*** biographical details on boys clothing: ordinary people alphabetical page Ba - Bd








Biographical Details on Boys' Clothing Styles: Ordinary People Alphabetical Page (Ba-Bd)

 Robert Nelson Bailey
Figure 1.-- Robert Nelson Bailey had his photograph taken on September 16 1907. He was 3 years old at the time. He wears a sailor tunic with matching large soft cap. The tunc suit was fairly standard, the material rather unusual. It is notable because it was made in polkadot (actually small anchors) material. Presumably his mother bought the material and made it from the pattern. Image courtesy of the CS collection.

The HBC biography section is for people or families that have achieved some degree of notariety or fame. HBC readers in many cases have submitted family portraits. HBC has until now not added them to the biography section. We believe now that this is a mistake. Many of the HBC readers contributing family portraits can also provide details about the boy and him family. This background information help us to assess social trends and put the fashions involved in perspective. This is just why the biographical section is an important part of HBC. As a result, HBC has decided to create pages for these relatively unknown people, when some basic family data is available. Incidentally if you find a relative here, please do tell us somehing about him. Here we are listing these biographies alpahabetically to facilitate looking up individual names. The alphabdetical list is the primary data base in this section. While we have not persued geneolgical resreach on these individual, having the names and in many cases the loaction provide the potential to acquire more back ground information in the future which may provide additonal insights into the fashion and life style trends.

B., H.F. (United States, probably 1880s)

The boy here wears stylish knee pants suit. Unfortunately all we have is his initials--HFB. We do know that he was 11 years old. The portrait is a cabinent card. We would guess that it was taken aout 1890. It looks to as a portrait taken in the late-1880s, but the early-90s is quite possible. The boys suit has vertecle vents and he wears an Eton collar with a destinctive checkered floppy bow. The setting is interesting with the boy leaning on an ornately carved elephant table. The back of card states that this is "From The New Mammouth Portrait and Photographic Parlors of Walter E. Chickering. The cabinent card mount is black with gold/gilt lettering. There was also gilt beveled edge.Chickering had studios at 476 & 627 Washington St., Boston., near Jordan Marsh & CO. and Globe and Park Theatres.

Bacon, Henry Reginald (England, 1903)

Henry Reginald Bacon had his photograph his photograph taken in Brightlingsea, Essex during July 1903. He wears a wide-brimmed sailor cap and long ringlet curls. He was 7 years old. He has a kneepants suit with military styling worn with an enormous Eton-style collar. Henry has long ringlet curls which have been carefully layed on his shoulders. Four ringlets can be seen. Because of the hat, it is difficult to make out how the hair on his forehead was done. It looks like rather than bangs, his hair at the front was done in short curls.

Bailey, Frank (United States, about 1915)

Here is a full-length studio portrait of Frank Bailey. Frank is an American boy born in 1900. He looks as though he were about 15 or 16 in this posed portrat. This surely is a school portrait because he is wearing what a school cap with piping, resumably in the school colors. This suggests he attended a private school. Frank wears a formal three-piece knicker suit with long black stockings and hightop shoes with metal hooks for lacing. Often American private schools did not have an actual uniform, but required the boys to wear suits. Frank also wears a formal watch chain with fob on his waistcoat (vest). Notice the stiff detachable white colar, worn with collar pins to keep it in place. He has got something in his jacket pocket that makes the coat hang a bit awkwardly. The photo would have been taken in about 1917. We do not know the location.

Bailey, Robert Nelson (Canada, 1907)

Robert Nelson Bailey had his photograph taken on September 16 1907. He was 3 years old at the time. He wears a sailor tunic with matching large soft cap. The tunc suit was fairly standard, the material rather unusual. It is notable because it was made in polka dot material. Presumably his mother bought the material and made it from the pattern. We believe that the boy was from New Brunswick, probably southern New Brunswick.

Bainbrigge, J. Harley (England, 1870s)

This boy was J. Harley Bainbrigge. The name Bainbridge seems more likely, but the name written on the portrait is clearly Bainbrigge. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1870s. We do know that Harley was 8 years old. He holds a riding whip and fox tail brush. Interestingly the fox tail brush was given to him by Lord Curzon. We are not entirely sure who they are referring to as the time frame is not right for the Lord Curzon associated with India and who served as Foreign Minister after World War I. There is a connection between the Bainbrigge and Curzon family over Lockington Hall. The Curzon family ourchased Lockington Hall (1872). This was probably about the time the portrait here was taken. Harley wears what looks like a cut-away jacket with high boots. The boots in portraits were not very common. Perhaps the family was keen on hunting. Except for the boots, I don't think his suit would be called riding clothes.

