Historical Fabric
Today I have come across a website that has given me a very
interesting insight into fabric used for military uniforms during the 18th
Century.
The website doesn’t only sell this historic fabric, but
actually goes in to detail about the specific fabrics used for the coats, linings,
and facings of various 18th Century Military Regiments.
Their main source of historical accuracy and fabric comes
from Kochan & Phillips Historical Textiles which is a company that’s founders have been doing
primary source research on
the cloth being produced and used for military and naval dress of the 18th and
19th century for a number of years. Their aim was to try and reproduce the
quality woollen cloth that was equal in weave, milling, finish and hand to the
original cloth samples and clothing artefacts that they had examined in
numerous museums, archives, and private collections.
“After many
years of research on the cloth being produced and used for the 18th century
military, James Kochan and Sean Phillips are having custom woven in England broadcloths and kerseys unlike any
other cloth commercially available today.
This
cloth is woven using the instructions laid out in a notebook of a weaver who
supplied the British Army in 1812 and made cloth to meet their specifications.
This weaver's notebook specified every detail of manufacture, from the type of
sheep used to create the yarn, to the weight and width of the raw cloth, to the
fulling and napping procedures.
To
achieve authentic colours, spectral colour analysis was used to create dyes to
match the colours of original cloth swatches in museums, archives, and on
original uniforms. The result is cloth that has the same appearance, weave,
milling, finish and hard hand to cloth made in the late 18th century and that
will wear and drape much better than any other cloth available today.
If you
are making a military uniform or civilian clothing and want the most authentic
cloth available, this is the cloth to use.”
The fabric sold from this company has been authentically made in the same fashion as it would have been in the 18th century, which makes it a very good source for future reference.
Kochan
& Phillips Historical Textiles: www.historicaltextiles.com
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.
...
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 warp and weft per inch.
Common Broadcloths are plain weave:
approx 15-17 oz per square
yard, .07" thick, and approximately 54" wide.
Common
Broadcloth was primarily used to make uniform coats, civilian coats, and
smallclothes which makes it completely authentic.
Kersey
Kersey was a
type of cloth widely produced in England from at least the 17th Century,
initially in East Anglia around the village of Kersey in Suffolk. By the 18th
Century the largest production was in West Yorkshire, particularly in the
Keighley area.
Generally,
Kersey was a relatively cheap made in imitation of the more expensive
Broadcloth. The use of a twill weave enabled the finishers to raise a nap on
the cloth more easily than Broadcloth, although the cloth had less substance
and the finish was consequently slightly less hard wearing.
The
properties of Kersey made it popular for coats and cloaks for the lower orders.
Frequently used during the Civil War as a cloth for soldiers' coals and
breeches, by the latter half of the 18th Century these items were made from
Broadcloth. However, Double-Milled Kersey was used for sailors' jackets by the
Admiralty and for Army greatcoats, Cavalry cloaks (in red or blue for heavy and
light) and fatigue jackets (in natural or buff for buff faced Regiments).
Bay
Bay is a
loose, plain-weave cloth with a worsted warp and woollen weft frequently used
for lining British and Continental soldier’s coats from the 17th to the 19th C. It was
originally produced in Essex around Colchester and Bocking but later in other
areas including Yorkshire. The practice of describing cloth quantities as a
number of discreet ‘pieces’ (the length convenient for the weaver to make in
one go, typically 30 yards) lead to the use of the plural ‘Bays’, subsequently
corrupted into ‘Bayes’ and then ‘Baize’ to mean a specific type of cloth. The
modern Baize is an entirely different material however, much more heavily
milled and used for billiard table covering.
Prior to the
1768 Warrant British Infantry coats were lined throughout the body and tails in
Bay of the facing colour, changing in 1768 to the use of white or, in the case
of Buff faced Regiments, Buff Bay. In the British Army it was replaced by Serge
for linings first in the Foot Guards, then in the Line Infantry in 1796. The
Royal Marines continued to use it for coat linings into the 19th C.
