Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Uniforms - how practical?
PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:04 pm 
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One thing that strikes me is how totally impractical the uniforms of Nelson’s era were for anything other than looking rather splendid in portraits. Nowadays, servicemen have all sorts of kit appropriate to the area in which they are serving and also to the job they have to do.

Was there any relaxation allowed (shirtsleeves?) in areas such as the West Indies where the weather was notoriously humid and hot?

I have seen boat cloaks mentioned. Were these of any practical use? A cloak in windy weather would be a hindrance, I should think. In cold weather Nelson used to wear a leather waistcoat. Sea boots are also mentioned. Were they waterproofed in any way?

Seamen too, seemed to have a hard time of it. The ‘Gentleman’s Magazine of 1766 suggests a method for waterproofing a shirt for sailors which involved coating it with several layers of linseed oil and letting it dry.

Nelson was constantly thundering to the Admiralty about the poor quality (‘the Contractor should be hanged that would furnish such stuff’) and practicality of some clothing – Guernsey jackets, though of good quality, too short to be tucked into boots so that ‘when they are on they yards, reefing or furling sails, the jacket rubs out of their trowsers [sic] and exposes them to the great danger of taking cold…’ (letter -20th Nov. 1804, probably to the Commissioners of the Navy).

All in all, it would seem that impractical or unsatisfactory clothing was another burden that seamen had to put up with.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:20 pm 
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I think boat cloaks would have been highly practical garments. Not for action of course, but for officers sitting hunched in the stern on long boat trips to and from shore or between ships. They would have kept the spray off the rest of his uniform and allowed him to arrive for dinner smart, clean, warm and dry. The more voluminous the better! I imagine they were also just the job on a long cold night watch, although I don't remember reading of their use anywhere.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:23 pm 
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Tycho, I wondered about that too. I don’t think the white breeches, stockings and shirts would remain spotless white for a long time. Besides I wonder how they manage to keep their stockings in place. How did they prevent them from sinking/lowering. (I am sorry, I don’t know the English word for it).
Sylvia


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 Post subject: Boat Cloaks
PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:34 am 
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Funnily enough I came across a reference yesterday that refers to wrapping up in a cloak for a long night's watch.

It's from George Parson's 'Nelsonian Reminiscences' at the beginning of the Foudroyant's cruise to Syracuse, Malta etc., in April 1801.

"... a young officer, a relation of his Lordship, having the watch the first night of our arrival, composed himself to sleep, with an injunction to the mate to rouse him if necessary."

The ship drags her anchor in the night and Davis, the mate, kicks the feet of Mr. *** to alert him.

"'Well,' replied the careless luff, disencumbring himself from his cloak, 'I must report this.' And giving a yawn he awoke Sir Edward."

The unnamed Mr. *** was William Bolton, whose lacksadaisical carelessness earned himself a severe dressing down and the rough edge of Nelson's tongue the following morning.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:31 am 
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Mira & Tony: thanks for the comments. Of course, a boat-cloak was for using, mainly, in a boat, rather than a ship. Doh! Or at least, when you are relatively inactive.

Sylvia:

Garters were used to keep up stockings. I don't know what the garters were made of since elastic hadn't been invented. Stockings were knitted in 'stocking stitch' (that is, alternate knit and purl rows) but the last few rows at the top were knitted in plain knit stitch, still known in English as 'garter stitch'. This helped to keep the stocking from slipping underneath the garter. Breeches were tapered or gathered into a band at the knee and had buckles or buttons as fasteners. The garters and stocking tops were concealed under this. Nelson's stockings in the NMM look long enough to reach to mid thigh. I'm sure I have read somewhere, and would be grateful for the reference, that Nelson had difficulty keeping his stockings up - maybe because his legs were thin!

Incidentally, it was Beau Brummell, in Regency times, who introduced the fashion for full-length trousers and thereby avoided the risk of the 'Norah Batty' look.


One of the functions of uniform is, I suppose, to establish 'command presence'. But you can manage without it, as is shown in this anecdote, from Edward Giffard's 'Deeds of Naval Daring' .

Captain (later Admiral) Plumridge, of HMS Magicienne, was alerted to the smell of fire by the ship's corporal. They were many hundreds of miles from land.

QUOTE:

'Without staying to dress himself, the captain jumped on deck, coolly gave the orders to sound the fire-roll and beat to quarters...and sent a hand aloft to see if he saw a ship to leeward. On his answering in the negative, the captain replied, 'You do, sir; I can see her'. Then turning round to the man at the helm, 'Do you see that ship, sir?'. The poor fellow, afraid to say no, answered in the affirmative. 'Then put the helm up and keep towards her.'

To cut a long story short, under Captain Plumridge's fierce command, but with the apparent hope of rescue afforded by the captain's imaginary ship, the fire was dealt with in an exemplary manner.

'The piercing eye of the captain was upon them, who, in his bedgown, walked the deck with his arms folded; his step as firm and features as composed as if he had been parading the quarter-deck of the guardship in Portsmouth Harbour.'


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:05 am 
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Thank you Tycho for your information. It s much appreciated.
Sylvia


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:29 pm 
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I expect the garters were just tapes which were tied, as used by modern football (i.e. soccer) players. Presumably they are more effective than elastic!


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:11 pm 
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Chasbaz:

I rang the Theatre Royal Costume Department in Bath which makes absolutely authentic costumes of every period and they told me that 18th century garters were made of leather or thick cloth.

I had a look at some eighteenth century engravings and these show the ordinary seamen wearing loose, full-length trousers (easy to roll up - so one item of clothing was practical, at least) whereas officers wore breeches and stockings - as did people of all classes on land, though the lower orders seemed to wear coarser stockings, droopy ones too!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:15 pm 
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Tycho,

We shouldn't forget of course that an officer had two uniforms, one his best or 'dress' uniform with all the gold braid, for formal divisions, visits ashore etc., and his second or 'undress' uniform, which was quite plain by comparison. This if you remember was the uniform Nelson wore at Trafalgar, as probably did most officers, and which they also wore whilst working about the ship. In most cases this was the uniform they would have worn when boarding enemy ships, etc.

When occasion warranted I am sure that officers often wore trousers, such as the men did, made out of cotton duck. I'm quite sure too that the men would have had the same respect, or otherwise, for an officer despite what he was wearing. I suppose though he might have looked to his appearance if they were boarding an enemy vessel - or the captain of that vessel wouldn't know who to surrender to, since that was the expected outcome!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2008 7:09 pm 
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As Tony mentioned, the boatcloak would have been highly practical, in keeping off spray and keeping the wearer warm. I was reminded of the episode in the Baltic when Nelson embarked on a long boat journey, but in his haste forgot to take his boatcloak. Another officer offered him a coat, but although he was probably cold he refused the offer, instead making the famous remark that his zeal for his country would keep him warm.

If you've seen the latest Hornblower films, boatcloaks are shown off to good effect in various episodes. I don't know who made them, but they seem to have the details right. Perhaps they were made by Gieves the naval outfitters, who I believe still make them.

If you're interested in uniform of the period, you might also be interested in this book:

http://joyful-molly.livejournal.com/711 ... ead=905408

Kester


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2008 12:20 pm 
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Thanks, Devenish, for that reminder of forum member's Joyful Molly's site - a wonderfully wide-ranging resource.

British military tailoring is an undervalued national accomplishment, I think. The quality of cut, materials and workmanship is unequalled anywhere. If you see uniforms of Nelson's day, it is hard to believe that they were sewn by hand.

I know Nelson's coat in the NMM has been repaired, but anyone who sews (me, for example) will recognise the supreme craftsmanship that created it.


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