Figure 1.--Here we see an English boy wearing his school cap and school uniform to the beavh. This was very common. We see many examples of this. The snapshot is undated, but looks like the 1920s to us.

We note numerous photographs of English boys wearing peaked caps as general rather than exclusively school headwear. This was in part because many childre, especially low-income children, only had school caps. State primaries did not have uniforms. Some were adopted in the 1960s, but until that time only private schools had uniforms. The one uniform item worn was the cap. So it was the headwear item that most boys had. In many cases the boys involved may not have had large wardrobes and these could be the only caps they owned. So these peaked caps were worn not only for school, but also for play, church, and other dress up occassions. The caps worn at state primaries had no school crest in front. It is one way of telling if the boys attended a state or private school. We also notice boys from private schools wearing their caps as casual headwear. Families which could afford to pay school fees of course could afford other headwear, but school caps became so sandardthat they were worn for casual and even dresswear as well. A factor could be comsidered here is that Britosh families tended to commonly dress up for outings that we would condider tody to be casual undertakings. So we see boys wearing school uniforms and suits along with their caps to all kinds of activities. We even see these outfits and caps at the bech.

Created: 9:06 AM 10/7/2016
Last updated: 9:07 AM 10/7/2016