Chapter One, the first version, is complete, just about, I will tweak it a bit more after a couple of days.
After a nightmare with Endnote not syncing, so not able to use it, I finally managed to get it fixed (thanks to my internet provider).
So a few hours tidying up references and adding them to the document. I found it mildly amusing that I could reference both these books in the same chapter.
There are lots of myths and rumours surrounding the origin of some of the items of the Royal Navy uniform. Some are more plausible than others.
One such myth I have seen repeated many times is the reason for the white stripes on a blue collar.
Royal Navy Collar
The myth states that there are three white lines that represent Nelson's three great battles (Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar). And yet the French Navy also have three white strips, despite the fact they were beaten in the same three battles by the British.
The collar itself was often said to have originated to protect uniforms for tarred plaits often work by sailors in the 18th century, Royal Navy uniform was not introduced until the mid-19th century, by which time hairstyles had changed, and so tarred plaits were not the issue they had once been.
The reason for Blue uniforms is not as is often stated to do with camouflage or that sailors were on the sea, it is simply down to the availability of cheap colour fast dye in a time before the availability of synthetic dyes, colonising India meant a ready supply of indigo.
Early naval clothing was often red or grey, and not the blue we think of today.
Queen Victoria popularised the fashion of dressing children in the sailor suit, after dressing her son Prince Albert in a sailor suit as a child of four in 1846.
This tradition has continued with Royal Children, most recently with Prince Lois wearing a sailor suit for the Trooping of the Colour (2022).
Had my third supervision meeting tonight, and made lots of notes.
Gave a brief presentation on the history of Royal Navy uniforms.
The reading pile grows on a daily basis, and I think I may have a problem. For every book, I read I find five more that are relevant and a couple more I need in my life generally.
The essential reading pile well a small part of it.
While looking at information on Cap Badges, I ended up looking at information on the introduction of a standardised uniform for merchant seamen.
The 19th Century saw many new merchant shipping companies all with their own uniforms and identities, different rank systems and different uniforms.
The first world war saw a need for the introduction of a standardised uniform, this was in part due to Captain Charles Fryatt.
In March 1915 Captain Fryatt's ship the SS Wrexham was attacked by a German Imperial Navy U-Boat. His ship managed to outrun the Uboat with deckhand helping stockers to load the boilers.
Three weeks later while captain of the SS Brussels he was ordered to stop by the U-Boat U33, Captain Fryatt was not planning to take orders from a U-Boat and tried to ram it as it dived.
In June 1916 the SS Brussels left the Hook of Holland, a passenger appears to have signalled to the shore, and in minutes 5 destroyers surrounded the Brussels. Official papers were destroyed and passengers were put into lifeboats. The ship was taken by the Germans.
Once in Bruges Capt Fryatt was arrested and charged with sinking a German U-Boat illegally. The U33 was in fact still on active service, but the gold pocket watch that had been presented and inscribed to Capt Fryatt by the admiralty was used as evidence. On the 27th July 1916, he was sentenced to death by a naval firing squad.
The Mercantile Marine Uniform Act 1919
Capt Fryatt
Nautilist - MN uniforms
