Figure 1.--Here we see nautical style oil skins. A 16-year old English boy is working the family gill nets. Notice the smock style oilskins with enclosed collar and attached hood. There is no front opening for the water to get in. This is strictly a pull over garment. The shiny finish is the mark of nautical oil skin clothing. Boys as young as 9 years are still active in family fishing in England.

We note a range of inclement weather clothing in England, both cold weather garments and rainwear. English children have worn a variety of knitted garments, especially during the winter. The most important was sweaters. Many important sweater types first appeared in England. Some English boys during the 1920s began wearing sweaters, which tended to to be made longer than now, over their pants--usuallly short pants. This fashion was, however, not as pronounced as on the Continent. We have observed this same convention in other countries--including Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. We do not know why this convention developed. Later the swearters becam more shorter and were cut at the waist and often tucked inside the pants. We also note important coat styles, especially sailor styles such as such as sailor styles, including reefer jackets, pea jackets as well as duffle coats. One cold weather garment that does not seem very common are leggings. Other garments include gloves, mufflers, and scarves. An especially destinctive cold weather garment is the balaclava. Amother type of inclement weather gear is rainwear. This is particulary important in England where it rains a good deal, both during the summer and winter. Several different types of rainwear are worn in England. We note oilskins, mcintoshes, raincoats, anoracks, and ponchos. The classic gaberdine overcoat when assisted by an umbrella could double as both cold weather and rain weae.

Cold Weather Clothing

English children have worn a variety of cold weather garments. The nost important is coats and jackets. Abd Engkishg coat styles have cbeen very important vin infuencing styles. We notice caps in the 19th century. A good example is the capes the Cameron boys are wearing in the 1850s. knitted garments, especially during the winter. The most important was sweaters. Many important sweater types first appeared in England. Some English boys during the 1920s began wearing sweaters, which tended to to be made longer than now, over their pants--usuallly short pants. This fashion was, however, not as pronounced as on the Continent. We have observed this same convention in other countries--including Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. We do not know why this convention developed. Later the swearters becam more shorter and were cut at the waist and often tucked inside the pants. We also note important coat styles, especially sailor styles such as such as sailor styles, including reefer jackets, pea jackets as well as duffle coats. One cold weather garment that does not seem very common are leggings. Other garments include gloves, mufflers, and scarves. An especially destinctive cold weather garment is the balaclava.

Rainwear

Another type of inclement weather gear is rainwear. This is particulary important in England where it rains a good deal, both during the summer and winter. We have not been able to find much information on English rainwear. Both portraits and snapshots are relatively rare in the photographic record. It seems relatively rare to take snapshots when it is raining. And children do not wear rainwear for formal portrait. Thus we have been able to find few useful images. We know that several different types of rainwear were worn in England. We note oilskins, mcintoshes, raincoats, anoracks, and ponchos. A reader tells us about a rain garnent we have not noted before, the Barbour, described as the British country gentleman's waterproof. The classic gaberdine overcoat when assisted by an umbrella could double as both cold weather and rainwear. we do not see the raincoats like Ameruican boys wore. Quite a few boys wore gaberdine overcoats. School dress was more formal in Britain than America, especially by the 1930s when we see fewer American boys wearing suits to school. Some boys were able to make do without rainwear by using an umbrella.

Created: 3:59 AM 1/10/2011
Last updated: 1:34 AM 11/25/2013