18th Century Scots Bonnets

Last updated: Jan 16, 2024

This page collects examples of Scots bonnets, including scone caps and broad bonnets. Sometimes known as a tam, tammie, or tam o’ shanter, after the “gude blue bonnet” worn by the hero of Robert Burns’s 1790 poem Tam o’ Shanter.

(Several also appear on caricatures in satires, such as Slender Billy & Hopping Harry, Scotch Eloquence on a Chilly Congregation, Scotch Fencibles, and The Treasury Spectre.)

• National Museums Scotland H.NA 478, 17th century broad bonnet, found on a skeleton on Dava Moor, Cromdale, Moray, Scotland
• National Museums Scotland H.NA 412, 17th century broad bonnet or cap, from Barrock, Wick, Caithness, Scotland; see also A bog body from Barrock
• The Arnish Moor bog body, early 18th century
• “RAN-away, about 14 months ago, from Folkart Derickson, of Reding Township in Hunderton County, New-Jersey, an Irish Servant Man named James Martin. He was lately taken up, and made his second escape on the 29th of last Month, from Frankfrod, and calls himself Patrick Brupstes. He is about 22 Years of age, of middle Stature, pretty well set, of a sandy Complexion, very talkative and nimble. Had on when he made his escpae, a blue great Coat, a close-body’d Coat, a pair of Leather Breeches, a good white Shirt, Worsted Stockings, and either wears a small felt Hat or a Scotch blue Bonnet, and went away with Hand-Cuffs on. He pretends to be a Weaver, and some other Trades, but understands nothing of them.” (The American Weekly Mercury, January 28 to February 4, 1741)
• “RAN away, on the 27th of September last, from William Montgomerie of Hunterdon County, in New-Jersey, a Servant Man lately imported from Scotland and speaks Scotch, named Alexandr Scrogge, of middle Stature and well set, red Hair but cut off and wears a Cap. He took with him a course blue Cloath Coat with flat Brass Buttons, two Jackets of the same one of them without Sleeves, two pair of Yarn Stockings, round to’d Shoes, Oznabrigs Trowsers, a blue Scotch Bonnet, and a Leather Cap.” (The American Weekly Mercury, October 1-8, 1741)
• Sketches and artwork by Paul Sandby:
  Groups of men and women walking
  Men and women sitting on a grass bank
  A beggar seated on the ground in Edinburgh
  A beggar holding his cap
  A Highlander talking with a girl
  The Peep-show
  A bagpiper and boy
  A man lying by a garden fence
  Gillee wet feit or Errand-Runner, c. 1749
  Men hauling in a fishing net by a bridge, c. 1749
  Horse fair on Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh, 1750
  Street scene, Edinburgh, 1750
  High Street, Edinburgh, 1751
• “RAN away some Time in August last, from the Subscriber's Plantation, on Willis's Creek, in Albemarle County, a new Negroe Man Slave, who was imported this Summer in the Williamsburg, Captain Tate; as he cannot tell who he belongs to he may be committed to Prison, though there is some Reason to believe he was met on the Road and carried high up the Country: He is a strong made Fellow, about five Feet ten Inches high, stoops much in his Shoulders, and has a surly down Look; The little Time I had him he went by the Name of David, tho' he may not now remember it; he had on when he went away a new strong Oznabrig Shirt, a blue Pennystone Waistcoat, sew'd up the Sides, the whole Breadth of the Cloth, and a new Scotch Bonnet.” (Virginia Gazette, November 14, 1751)
• “Run away from Samuel Fowler, living on the West Side of the Hudson River in Ulster County near Newbergen a negro man between 30 and 40 years old, is a short well set Fellow; had on when he went away a yellow coloured Coat, double-breasted, a Scotch Bonnet on his head, a new Tow shirt and trousers and halts a little with his right leg and pretends to be a Doctor.” (The New-York Gazette, August 1, 1756)
• “Run away on the First of May last, from the Subscriber, living on Corsica Creek, in Queen Ann’s County, Maryland, two Convict Servants, viz. one named John Jackson, about five feet eight inches high, pitted with the Small Pox, middling well set: Had on and took with him, a blue Coat, brown Jacket, and lightish coloured Breeches lined with shamy Leather, but am not certain whether the Clothes are of Cloth or Serge: he likewise had a pair of Country Cloth Breeches, and an under Jacket, without Sleeves of the same Cloth, two coarse Shirts, and a fine one, several Pair of Stockings, and one or two Pair of Shoes, a dark Wig, Hat and Scotch Bonnet; he is a very bold fellow and much given to swearing and lying , plays on the Bagpipes, and has a Sett with him; I hear he passes for a broken Pedlar, has Pins, Needles and Ribbons to sell, says he is an Irishman, and calls himself William O’Daniel.” (Pennsylvania Gazette, June 15, 1758)
• Habit of Gentleman in the Highlands of Scotland by James Basire, 1759
• The Scotch Bonnet, A New Ballad in The London Magazine, 1762
