Figure 1.-- This CDV was taken at the Studio of R. Totherwick, Berwick upon Tweed in the late 1860s. This boy wears a dress made to look some whatlike a plaid kilt. He also wears pantalettes. The subject is unidentified, but looks to be about 5 years old. Image courtesy of the MD collection. |
We note quite a wide age range of boys on hobby horses of various descriptions. Here there were both hobby horses that could be rode as well as some that were more like pull toys. Some of the boys were quite young. Many were not yet breached. Boys were often breached at about age 5-6 years old, there were, howevr, substantial variations from fmuly to family. Others seem older than you would expect to be still riding them. Perhaps they were old friends from early childhood or perhaps it was more accepted for older boys to divert themselves with hobby horses. Some boys seem as old as about 10 years, but most were much younger. The gender of the oldr boys is usually fairly obvious. Some of the younger children are much more difficukt to identify.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main hobby horse boy gender indication page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Theatricals]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]