Baird, Tom (United States, 1860s)

Here we have a Civil War era CDV of a boy who looks to be about 10 years old. He is from Montgomery, Alabama which is interesting because Civil war images of northern boys are much more common than southern boys. The photographer was J. H. Lakin. The portrait is undated. It was provably taken during the War, but if not was surely taken soon after. The boy wears a cut-away jacket with voluminous long pants. Also noticed his narrow-brim hat. The portrait was fiund in a copy of the rare Confederate Imprint History of the Fourteenth Regiment Alabama Vols. by M. B. Hurst (Richmond, Virginia: 1863). The boy's name is inked at the bottom. Unfortunaletly the writing is not very clear. It looks like Tom Baine, Baisch or Baird (it's definitely "Tom Bai__" (and I think Baird is the most likely choice). Possibly he had some connection with the 14th Alabama. He looks too young, however, to be a drummer boy,

Baker, Martin and Erik (United States, 1967)

The Baker boys, Martin and Erik, were photographed at a community outing in 1967 enjoying some eats at a picnic table. The name of the park seems to be Carkonen, but we are not sureb where it was located. The photograph was taken June 24, 1967. It was at a Vasa festival. We are not sure whatv that means. Vasa means vase in Swedish. It is probably best know as a famouis Swedish 16th century ship that sunk and has been recovered in remarkavle condition. I has its own museum in Sweden. We think a Vasa festival is a kind of Scandanavian folk festival, hopefully our Scandanavia readers will enligten us. Martin is 3 years old and Erik is 5 years old. They are both dressed in identical very preppy white button-down short sleeved shirts, not exactly standard picnic wear. Which suggests the boys came from a prosperous middle-class Baby Boomer family and not not the hippy type. In 1960s lingo, the buttoned-down type. Erik seems a real live wire.

Balfour A. (Canada, 1898)

Here we have a portrait (taken at a professional studio in Montreal on December 2, 1898) showing Master A. Balfour in a big-collar Faunterloy blouse. The boy seems to be about 10 years old. The photograph gives us an excellent view of the blouse with its complicated full sleeves and ruffled cuffs. It seems to have a large collar with lace or ruffled trim and matching white or pastel bow. The boy wears form-fitting, light colored knee pants (probably beige or tan) but apparently without the usual ornamental buttons at the knee--although we do not have a side view.

Bampfield Children (England, 1895)

This caninet card portrait shows the two Bampfield children, George Chare and Eileen Mary in 1895. They are 4 and 7 years old. The photograph was taken by Dr. Arhur Howse in his or their Torquay garden. In Britspeak, garden means back yard. Torquay is a vacation spot along the Channel coast, of course made famous by hotel keeper Basil Faulty. George wears a velvet short pants velvet Fauntleroy suit He has a cut-away jacket. Rather than a fancy blouse he has a plain blouse and a pin-on lace collar. The blouse may be back buttoning and does not seem to have a collar. He has ankle socks and strap shoes. Short socks were common for English children. American children almost had long stockings. His big sister Eileen wears a smocked dress with a large white collar. George has a fancy cushion which seems a bit much for an outdoor photograph. This looks like a snapshot, but is printed as a cabinet card. We are not sure if the phorographer, probably Dr. Howse was an avid photography hobiest who had his photographs printed as cabine cards. Or if a Torquay studio contracted photographers to go to private residents. There is no studio informatiomn on the card.

Bank Children (United States, 1910)

This photo postcard shows two New York children taken against what looks like a shed in Brooklyn or New York by the well known and famous city photographer Thaddeus Wilkerson. He is famous for the images he took of New York City in the early-20th century. He usually shot landscpes, waterfront, bridges, buildings, and mounments so this photograph is a little unusul. It is rare to find a portrait of people and furthermore so close up and personal. Perhaps they were faily or neigbors. The children are holding hands and so probably brother and sister and identified as Oswald and Frieda Bank or Baukuk, the writing is not very clear. The boy looks to be about 7 years old and wears a striped Russian blouse and bloomer knickers. His little sister wears a great hair bow and jumper-type dress. Both wear black long stockings . The footwear is unclear. The postcard was mailed in Brooklyn on July 18, 1910. This might have been a July 4th photograph.