• “DUBLIN, A Negro, well known in New-York; the Property of Mr. Roper Dawson, ran away from Staten-Island, the 13th inst. He is about Five Feet high, slender built, has a scar under one of his Eyes, very pert, active, and talkative, speaks English very plain; had on, when he went away, a new Watch Coat of drab Colour, yellow Buttons; check Shirt, a Pair of old Duck Trowsers, plain square Copper Buckles in his Shoes, a broad Gold Lac'd Hat, also a blue Scotch Bonnet.” (The New-York Gazette, November 3, 1762)
• “RAN away from the Sloop Ranger, John Cox Maſter, on the Evening of the 5th Inſtant, a Servant Boy named Samuel Dean, about 16 Years of Age, freſh Complexion, round favour’d, wears his own ſhort black Hair, which has been lately cut. He has a remarkable large Scar in the back Part of his Head. He had on when he went away, a blue outſide Jacket, and a green one under it; a check’d Shirt, yarn Stockings of different Colours, (one of them being dark and the other light blue) and a pair of braſs Buckles in his Shoes, and wears a Scotch Bonnet.” (Boston, November 7, 1763)
• “RAN away from Mr. Joshua Edmondson, living at Vienna, in Dorchester County, a Negro Fellow named Glasgow, the Property of Mr. Thomas Muir in Glasgow, and was left in Possession of the Subscriber, in the County aforesaid, a thick well made Fellow, about 40 Years of Age, about 5 Feet 8 Inches high, and speaks broken: Had on when he went away, a blue Kersey Jacket and Breeches, Country made Shirt, Yarn Stockings, old Shoes with Brass Buckles, a blue Scotch Bonnet, and an old brown Cut Wig. He took with him two very good Frize Jackets, and a good brown Great Coat.” (Maryland Gazette, June 20, 1764)
• “Run away from the subscriber last Saturday night, a negro man named Harry, formerly belonging to Mr. Van Dollsen, Mason, in this city. He is well built, had on when he went away a light coloured double-breasted Jacket, a coarse white Linen shirt, short wide trousers, half-worn shoes, steel Buckles and a Scotch bonnet: he is apt to get drunk, stutters a bit, speaks very good English, Spanish, and French, and a little bit of other languages.” (The New-York Gazette, September 19, 1764)
• “RAN away from the Subſcriber, living hear Lower-Cedar-Point in Charles County, the 17th of May laſt, Three Convict Servants, imported in the Tryal, Capt. Errington, from London, viz. … James Weſt, about 5 Feet high, 15 or 16 Years of Age, has dark brown curl’d Hair, and grey Eyes. Had on and took with him, a Scotch Bonnet, a white Linen shirt, two Coats, one a dark Cloth, the other a light colour’d Surtout, a pair of Leather Breeches, ribb’d Worſted Stockings, and a Pair of Pumps.” (The Maryland Gazette, June 20, 1765)
• “RUN away from the subsriber, living in Penn’s Neck, on Oldman’s Creek, in Salem county, a Scotch servant man, named PATRICK BICKUM, about 23 years of age; he is a chunky, well set fellow, about 5 feet 8 inches high, and has short black hair; he wore a Scotch bonnet, a short jacket, the stripes goes round him, and has a lock on his leg.” (The Pennsylvania Gazette, June 25, 1772)
• “RUN AWAY FROM the Subſcriber the 5th of September laſt, a Negro man named SHIE, about Five Feet Six Inches high, a Scar on his Stomach, bow Kneed, talks little or no Engliſh; had on, when he went away, a Scotch Bonnet … ” (The North-Carolina Weekly Gazette, December 24, 1773)
• “Tories who broke Goal at Frederick Town on the night of the 23rd September 1776 …
  Alexander M^cCraw a Scotchman, a well made man about five feet nine inches high, had on a coarse hunting shirt and leather breeches, a pair of striped trousers and pale blue yarn stockings, a pair of shoes and scotch bonnet.
  Hennith Sewart a Scotchman well made about five feet nine Inches high, wears a long hunting shirt with pockets in the sides of it, a pair of leather breeches, white stockings, a brown surtout coat and scotch bonnet, pretends to have some knowledge in Physick.”
• Several references in Robert Burns’ poetry, including:
  “His coat is the hue o' his bonnet sae blue” (The Laddie's Dear Sel', 1789)
  “Whiles holding fast his gude blue bonnet” (Tam o' Shanter, 1790)
  “An Robin's bonnet wave wi' crape / for Mailie dead.” (Poor Mailie’s Elegy)
  “Feathers of a flee wad feather up his bonnet.” (Wee Willie Gray, 1795)
• Several illustrations by David Allan, including:
  A group of Edinburgh characters, c. 1780
  A poor Edinburgh father of twenty children by David Allan, c. 1785
  Sir William Worthy and the Gentle Shepherd and the craigy bield, 1789
  Illustration to 'The Cottar’s Saturday Night', c. 1790
  Illustration to the poem 'Tak Your Auld Cloak About Ye' and another illustration to the poem 'Tak Your Auld Cloak About Ye', c. 1790
  Two men at a table drinking, probably the beginning of the second verse of 'Auld Lang Syne', c. 1790
  Illustrations from 'Muirland Willie,'c. 1790, including men shaking hands amd a dance in a barn, c. 1790
  The Penny Wedding, 1795 (and a study with a dancing boy wearing a bonnet)
  A Highland Soldier, c. 1795
  The Black Stool (The Stool of Repentance, 1795