New York City Boys: Homemade Waggon (1890s)


Figure 1.-- Here we see two New York City boys in what looks like a home-made vehicle which I supose would have been called a wagon. Presumably the boys put it together. I'm not sure if dad helped. Products used to come in wooden boxes which could be used for a variety purposes.

Here we see two New York City boys. The boys are unidentified. They look to be about 6-9 years old. A HBC reader thinks they are a year or sonyounger. We are guessing that the building in the background is their home. This would mean that they came from a family living in comfortable circumstances. They are sitting in what looks like a home-made vehicle which I supose would have been called a wagon. Presumably the boys put it together. I'm not sure if dad helped. Products used to come in wooden boxes which could be used for a variety purposes. Here the boys have used an Empire Laundry Starch box. Today of course everything is in carboard. It doesn't look like a very safe contraption, but the boys seemed pleased enough with it. Both boys wear fancy blouses, knee pants and black long stockings. Note the short sleeves. I don't think blouses at the time were made with short sleeves. Apparantly the boys rolled up their sleeves. Notice that they are wearing the round garters with their stockings rolled down to where the garters meet their legs. I think these are rubbr bands, but I am not sure. They did not have under waists on to hold up their garters. This may be because the photograph was taken in the 1890s. We think proper underwaists became more common after the turn-of-the 20th century.

The Boys

The boys are unidentified. They look to be about 6-9 years old. A HBC reader thinks they are a year or sonyounger.

Location

Here we see two New York City boys. We are guessing that the building in the background is their home. This is not a tenament area, but looks like a smart residential area. This would mean that they came from a family living in comfortable circumstances.

Chronology

The photograph here is undated. We would guess it was taken in the 1890s, probably the late 90s.

Home-made Vehicle

The boys are sitting in what looks like a home-made vehicle which I supose would have been called a wagon. Presumably the boys put it together. I'm not sure if dad helped. Products used to come in wooden boxes which could be used for a variety purposes. Here the boys have used an Empire Laundry Starch box. Today of course everything is in carboard. It doesn't look like a very safe contraption, but the boys seemed pleased enough with it.

Clothing

Both boys wear fancy blouses, knee pants and black long stockings. Note the short sleeves. I don't think blouses at the time were made with short sleeves. Apparantly the boys rolled up their sleeves.

Stocking Supporters

Notice that they are wearing the round garters with their stockings rolled down to where the garters meet their legs. I think these are rubbr bands, but I am not sure. They did not have under waists on to hold up their garters. This may be because the photograph was taken in the 1890s. We think proper underwaists became more common after the turn-of-the 20th century. Physicians and health authorities were very opposed to round garters for children and women because of the bad effect on circulation. Waists with hose supporters attached or suspender waists that allowed supporters to be suspended from the shoulders were encouraged as the sensible alternatives, and such waists were supposedly more comfortable and less restrictive. But many boys preferred round garters anyway because they were easier to take on and off. Some of our Canadian readers mention the preference for round garters among schoolboys during the 1940s. Round garters for long stockings seem to have been more popular in America than in Europe, although English boys were very accustomed to round garters for knee socks from the 1920s up through the 1950s. Manufacturers of hose supporters such as Stein (Hickory hose supporters) and Frost (Velvet grip supporters) also of course opposed round garters for long stockings. Round garters were sold commerically for children but were much less heavily advertised than the more common supporters. Round garters, of course, could be easily made at home by mothers out of strips of elastic sewn together at the ends.






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Created: 10:18 PM 11/7/2007
Last updated: 4:44 PM 11/13/2008