLIVIA THOMAS

THE UNITED STATES Consulate General in
Edinburgh has launched an online poll asking the
Scottish public to help choose its official tartan.
One winner will be chosen from three designs,
which incorporate colours and patterns
influenced by the shared history between
Scotland and the United States. The poll closes on
21 November and the winning design will be
announced on St Andrew’s Day, 30 November.
First established in Edinburgh 224 years ago, the
consulate partnered with tartan designer Clare
Campbell of Prickly Thistle, from Evanton, north
of Inverness, to develop the three options.
Prickly Thistle has a strong history creating
innovative, bespoke tartan including those used
at the 25th Annual New York City Tartan Day
Parade in April 2022 and in earlier years.
She also designed “Aliam” commemorating
Alan Cumming and Miriam Margoyles’ 2021
“Lost in Scotland” TV special and “Sassenach” for
Outlander actor Sam Heughan.
The Consulate General’s winning design will

be registered with the Scottish Register of

Tartans, where it will be publicly accessible

among thousands of other tartans.

The tartan poll can be accessed via the

Consulate’s @USAinScotland Twitter page or by

visiting https://bit.ly/3fSUWhs.

The winning tartan will form a distinctive part

of the American diplomatic presence in

Edinburgh, symbolising the deep connections

between the United States and Scotland and

boosting awareness of the Consulate General’s

activities from their office on Regent Terrace in

the east end of the city.

U.S. Ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley, said:

“Tartan is embraced internationally as a symbol

of Scotland, and we are thrilled to be one step

closer to finally having an official tartan to call

our own. All three designs up for a vote are

representative of the deep historic and

contemporary ties between the United States and

Scotland. I hope our tartan will come to

symbolize the continued growth of our

relationship.”

U.S. Consul General Jack Hillmeyer said:

“The United States has maintained a diplomatic

presence in Scotland since 1798, when President

John Adams appointed the first U.S. Consul.

Since then, the ties between our nations have

grown wide and deep. Millions of Americans

claim Scottish ancestry, including dozens of

U.S. Presidents.

“Americans harbour a deep love of Scotland,

and the United States boasts more than 1,

Scottish associations and clubs.

“Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit

Scotland annually, in addition to the thousands

more who choose to study in Scotland each year.

We are proud to be Scotland’s principal

international trading partner, and our bonds

continue to grow in new and emerging industries.

This tartan aims to celebrate all we have in

common with each other.”

Clare Campbell from Prickly Thistle said: “I

was delighted to work with the U.S. Consulate

General on their tartan project. Tartan is an

expression of history, geography, and self-

expression. These designs are instantly

recognisable as Scottish, but help visually tell the

story of the different ways America and Scotland

are interlinked. No matter the winner, Scotland

will be welcoming a wonderful new tartan onto

its national tapestry.”