Figure 1.-- This unidentified English boy has a new bow, arrows, and target. His hair is done in ringlets. He stands on the velvet covered seat of a Victorian chair. The cabinet card portrait is an unusual size in that it is taller and narrower than the standard size cabinet photograph of the period. It measures 8 1/4" by 3 5/16". (The standard size was 6 1/2" by 4 1/4".) The studio was Vandyke, 62 Bold Street, Liverpool. This portrait is a late-19th century portrait. We do not know enough about English portrait formats to be able to date it.

We do not yet, however, have chronological details on the ringlet curl fashion in England. We have no information on boys wearing ringlet curls in the 18th century. This means depending on painted portraits which means primarily images of the wealthy. A number of available paintings suggest that long, uncurled hair was common. We note references jouurnal and literary references to boys wearing curls in the early-19th century, before photography was invnted. They genrrally do not always describe how the curls were done and if they involved ringlets. At mid century we see imahes of boys with long, well-formed ringlets. Rebecca Solomon has left us a fascinating depiction of an idealized Victorian family (early-1850s). The boy wears short ringlet curls with a tunic and lace collar. The early photographic record is not as emense as the American record. After mid-century we begin to see more boys with long hair, in some cases done in ringlets. With the CDV (1860s) we syddenly have large numbers of images. The increasing popularity of photography distorts prevalence. There was a social-class factor involved. We note a portrait of Edwin Crawshay with his mother in 1864. Edwin has perfetly done ringlets. Only wealthy families could afford portraits from respected artists. We notice another wealthy boy, 3-year old Count Louis Vorow Zborowski with ringlet curls in 1898. The popularity of ringlet curls declined after the turn-of-the 20th century, but we still see quite a few boy with ringles in the 1900s and 10s. They tended to be youngr boys and the ringlets not so long, but we continue to see them. Ringlets become rareer after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s, but we still see a few preschool boys with them.

The 18th Century

We do not yet, however, have chronological details on the ringlet curl fashion in England. We have no information on boys wearing ringlet curls in the 18th century. This means depending on painted portraits which means primarily images of the wealthy. A number of available paintings suggest that long, uncurled hair was common.

The 19th Century

We note references jouurnal and literary references to boys wearing curls in the early-19th century, before photography was invnted. They genrrally do not always describe how the curls were done and if they involved ringlets. At mid century we see imahes of boys with long, well-formed ringlets. Rebecca Solomon has left us a fascinating depiction of an idealized Victorian family (early-1850s). The boy wears short ringlet curls with a tunic and lace collar. The early photographic record is not as emense as the American record. After mid-century we begin to see more boys with long hair, in some cases done in ringlets. With the CDV (1860s) we syddenly have large numbers of images. The increasing popularity of photography distorts prevalence. There was a social-class factor involved. We note a portrait of Edwin Crawshay with his mother in 1864. Edwin has perfetly done ringlets. Only wealthy families could afford portraits from respected artists. We notice another wealthy boy, 3-year old Count Louis Vorow Zborowski with loosely formed ringlet curls in 1898.

The 20th Century

We continue to see English boys wearing ringlet curls in the 20th century. The popularity of ringlet curls, however, declined after the turn-of-the 20th century, espcially by the 1910s. We still see quite a few boy with ringles in the 1900s and 10s. They tended to be increasingly younger boys and the ringlets were not so long, but we continue to see them. Ringlets become rarer after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s, but we still see a few preschool boys with them. They were not the long, perfectly formed ringlets like we see in the 19th century.

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Created: 5:13 AM 6/20/2009
Last edited: 1:37 AM 6/18/2019