Figure 1.-This is a page from the Freemans 1973 catalog with schoolwear. It offers shirts and trousers, both short trousers and long trousers. You can see the the English preferece for grey colored schoolwear.. |
|
We have a page from the Freemans catalog from 1973 with schoolwear. It offers shirts and trousers, both short trousers and long trousers. Note the shirts were only done in long-sleeved. You can see the the English preferece for grey -olored schoolwear. These were all itemsn at most schools.
Freemans started business in 1905 in Clapham, a gas-lit London suburb. The founders of the Company were A.C. Rampton, W.E. Jones, S.C. Rampton and H.A. Freeman. Each partner put up £100. The first Freemens offices consisted of two rooms in a terraced house, and there was 12 staff. It became one of Britain's most importan mail order clothing catalogs. This was the case in the 1970s. There was an important selection of children's clothes, including school uniforms. The compsny now has an important om-line presence. Most of Freemans business is now run on an agency basis, with about a million agents serving 3 million customers. Their catalogue includes 1,000's of pages of name brands, including Diesel, Morgan, Warehouse, Levi's and many more. Plus, Denise Van Outen models their exclusive One Collection.
Many British schools require school uniforms, both private schools and state schools at both the porimnary and secondary lrevrl. Each school decided oin its uniform, but many school chose similsr item such as grey shirts, grey shorts, grey or black long trousres, and grey knee socks. This was the case in 1973. It is still the case today, although uniforms are now some what more diverse with more colored items.
Trutex was one of the primary manufacturers of schoolwear in Britain. A British reader tells us, "I remember Trutex only from posters put up in shop windows. This was a more expensive range and was not sold in chainstores like BHS but through smaller menswear/boyswear shops (some of which also stocked the specialised items like blazers for individualschools that chain stores didn't sell). Trutex also did not advertise in the tabloid press like BHS did so these adverts also probably appeared in the more upmarket woman's magazines. They also did not sell through catalogues such as Freemans or Littlewoods. As you can see, Trutex tried to be a bit more 'fashionable' than the chain stores. HBC pointed out on the English school uniform page the waist tab feature of the shorts here. Another innovation was the round-collared (or penny-collared) shirts. BHS did not catch on to this style until a couple of years later when everyone wanted them rather then pointed-collar shirts."
This is page 339 from the Freemans catalog from 1973 with schoolwear. It offers shirts and trousers, both short trousers and long trousers. You can see the the English preferece for grey colored schoolwear. Trutex was a particuarly popular school uniform brand.
Grey shirts were very popular for schoolwerar as they didn't show the dirt like white shirts, but cokld still be woirn with colorful school ties. The Freeman's ad copy read, "Trutex shirt in polyester and cotton with rounded edge stiched collar and shaped and pleated back. Button or link cuffs. Machine washable. Material: polyester and cotton." Grey: RK 4798 White: RP 4799. Colar sizes in inches: 11 1/2 - 15. Prices: £1.85 - 2.25.
Most English school uniform triuseres were grey in various shades. Long trousers were also done in black. The Freeman's ad copy read, "Durable Press slimline trousers in Terylene and worsted material which retains leg creases. Self-supporing waistband, zip fly, plain bottoms [We are not sure what this means.], slant slide pockets and hip picket. Washable. Material: 55% Terylene, 45 % worsted. Colour: Charcoal. RD 4355. Sizes: 8B-36B. [The sizes here are explained in the boys size chart at the back of the caralog. ] Prices: Price: £3.40 - 4.30.
The Freeman's ad copy read, "Slimline trousers with belt and zip fly, two side pockets, plain bottoms. Washable. Material: 67% Terylene, 33 % Sarille." Colour: Mid gray. RX 4353. Sizes: 12B-32B. [The sizes here are explained in the boys size chart at the back of the caralog. ] Prices: Price: £2.70 - 3.10.
The Freeman's ad copy read, "Trutex shirt in nylon with fashionable roiunded collar and pleaed back. Button or link cuffs. Machine washable. Material: nylon." White: RX 4744. Grey: RD 4800. Collar sizes in inches: 11 1/2 - 15. Prices: £1.70 - 2.10.
It was common practice in Britain to line school shorts, but not long trousers. The Freeman's ad copy read, "Fully-lined shorts with half-elasticized waistband, two slant pockets and nylon zip fly." Washeable. Material: 55% Terylene, 45% worsted. Colour: medium grey. RG 4180. Sizes: 6B-12B. [The sizes here are explained in the boys size chart at the back of the caralog. ] £2.50 16B-28B £2.70.
The Freeman's ad copy read, "Fully-lined shorts with half-elasticized waistband, zip fly and two slant side pockets. Washeable. Material: 67% Terylene and 33% Sarille." Colour: Charcoal. RG 4377. Sizes: 8B-14 B Price:£1.70 16B-28B [The sizes here are explained in the boys size chart at the back of the caralog. ] £1.95.
This was an effort to introduce trendy fashion to chool unifiorms. Some schookls did not allow the boys to wear flared trousers. The Freeman's ad copy read, "Koratron flared trousers with adhusdtable strap ad buckle at back. Two-button cross-over fastening at waist. Zip fl. Machine washable. Material: 67% Terylene and 33% Sarille. Colour: Charcoal." Sizes: 8B-14B Price: £3.70. Sizes: 16B-20B Price: £3.90.
Sizes: 22B-26B [The sizes here are explained in the boys size chart at the back of the caralog. ] Price: £4.10. Sizes: 28B-32B Price: £4.30. Sizes: 34B-36B Price: £4.50.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main English 1973 catalog page]
[Return to the Main English 1970s catalog page]
[Return to the Main English mail order chronology page]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossary]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