Banthrop, Charles (United States, about 1890)

This boy is Charles Banthrop. He is identified on the front as "Chas Banthrop". He was 6 years old. The photographer and thus the location is is not indicated. The boy could be British, bur we think he is provably American, the floppy bow and long stockings in particular point to this. The boy's jacket is not clearly shown. It might even be a tunic. He wears a large starched collar with scalloped edges. The coolar may have been detachable or a pin on collar rather than part of a blouse, but this is difficult to determine. He also has a moderate-sized plaid floppy bow. Charles wears knee pants and long stockungs. The long stockings are dark, but may not be black.

Barad Twins (United States, 1931)

These twins had their portrait taken in 1931. They look like fraternal twins. Unfortunately the hand writing on back of the portrait is very poor. It looks like it could be Barad, but we are not sure. Another possibility is Braud, but we think Barad is more likely. HBC readers may have a better idea. We do know their Christian names. The boys are Charles Stuart and Robert Gerald. The portrait was taken on their 5th birth day during February. The Winter date explains why the boys are wearing long stockings. The boys wear stripped shirts with sports collars, self-belted wool short pants, long stockings, and high-top shoes. The boys hold a stuffed doll and a black doll. I suspect that these are studio props. We do not know where the portrait was taken.

Barenton, Jacques (France, 1883)

This is one of John Singer Sargent's earlier portraits during his time in France (1880's). The Southerby Auction House in New York handled the auction with a Guide price of $1-1.5 million dollars. Like many such portraits of young boys at the time such as Renoir works, boys like Jacques are often described as young girls. Sargent by the early 1880s was building a reputation as a gifted portraitist. He opened astudio in Paris and began to exhibit at the Salon--the imprmatrure of artistic sucess. His portraits were well received by the Paris art establishment. This meant more commissions from wealthu Parisians. Among these were the Brentons, Jaxcques; parents. The resulting portrait of Jacques (1883) was the first in a series of Parisian paintings (1880s). Several depicted young boys in sailor suits which along with the Fauntleroy suit in the second half of the century had become the peak of fashion for boys at the time. We have tried to find some information about Jacques, but have found virtully nothing. He may be related to M. O Barenton, a wealthy confiseur (Confectioner) of the time.

Barker, Frank (United States, early 1870s?)

This CDV shows Frank Barker, a boy about 6 years old. He is dressed in an overcoat. Thee are no lapels. The front folds over and buttons at the top near the small collar. Notice the piping and embroidery on the coat. We do not know what he is wearing underneath. He has a high-side cap with a rounded crown. He also has stiped stockings, but apparently obly one double band. The CDV is undated, but looks like the early-1870s to us or perhaps the late-60s. The photographer is Brownell in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Barker, Richard (United States, 1899-1976)

The Brown Shoe Company contracted with Richard F. Outcault to use his Buster Brown character as a company symbol (1904). Richard Barker was the first boy used as a model and the company changed its name to the Buster Brown Shoe Company. Here Richard is wearing his Buster Brown outfit in 1910 along with his dog. We are not sure just when Richard was hored. He wears a classic Buster Brown outfit, meaning saucer sailor cap, tunic with wide white collar, floppy bow and bloomer knickers. The tunic here has double-breasted styling. The outfit is completed with three-quarter socks and strap shoes. Richard's hair was done with short ringlets, a style going out of fashion for boys at the time. Tunics were, however, vry fashionable for boys, but 7-8 years of age were at the upper end of the age that tunics were worn. Richard was about 10-years old here, alittle older than the Buster chracter and the appropriate age fir his outfit. The Company hired midgets to play Buster in tours around the United States. They were each accompanied by a dog and performed in department stores, theaters and shoe stores (1904-30). Richard played Buster Brown in many of the Compny's advertising campaigns. Richard described his experiences in an autobiography, Buster Brown and the Cowboy.

Barnes, Jasper (United States, about 1910)

Jasper Barnes looks to be about 4 years old. His portrait was taken by Alpha Lomax in Atlanta, Georgia. He has short above the shoulder ringlet curls and wears a dark, traditionally styles sailor suit. The portrait is undated. The fact that is not an albumen print and the type of paper fram suggest to us that it was not taken at the turn-of-the 20th century, but in the late 1900s or early 1910s. The shot ringlets here are another factor. Ringlets were becoming less common in the 1900s. We still see long ringlets in the early 1900s, but much less so in the late 1900s. Ringlets did not disappear compleletly. We we still see younger boys wearing short ringlets in the 1910s, especially before World War I.

