Canada: 1880s-90s Boys' Clothing


Figure 1.-- This portrait shows Fred in a velvet or crushed velvet suit, the stockings look to be of very fine material and have a slight ribbing to them, it certainly looks like a very expensive suit. Image courtesy of the CO collection.

We do not have a great deal of information about this Canadian boy. A Canadian reader has, however, found several portraits of the boy which show him at several different ages. He reports, "The seller was from Halifax, Nova Scotia and I found them at his booth at the Giant Flea Market in Sussex this summer in 2003. He thinks he got these from Ontario, maybe Toronto, but he said he may have got it locally in Hapifax from one of many auctions he has attended, so perhaps I will be able to locate the photo studio by the name on the CDVs." The CDVs are not dated, but HBC estimates that the first was taken in the 1880s and the second in the 1880s. The CDVs have the name of the photographer and addresses, but not the name of the city in which they were taken. Two of the photos are actually the same, both damaged, and the third was in better condition of him when he was older. Written on the back in pencil was simply; "Uncle Fred". So we know the boy's nane was Fred.

Location

Our HBC reader tells us, that the photographic dealer " ... thinks he got these from Ontario, maybe Toronto, but he said he may have got it locally in Hapifax from one of many auctions he has attended, so perhaps I will be able to locate the photo studio by the name on the CDVs." The CDVs have the name of the photographer and addresses, but not the name of the city in which they were taken.

Chronology

The CDVs are not dated, but HBC estimates that the first was taken in the 1880s and the second in the 1880s.

Identity

Unfortunately we do not know this boy's family name. Written on the back in pencil was simply "Uncle Fred". So we know the boy's nane was Fred.

Two Portraits

We have two portraits of Fred. Two of the photos are actually the same, both damaged, and the third was in better condition of him when he was older.

Younger Portrait

The younger photos show him at about 5 years old. He is wearing a velvet or crushed velvet suit. It is done in the sailor style, but wilout stripe detailing. The blouse is front buttoning. He has a lanyard with presumably a tin whistle ticked into his pocket. He wears dark long stockings which look to be of very fine material and have a slight ribbing to them, it certainly looks like a very expensive suit. On his boots you can see the laces are long and are wrapped around the boots top, about two eyelets down from the top, I have seen many people do this now with work boots and the like.

Older Portraits

The older portrait showsthe boy at about 12-13 years of age. He wears a three-piece knickers suit with a very large Eton collar, I think without a tie. It is a solid colred suit, but I am not sure about the color. He has tucked the bottom of his knickers in heavy kneesocks.






HBC






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Created: September 20, 2003
Last updated: September 20, 2003