Figure 1.-- This is my Franklin House Cap. Mum had included in the parcel containing 'Jane's All the World's Aircraft'--my Christmas present in 1940. It is in surprisingly good condition for 70+ years. I was sent to me not that long ago when my host family were selling up their family home.

At Franklin House, like most preparatiry schools, we wore a uniform. Our uniform was short trousered grey suits. In the winter the basic concession to the cold weather was grey flannel shirts. We hated the new ones as the material was very itchy. We also black blazers with red piping. Our caps were made to go with the blazers. They were black with a red button and logo. The ties also were coordinated. They were red with thin blackstripes. They were done with square ends. In the summer term we wore white Aertex shirts. They always looked a bit scruffy as we had to wear ties with them. The soft collars were always a bit skewed. Our official uniform socks had two red striped and a criss-cross black pattern between them. Mother knit mine, as did many other so there was a variation. While in America mum sent along my cap which she had apparently forgotten to pack. It was what we 'nicely dressed' boys wore. I don't think that apart from when away on holdiay we ever went out without headwear, and the only headwear we had were our school caps. "A gentleman always wear a hat." A notable British hatter used the slogan ' If you want to get ahead, wear a hat." It was the done thing. Mum did not understand the differences Grham and encountered with schoolwear. And we never bothered addressing this in our letters. I don't think I ever wore the cap. By the time our caps arrived, we were both well up to speed about how to dress for school in America.

Caps

Our caps were made to go with the blazers, but we also wore them with the grey suits. Note the FHS embroidered logo. They were black with a red button and logo. While in America mum sent along my cap which she had apparently forgotten to pack. It was what we 'nicely dressed' boys wore. I don't think that apart from when away on holdiay we ever went out without headwear, and the only headwear we had were our school caps. "A gentleman always wear a hat." A notable British hatter used the slogan ' If you want to get ahead, wear a hat." It was the done thing. Mum did not understand the differences Grham and encountered with schoolwear. And we never bothered addressing this in our letters. I don't think I ever wore the cap. By the time our caps arrived, we were both well up to speed about how to dress for school in America. I might have worn it if I had it when I first arrivd.

Ties

Our ties also were coordinated. They were red with thin horizontal black stripes. I recall that the shape was not that uncommon for prep school uniform. They were done with square ends. Here is an This is a poor enlargement of my brother wearing the school tie, but it does show the thin horizontal stripes. The tie is quite long, so the ends aren't seen. I remember that the weave was quite coarse, (knitted) unlike the modern fine woven silk or poyester ties of today. We wore them all year round. [Alan: Do you recall learning to tie your tie?]

Suits

At Franklin House our uniform was short trousered grey suits. We wore the suits in the Autum and Spring term.

Blazers

We also black blazers with red piping during the Summer term in place of the grey suit jackets. {Alan: Did the blazers have the FHS logo?] We wore our grey suit shorts with the blazer.

Shirts

We wore white long sleeved shirts. In the winter the basic concession to the cold weather was grey flannel shirts. We hated the new ones as the material was very itchy. We wore short sleeved, greyv or wehite, Aertex shirts during the summer. They always looked a bit scruffy as we had to wear ties with them. The soft collars were always a bit skewed.

Hosiery

Our official uniform socks were wool; turn-over-top socks. They had two red striped and a criss-cross black pattern between them. Mother knit mine, as did many other so there was some variation.

Footwear

We usually wore black lace up shoes. There was no style set. They just had to be blacl lace ups. During the summer term we wore brown closed-toe sandals. Again there were some difference in the styles.