Figure 1.--Here we see the boys on 'HMS Mercury' wearing the standard blue uniform, little changes such the training ship program was begun (1855). This photograph was taken about the turn-of-th 20th century. After World War I the cap was changed. |
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The training ship boys as far as we can tell wore the same uniform as ratings in the Royal Navy. The basic garments were a long sleeve blouse with back flap and trouseres. There was also a dark cap which was used with both the summer and winter unifoirm. The white uniform was plain. The boys wore black silk scarves with both the white and blue uniforms. The blue uniform had the traditional stripe detailing. The white blouse did not have the stripe detailing. We see a light-weight long-sleeve blouse without the back flap. We are not dure when it was introduced, but we see the boys wearing it in the 1930s. The pants were bell-bottoms in the 19th century, but the wide trouser bottoms are less obvious in 20th century images, especially after World War I. We don't yet seecthe boys wearing pea jackets, but one would assume that they had them for cold weather. The boys went barefoot while aboard ship. We believe this was a tradition instituted because Royal Navy sailors until after the Napoleonic Wars usually were barefoot aboard ships. They put on shoes and socks when they went ashore.
Related Military School Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Return to the Main Royal Navy training ship uniform page]
[Return to the Main Royal Navy training ship page]
[Return to the Main English naval school page]
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