Cassimere
Cassimere
(sometimes also called Kerseymere in the 18th Century) is a lightweight
woollen twill fabric which was widely produced in the West Country during the
latter part of the 18th Century. The twill weave gives the fabric a slight
spring which makes it ideal for making breeches and pantaloons. Its relatively
light weight, when compared with broadcloth, also made it popular for
waistcoats and lining coat tails.
In common
with other types of cloth from this period Cassimere was produced in different
weights and qualities. A number of different sources have been consulted in
order to gather sufficient information to allow this fabric to be reproduced.
It is intended to produce a superfine quality as it was frequently used for
Officer's waistcoats, breeches, turnbacks, lining coat tails and sometimes
collar linings. It was also apparently used for lining Heavy Cavalry Officer’s
coats.
Cassimere
was most commonly produced in white or buff for military dress breeches and
mixture greys and blues for pantaloons. For civilian wear various drab shades
were popular for day-wear, buff and white and black for formal dress.
Like Bay, Serge is a cloth with a
worsted warp and woollen weft, although in this case twill woven. The twill
helps to maintain the stability whilst retaining enough flexibility to be used
as a lining material.
It was used
to line British Army coats and Greatcoats, Cavalry Cloaks and Hussar and Light
Dragoon Trooper’s Pelisses. In the infantry it was generally used white or Buff
for Buff faced Regiments. For Light Dragoon jackets and Pelisses it appears to
have been used the same colour as the facings.
Shalloon or Ratinett
shalloon lining |
Usually
white, it was however also produced in contrasting colours to suit the
application in hand, for instance scarlet for dark blue cloaks and Hussar
pelisses, buff for buff faced uniforms, bottle green for Rifle dolman linings
etc.
Superfine Broadcloth
The woollen cloths often sold
today as Superfines are normally Superfine Doeskins. Doeskin is a completely
different type of cloth, twill woven, lightly milled and incapable of holding a
cut edge. It is not as stout as Superfine Broadcloth and has insufficient body
for historical tailoring projects.
In common with all Broadcloths,
Superfines are stout, heavily milled, plain weave woollens with a carefully
raised and cropped nap and capable of holding a cut edge. Superfines were made
from the best quality Spanish wool, spun much finer than common broads and more
carefully finished, as befitted their better quality.
The technical details for
recreating this cloth are taken from the same apprentice book as the Army
Broadcloth. It has been compared with details from other weavers' notes from
the West Country, the area which was the pre-eminent producer of Superfine
Broadcloths up until the last quarter of the 18th Century, when the quality of
West Yorkshire goods improved sufficiently to challenge their market.
Because the quality of wool,
finesse of spinning and quality of finish was so much more expensive Superfines
were dyed using the most expensive dyes available. Again original dye receipts
have been recreated and used as the basis for the colours which will be
available. Custom colours can be dyed subject to a minimum order of 5 m.
Superfine
Broadcloth was used for Officer's and Gentlemen's coats, sometimes for
waistcoats and an alternative to Kerseymere and sometimes for breeches,
especially in the first three quarters of the 18th C.
Linen Holland
Holland is a fine, smooth, plain weave linen fabric given
a smooth glazed finish by the application of pressure in the manufacturing
process. Used where a smooth, thin
lining is required it is found in contemporary garments in the following
applications:
·
Breeches waistband linings
·
Coat sleeve linings
·
Waistcoat linings and backs
·
Hat and shako linings
·
Pocketing.
Usually natural, it is sometimes
dyed black and occasionally bleached white for specific applicationsThere are so many interesting photos of old cloth/fabric records and books from the 18th Century which I can only guess is where they found all this amazing information about fabric of the time:
Merchant's patterns showing different coloured Milled Bays |
Another useful bit of information that I have found from this site is this fabric chart for Regemental coats. This gives me an insight in to the fabric used for various british regiments, and in particular the British Marines.
Examples of Superfine Broadcloth colours c1760 |
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. |
The materials used for the British Marine jackets of the 18th century would have been Madder Red Broadcloth for the coat, White Broacloth for the facing and White Bay for the lining.
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.
|
This chart may be useful for me down the line if I chose to cost an officers coat.
Awesome fabric collection shops. Thanks for sharing!!!
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