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We notice a lot of English boys wearing knitted outfits. The images we have noted date from the early 20th century. We have little information uet on the 19th century. Some of the garments look like rather rough work. Many are solid colors until after World War II. The most common garment as in most countries were sweaters. Socks were also common. The outfits made for boys were mostly short pants outfits. After World War II we note some long pants snow suits. England is at a verty northerly lattitude, but because of the Gulf Stream has a rather mild clinmate. Thus the warm weather needs are not as stringentg as Germany and the Scandinavian countries. We do not at this time, however, have details on the knitting industry in England. We note some very well made knits by the 1910s which look to us like they were not made by hand. Some had surprisingly modern styling.
This portrait had "'Bubbles' Fothergill" and the date 1915 on it. I doubt that the boys name was really Bubbles--just his parents being amusing when writing the card. The knit outfit he is wearing looks very well made. Perhaps it was purchased in a store. Note the very modern looking collar style. Notice the length of the sweater top and the vey wide elastcized waist. It looks ready made to HBC, but a reader believes that it was hand knitted. The wrist cuffs appear to be rolled back, but not as much as the bottom band on the body of the sweater top would suggest. A reader comments, "The shorts seem perfectly sized for him so I also think this suggests the outfit was homemade otherwise they were purchased separately, although they match so this may have just been the style." The curly long hair was a popular style for younger boys.
We notice a lot of English boys wearing knitted outfits. England is at a verty northerly lattitude, but because of the Gulf Stream has a rather mild clinmate. Thus the warm weather needs are not as stringentg as Germany and the Scandinavian countries.
The images we have noted date from the early 20th century. We have little information uet on the 19th century. Some of the garments look like rather rough work. Many are solid colors until after World War II.
The most common garment as in most countries were sweaters. W are not sure, however, how common swaeaters were in the 19th century. They are not prominent in the photographiv record, but that may be vecause mothers used to dress boys up in their best outfits for formal portraits. We dio indeed seem more images of boys wearing sweaters with the advent of amateur photography adgter the turn of the 20th century. We note, for example, one unidentified boy photographed about 1905. Swaters for young boys might have buttons at the shoulders to make it easier to help them dress and undress. After World War I (1014-18) their are counless images of English boys wearing sweaters. Socks were also common. We also note a variety of knitted suit outfits, meaning sweaters and matching pants. These outfits made for boys were mostly short pants outfits. After World War II we note some long pants snow suits.
We have few details at this time as to how popular home knitting was in England. We wonder if World War I did not increase the extent of home knitting. We notice a lot of portraits after the War showing boys wearing knitted sweaters and socks. This continued through the 1950s, but began to decline in the 1960s. We suspect that in the 1960s English mums were less interested in spending their time knitting, although for a while grandmothers and aunts still knitted extensively. Also declining prices for sweaters and socks (in real terms) and rising wages made hime jnitting less attractive. This was especially the case for the increasing number of mothers who worked outside the home.
We do not at this time, however, have details on the knitting industry in England.
We note some very well made knits by the 1910s which look to us like they were not made by hand. Some had surprisingly modern styling.
Several Brirish readers have recalled items they wore as boys hat were hand knittig. Many hand knitting items were done for very young chldr mening that many do not recallthe items they wore as toddlers. Most of the hand knitting that HBC readers recall are jumpers/sweaters. We have not crossindexed these references here yet, but one reader, Bill, tells us about his experiencein the 1960s-70s. He and his brothers did not like the hand-knitted jumpers made for them.
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