What would our ancestors have worn

[celia]

One of my G.G.Grandfathers was born in 1810 The family were mostly Mill worker's.I would be interested to find out what the style of dress would have been in 1810. That my G.G.G.Grandmother/Father might have worn for work or best.It would not have been fancy with such poor wages. What would the richer people have worn.I have searched many times over the years for pictures.I was hoping to put in my file, but never found any.Has anyone got any photo's or pictures or could describe the fashion of the time. Or what did your own ancestors wear?

Celia

[DebbieDee]

Hi Celia,

Something I have wondered.  My favourite museum is the Museum of Costume in Bath.  Unfortunately they have far more of the well-to-do's clothing.  I suppose they weren't worn till they fell apart so have lasted. 

I've found this article which may give you an idea.  I was fascinated to read that while my English ancestors of this time would have been wearing mostly brown, my Welsh grandmothers would have worn a lot of blue!  I know abt 1810 the upper classes were wearing what you see in the films of Jane Austen books.  Soon after women were wearing corsets again though. 

http://www.hms.org.uk/nelsonsnavyworkinw.htm

You've got me curious about the men now, great thread! 

[D.G.Smith]

Hi -
Interestingly I have wounded the same thing about a week ago while watching a movie in the 1750.s . I went and " googled" for "Dresses" and found tons of interesting examples . While your    I pity some of the styles of the time. On the other hand what would they say about  2005 ? I guess its all in the eye of the beholder.

David .

[Rod In Sussex]

It is not just what they dressed in, but that they only had one! Records of the 17th and 18th century often show that a suit of clothes came as part of the pay for a years wages for servants. Even the well off wore the same thing for months on end. It was still commen in many area until 1900 for people to be covered with fat and stitched into their underware for the winter! I have a book referring to this in Sussex as late as 1930. 

Rod

[Arranroots]

There are not many references on the net to ordinary folks clothing - other than they often didn't have many!

I like this one, which details Welsh costume

http://www.page-net.com/swansea.localhistory/llansamlet/pages/clothing.html

For example:

   "...let the Carmarthenshire lasses, retaining their perfect innocence and pleasing simplicity of manners - wear their whittles forever rather than run like some of the Glamorgan harebrained wenches into the follies of fashion; ignorance of the English language guards many parts of Wales from a number of bad habits and from fashions..."

Arranroots 

[Rod In Sussex]

There are lots of images, it is knowing where to find them!

A good starting point might be the works of the great artist William Hogarth, who produced a number of memorable sketches on Georgian England, such as the cartoon of "Gin Lane". For a good sample try;

http://www.haleysteele.com/hogarth/toc.html

This might not be hard line name searching, but I always feel it gives a bit more colour to research, as do early black and white photos, if that is not a contradiction in terms!

If you are lucky and your family was in business, you even occasionally get a name over a shop, so even this line of research may be of use.

Rod

[Wendi]

It was still commen in many area until 1900 for people to be covered with fat and stitched into their underware for the winter! I have a book referring to this in Sussex as late as 1930. 

Rod

My Dad joined the Army in 1942/3, did basic training with a lot of Scotsmen, and was astonished to see that they had been sewn into their underwear for the winter - he never mentioned the fat though  

Dad went on to be one of those first medics into Bergen Belson, 60 years ago yesterday.  Guess we've come along way in a comparatively short time!

[celia]

Yucky how discusting,covered in fat and stitched into their underwere (the cross Chanel swimmers used fat) I would never have believed  that if others hadn't mentioned it.I bet they didn't smell very nice.The ancestor mentioned above is my Scot's direct line on my mothers side. I think the reason the women in my family have always been called mean, me included . Is because way back the ordinary worker as mentioned had very few clean clothing to change into.So they learned to be thrifty with them. Along with other things so if i am mean it's my ancestors fault
I will have a look at the threads you have posted.As to what the people in the 1800's would think of todays fashion's.I think they would be called women of the street because they show much more than ankles and yes what did the men wear?
Another thing i have always wanted to know is.How on earth did they wash their cloths or didn't they?

Celia

[ndedross]

I do know that in the early 1900s, my great grandmother used to take laundry in from the neighbors to wash, as a way of earning a few extra farthings for the family.

I also have from the 1841 Census that an ancestor was a clothing repairer in a clothes cleaning operation - right next to Shoreditch Workhouse. I dare say a barrel of dirty water and a block of carbolic brought everything up like new!

Which all proves I come from a family of scrubbers!

Nigel