A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Monday, 7 January 2013

Shirt/Frock Pattern.

The common shirt type frock is made from the same pattern as the common shirt, except that the frock is made a little longer, and usually from a slightly heavier material.

















As you can see, the collar shape varied with the maker.

Shirt pattern shown here from: Tidings from the 18th Century By Beth Gilgun.  This is a good book with more clothing patterns and information on a variety of 18th century items.

Sunday, 6 January 2013

Quote on Wooden Shoes.

“…the quantity of 1200 pair of sabots/clogs of good wood and assorted small and large…will be held to produce at least 100 pair/month in this city”
~ Montreal, 1689 (Seguin 474)


More on the pre Revolution Frock/Hunting shirt.

By now most of you will know that the caped and frilled hunting shirt was an American Revolution period item, and was not worn before this period. The European worker's frock however was very popular in the New World and would have been introduced by the English, French, German, Dutch and other nations settling in this new country.
We know that this frock was in use during the 18th century and right through to the mid 19th century as a plain frock made from either a coarse linen, hemp, or wool. I have said in the past that I believed this frock to date back to the medieval period, though it may have been called by another name. Recently whilst researching something else (isn't it always the way!), I came across a 16th century painting showing a man in a butcher's shop wearing this same shirt style work frock.


Butcher's Shop by Annibale Carracci, 1580.

Detail from above painting.

The author wearing his 18th century frock.

Annibale Carracci was an Italian painter.



Hemp Rope.

I have recently ordered my first length of hemp rope from overseas. At 6 cm it is probably more correct to call it "small stuff".  I like to carry a small length of rope in my pack just in case I need it for carrying or for getting game up off the ground for dressing. Even though I started skinning and butchering game on the ground so am well used to doing it this way, for smaller game than buffalo or wild boar I find it easier to field dress game on a Gambrel.  Rope is also useful for securing two people together in difficult steep terrain, which I have had to do on occasion.


One of two gambrels that I made to use at home. In the woods I just use a strong piece of wood.
Jan Josef Horemans I  ( 1682 – 1759 )
A stick is being used here too, roped to a ladder.









5 mm hemp rope.

A rope fragment from the Mary Rose.
The old rope walk at Coalbrookdale, England.
A German rope maker about 1460-1480.
A rope maker at work, c. 1425