Bartholomew Children (United States, 1910s)

Here we see an American cabinet card portrait of the Bartholomew children. They are named, Emanuel Bartholomew, Jr. and Emma Bartholomew. They look to be about 6-8 years old. Emanuel wears a knickers suit with a bold pattern. Note the black long stockings. Emma wears an emaculate white dress and flouncy white hat. What looks like Minnie Pearl price tag is a hair bow--very popular in the 1910s, but notbusually worn with a hat. Like her brother she has black long stockings. Emanuel has high-top lace up shoes. Emma looks to be wearing patent leather strap shoes. The portrait is not dated, but it is a new style caninet card and Emanuel is wearing knickers. As as common with the new cabubet card mounts, the studio and location is not indicated. This strongly suggests the 1910s. They wear their sunday clothes. Note the rosary and prayer meaming they are presumablu catholic. Bartholomew is an English name. Therevwere sone, but not many English Catholics. Perhaps they are Anglican. Emma, perhaps even Emma may be doing their First Communion. We begin to see more First Communion portrait in the 1910s.

Bartle Brothers (Canada, 1895-1910?)

Here we have a portrait of the three Bartle brothers from Ontario, Canada . The portrait is undated. The reader who sent it to us estimates that it was probably taken some time between 1895-1910. We mught guess that it was taken after the turn-of-th-20th century, but during the 1900s. One reason that it is difficult to date the image is that the boys wear old well worn clothes. The lack od fashionable styles makes it difficult to come up with an estimated date. The portrait is somewhat unusual in that it seems to be a professionally done portrait. Most professional portraits have children done up by their parents in their best clothes. Here there was no attempt to dress up the children and is thus of interest as it shows how working-class children might have dressed at the time.

Bartlett, ?? (United States, 1860s)

We note a CDV portrait of a lady wearing a dress with an enormous hoop skirt. The CDv is signed on the back Mrs J. Bartlette So we assume the boy pictured with her is her son, but we do not know his first name. He looks to be about 8 years old and wears a plaid tunic with checked pants. The tunic is a front-buttoning tunic with a belt. We know that they were from San Francisco as the studio was William Shew from tht city. The portrait is undated and we are not sure about the date. It looks like the 860s to us, but the back drop looks more elaborate than most CDVs, It was orobably taken in the late-60s, perhaps ven the early 70s. We think the 60s is more likely becaise the tunic the boy is wearing looks more like the 1850s-60s. Tunics were commonly done without buttons, but this was often not the case in America at mid-century. They may look rathr like shirts, but boys would not have orn a shirt without tucking it in at the waist.

Bartlett, Ernest Joseph Will??? (England, 1904)

This CDV portrait of Ernest Joseph Will??? Bartlett was taken in 1904. CDV portraits were still common at the turn of-the 20th century in England and other Europen countries. He looks to be avout 5-years old. Ernest wears a classic straw broad-brummed sailor hat. He wears an open jacket sailor suit with two stripe detailing. It is presumably a blue suit. Notice the lighter shade of blue used in the collar. We are not sure what kind of blouse he is wearing. Ernest's sailor suit has short pants. Notice the three-quarter socks and double-bar strap shoes. The studio was Rowe in Taunton. Ernest is pictures with the beloved family pooch.

Bartley Family (United States, 1860s)

This CDV portrait shows an American boy wears a dress and long pantalettes. He is carrying a cap, but it is a little dificult to tell wht kind. The boy is unidentified, but the CDV was found in the Bartley family album from Seneca Falls, New York. He looks about 4 years old. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1860s.

Bartram, Harold and Rolland (United States, late-1890s)

This cabinent portrait shows two brithers, Harold and Rolland Bartram. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1890s. The perforated edges of the mmount along with the whicker furniture suggests to us that the portrait was taken about 1895-1900. The studio was the National Art Company's Railroad Palace Photograph studio. The boys look to be about 3-6 years old. The youngervboy wears a Fauntleroy kilt suit. He has a smll cut-away jacket amd a kilt skirt. His older brother wears a double-breasted knee pants suit. Both boys wear long stckings. They also look to be wearing similar square-collar blouses and large floppy bows. The floppy bows look to have the sme candy-strip pattern. The little boy has long hair, but it does not looked curled.

