Fabric investigations

ARMY COATING BROADCLOTH

Broadcloth was the staple product of the British woollen textile industry from at least the 16th century until the middle of the 19th century.

Its solid construction and weatherproof finish made it ideal for making the coats of men of all stations. It was produced in many different grades suited to the pocket of the purchaser but this is the quality with which the British Government chose to clothe its soldiers.

The quality of the cloth was decided on the wool from which it was made. Each fleece was sorted by hand into anything up to 12 different 'sorts' of wool, each capable of being spun into a different thickness of yarn. These were carefully matched to the required quality of cloth which in turn decided the finished weight and the quality of dyeing and finishing which it warranted.

The 18th and early 19th Century clothiers who made the British Army's cloth understood these factors, and British manufactured goods had a desirable reputation throughout the world. Unfortunately, little of this information was written down and what has survived is frequently difficult to interpret due to the use of specialist regional terms and conventions that were lost when the small weavers were swallowed up in the factory age.

There is very interesting information about

However, the transition from cottage to industrial process ensured a brief snapshot would be preserved forever. In 1809 a young man was bound apprentice to his father's firm of clothiers. Although the firm had been established in the 1770s, the father was determined to create one of the first integrated textile mills. Mechanisation would not destroy all the hand weavers for another 30 years but the writing was on the wall. For the first time all the processes involved in the conversion of fleece to cloth would take place under one roof and in order to increase efficiency he began to introduce certain types of cloth that had been the product of other towns or areas. All of this knowledge would now be vested in one man. For the first and last time an apprentice, his son, would be taught the processes of all the staple 18th Century English cloths. Fortunately his exercise book has survived and with it a unique and detailed guide to every technical aspect of 18th Century woollen textile production.

The surviving documents contain samples of army and civilian cloths, merchant's letters, account and sample books, and scientific papers concerning wool sorting and sheep breeding. Detailed analysis of this information, combined with extensive consultation with skilled weavers from the heart of Airedale, descendants of a direct line of clothiers stretching back two centuries, has enabled cloth of the exact specification supplied to the British Army at the end of the 18th Century to be woven again.

As a stout, medium weight Coating Broadcloth made to the exact specifications laid down by the British Government, it is typical of that which clothed not only the British, but the United States, Russian, Portuguese and Swedish (even occasionally the French) armies as well as countless civilian customers throughout the world.

Broadcloth was produced in various grades ranging from Common to Superfine. The grade is dependent upon the quality of wool used, the number of threads per inch, and the weight per square yard. Common broadcloth is the heaviest and made from the coarsest wool yarns, and have the fewest ends and picks (warp and weft) per inch. Common Broadcloths are plain weave, approx 15-17 oz per square yard, .07" thick, and approximately 54" wide. Kerseys are twill weave, approx 15-16 oz per square yard, .07" thick, and approximately 54" wide. Common Broadcloth was primarily used to make uniform coats, civilian coats, and smallclothes.

Thus for many applications, the use of broadcloth is authentic, and will hold a raw edge. The broadcloth is well fulled and napped so you cannot see the weave on its top side, it is also fulled and napped on the reverse side.

A Guide to Regimental Coat Cloth 1775-1783
	Coat	Facing	Lining
British Reg't of Foot - Private or Corporal	Madder Red Broadcloth	Broadcloth - color per Royal Warrant (color varies by regiment)	White Bay, unless a Buff faced regiment
British Reg't of Foot - Serjeant	Mock Scarlet Broadcloth	Broadcloth - color per Royal Warrant (color varies by regiment)	White Serge, unless a Buff faced regiment
British Reg't of Foot - Officer	Scarlet Superfine Broadcloth	Superfine Broadcloth - color per Royal Warrant (color varies by regiment)	White Shalloon, unless a Buff faced regiment
British Reg't of Foot - Drums	Broadcloth of regimental facing color	Madder Red or Mock Scarlet Broadcloth for facings and smallclothes for red, buff, and white faced regiments.	Madder Red or Mock Scarlet Serge for those with red smallclothes, otherwise white serge except for Buff faced regiments.
British Light Dragoons (16th & 17th)	Mock Scarlet Broadcloth	16th - Royal Blue Broadcloth 17th - White Broadcloth	16th - Royal Blue Serge 17th - White Serge
Royal Artillery	Royal Blue Broadcloth	Mock Scarlet Broadcloth	Mock Scarlet Serge
Guard Reg'ts (1st, Coldstream, Scots)	Madder Red Broadcloth	Royal Blue Broadcloth	White Serge
British Marines	Madder Red Broadcloth	White Broadcloth	White Bay
Continental Army
Contract and French made coats for Soldiers	Broadcloth - color varies by regiment	Broadcloth - color varies by regiment	Serge - color varies by regiment
Prior to Seven Years War and up to 1768 Warrant
British Reg't of Foot - Private or Corporal	Madder Red Broadcloth coats and waistcoats. Madder Red Kersey breeches. Bay lining that matched the facing color. Undress jackets and frocks (new issued, not altered old clothing) of Madder Red Kersey.

Regimental Coat yardage requirements
Size	Coat Body	Lining of Body and Skirt	Facing Cloth (cuff, lapel, and cape)	Sleeve Lining
38	2 yards	1 yard	1/3 yard	1 yard
40	2 1/4	1 1/8	1/3	1
42	2 1/2	1 1/4	1/3	1
44	2 3/4	1 3/8	1/3	1
46	3	1 1/2	1/3	1 1/8
48	3 1/4	1 3/4	1/3	1 1/4
50	3 1/2	2	1/3	1 3/8
52	3 1/2	2 1/4	1/3	1 1/2
Presumptions: Coat body cloth yardage is for body, sleeves, and mid thigh length skirts. Bay, Serge, or Shalloon is used for body lining and skirts. Facing cloth used for the cuffs, lapels and cape (i.e. collar). Linen is used to line the sleeves and pockets. The above chart courtesy of Henry Cooke, 18th C. tailor.