Figure 1.--This CDV is from a collection of various photos that once belonged to the family of General Sir John Alexander Ewart (1821-1904). The boy here may be a grandson. We note that the General was posted with the Gordon Highlanders during the 1880s and 90s. The portrait is undated, but looks to us like it was taken in the 1870s. He is named on the reverse, but it is difficult to read. He was 5 years old. The studio was Benson in St. Lenoards on Sea near Hastings. As this was a sea resort, we suspect the boy was on vacation. He wears a Balmoral cap, cut-away jacket with military trim, vest, and large sporan as part of his kilt outfit. We only see the military trim on these jacets when worn with kilts. A reader thinks the surname is Stewart. The initials are possibly WHE. This of course suggests Scottish ancestry.

English boys sometimes wore Scottish tartan kilt outfits. We notice a variety of these kilt outfits. Some boys wore kilts with full Highland regalia. We also see boys wearing kilts without the Highland regalia. Of course in the photographic record some boys have have had some of the regalia, but not wearing it. But for a formal portrait itseems likely that if the had the regalia they would have worn it. We would think that for such a formal occassion that they would be weraring what they had. For more informal photographs they might not be wearing some regalia items, These are not kilt suits, but proper Scottish kilts. We note boys wearing three types of suit jackets. Tis depended largely on popuar styles at the time. One imprtant jacket type was cut-away jackets. We note some of these cut-away jackets done in black velvet. Another jacket type was lapel jackets done in tweed and other worsted materials. This is what you commonly see in Scotland today. And the other important jacket style is black military-style jackets. The cut-away jackets were worn both with and without vests. The other jackets were mostlyworn without vests. Unlike kilt suits, the jackets of these kilt outfits do not match the kilts. After World War I we see kilt outfits being worn with short lapel jackets, but by this time we no longer see English boys wearing kilts to any extent.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [Essays] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Created: 8:04 PM 3/18/2010
Last updated: 7:36 AM 5/19/2016