Baslian, Erich (Germany, 1907)

We note a German boy photographed in Darmstadt during March 1907. We do not bknow how old he was, but would guess about 6 years old. He has long, but not shoulder-length hair. German boys at the time commonly had short even, shaved heads. This portrait shows that some German boys had long hair, although it was much more common in other countries such as France. Erich wears a kneepants white sailor suit with three-quarter length dark socks. He was photographed with a hoop, a popular play item at the time.

Bätcher, Max and Georg (Germany, 1860s)

Here we have the Bätcher family. All we know about the family is that they are German and that the boys are Max and Georg. They look about 8 and 11 years old. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1860s. We do not know where in Germany the family lived. Of course in the 1860s Germany as a united country did not yet exist. The family looks to have been a prosperous middle-class family. The adults look rather old, they may have been the grand parents. The boys are dressed identically in what look like velvet jackets. The jackets are done with large buttons, but have no collars. The boys wear long pants. Kneepants were not yet commonly worn.

Batdorf, Alvin and Harry (United States, about 1910)

This is post-card back portrait of two brothers. They are identified on the back as Alvin and Harry Batdorf. The older boys wears a knickers suit waih an unusual tie, probanly a poorly tied bowtie. His littler brother wears a tunic suit with short sleeves. Both boys wear long stockings anf high-top shoes. The portrait is undated. This was a CYKO postcard and we know they first appeared in 1904 and continued into the 1920s. The white whicker furniture was popular at the turn-od-the-20th century, suggesting the early 1900s. Knickers were, however, more common in the 1910s than the 1900s. So we believe this portrait was probably taken in the late-1900s or early-1910s.

Bate, Harold (England, 1870)

A watercolor painting from 1870 shows Harlod Bate wearing intricately done ringlet curls. Unfortunately we have no provinance on the painting, except that on the back it indicates that he was 2 1/2 years old at the time and wears a blue dress or smock with a small neck frill. The fact that he had a reasonably high-quality watercolor portrait done of him suggests that he came from an affluent family. We note that he has a large top curl in addition to his ringlets. This is a style we have also noted in America, at the time. It seems to have been a destinctively boyish hair fashion. At least we have not yet noted it on girls.

Bates, Arthur (United States, about 1900-05)

This cabinet card shows Arthur Bates wearing a cut-away jacket with lapels that are a smooth oval. It is a vested, knee pants suit which he wears with black long stockings and high-top shoes. Notice Arthur's top curl. The portrait is undated, but looks to us like about 1905. The card is one of the new style cabinet cards that appear after the turn-of-the-20th century. There were various new styles in contrast to the long-term standard styles of the 19th century which were little changed (1860s-90s). This one was the very narrow vertical style (8.5"x4") which we mostly notice in the 1900s decade. The portrait was taken in the J.J. Auld studio in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Baumgartner, Francis, Katherine, and Jack (United States, 1911)

This potcard back portair shows the three Baumgartner children. The back is enscribed, " Friday, July 21, 1911. Riverside Park. Francis Baumgartner, Katherine and Jack." The children look to be about 1-8 years old. We are not sure where Riverside Park is. There are quite a number cities in different states with that name. The children are all dressed in white, popular summerwear at the time. This included dresses and tunics suits as well as white stockings and socks as well as white high-top shoes. Notice the hats, chrcteristic of the 1910s, both down-turned brims and variously turned brims.

Bayly, Vere Talbot (England, 1910-11)

Vere Talbot Bayly and his friend Roy (last name unknown) were photographed together, proably outside Roy's home in Bath. The photograph was undated, but probably taken about 1910. As with so many of the photographs taken at this time, there is a sad aspect to this image. According to The Commonwealth War Graves Commision, a 2nd Lieutenant Vere Talbot Bayly was killed on the May 8, 1916. He was only 19 years old. He was serving with the 7th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment. Lieutenant Bayly was the only son of Isabel H. J. Bayly, of "Oaklands," Lansdown, Bath, and the late Langton G. Bayly. At first I assumed that these boys were brothers but from the above I now think that Vere was a friend of Roy. I would guess him to be about 12 or 13 when the photo was taken, dating it to around 1910-11. An interesting aspect is that these boys were photographed at about the same time William D. Boyce encountered the famed unknown Scout in London, an encountered which launched the American Scout movement.










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Created: November 4, 2002
Last updated: 9:27 PM 3/26/2023