The Story Behind ‘Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Khaki’

The tartan design for Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Khaki evolved in response to visitors’ questions at Clouds Hill, Lawrence’s Dorset home, now owned and maintained by the National Trust.

‘Lawrence of Arabia’

Many visitors were fascinated to learn that Lawrence, thought by most to be the ‘quintessential British officer’ had a secret family background, rich in Celtic ancestry, that embraced all of the United Kingdom and The British Isles.

Theresa Jenkins-Teague, the designer and owner of Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Khaki, has been a House Guide volunteer for the National Trust at Clouds Hill for many years, as well as being an active member of the T E Lawrence Society.
As a distant relative to Lawrence through his Irish roots, Theresa wanted to create a commemorative tartan that would be aesthetically pleasing and practical, but which tied together all the different aspects of TE Lawrence’s colourful life, into a visual ‘aide- memoire’  so that his story could be easily recollected and told.
Before expanding her passion for historical preservation, and all things Lawrence, Theresa worked as an NHS Healthcare Professional for 33 years, retiring early to develop ‘Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Khaki’  Tartan. Theresa hopes the tartan will raise the understanding and profile of Lawrence for a new audience as well as generate interest in the history surrounding Lawrence that can try to help make sense and inform our understanding of World events today.