jaime66 Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 Bit of a odd one this but does anyone know where I can buy a Boatwomans Bonnet ? and its not for me before you ask lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pie Eater Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 Have a look at the Roving Canal Traders Association website, you may find someone who makes them on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stablemabel Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 Shouldnt this be in the fetish section Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) Contact Peter Scott of this parish, his wife wears one. Or the Historic Narrow boat club: Welcome to the HNBC | Historic Narrow Boat Club Also: Lockside Antiques  (lockside-antiques.co.uk) ebay: Narrowboat Ladies Bonnet | eBay Crick boat show? Edited August 14, 2021 by Ray T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Ray T said: Contact Peter Scott of this parish, his wife wears one. Or contact her direct @ElaineMary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineMary Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 Best thing to do is to make your own. Pattern available from Waterways Museum Society or The Canal Shop Company Very easy to make. needing about 1.5 m of fabric. Use different weights for different times of year. Fine cotton or polycotton for summer, nice and light, Heavier cotton for winter. For rain I find a polyester materiel takes more time to get wet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterScott Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) On 31 July 2011 IWA National Rally at Burton-on-Trent. Posted before, with some of the thoughts thereon: On 14/11/2011 at 23:12, wrigglefingers said: Is [second from left] Rowan Williams? He wears a frock every day. On 14/11/2011 at 23:39, saltysplash said: Strange looking handbags though. and that really thin bird in the middle with the black hair dont look well On 14/11/2011 at 23:41, carlt said: It's another attempt at producing a socially acceptable manbag. Edited August 14, 2021 by PeterScott date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineMary Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 Only the first four on the left are mine. Minimum of three needed for weeks canaling - one on, one drying and one clean for pubs etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineMary Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 Making your own is cheaper wh3n the bonnet is lost on the nearest tree. You can make matching blouses or change the design to suit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2021 Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 Genuine question. Did they actually serve any useful purpose for the women who wore them? They are I presume not water proof so no good in the rain and too heavy to be used in bright sun. They don't look particularly practical and look as if they would be more of a hinderance than a help when working a boat. I'm guessing then they were more of a purely decorative item that signified their occupation, a bit like the nurse's caps my female colleagues used to wear?? Open to correction though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted August 15, 2021 Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 Top sort of hat to be wearing when blacking the underside of the baseplate. The flouncy bit at the back stops the drips going down your neck too. On a more serious note it seems like a practical outdoor lid to me. One doubts they would have survived so long if they were not. I expect all the tucks and pleats on top make for quite good insulation on both hot sunny and bitter cold days. The stern flounce keeps the sun off your neck or absorbs the rain drips that would have gone betwixt neck and collar and there Is enough material in the whole thing that it would take a while to get saturated In the rain. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineMary Posted August 15, 2021 Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 Genuine answer I find them practical. I have worn them on all boat trips since 1990 when i made my first bonnet. As BEngo says, the pleats form good insulation for both hot and cold weather. They also don't blow off. By the time the rain gets through the water has warmed up nicely. As they are tired at the back the curtains are held off the back of the neck which again helps with insulation. The original bonnets were less ornate and came from the bonnets worn by farm workers . The fish wives of Staithes wore similar bonnets. The boating bonnets became more ornate over the years. Two more frivolous answers:- nobody recognises me without the bonnet and you can't see what state my hair is in! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2021 Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 11 minutes ago, ElaineMary said: Genuine answer I find them practical. I have worn them on all boat trips since 1990 when i made my first bonnet. As BEngo says, the pleats form good insulation for both hot and cold weather. They also don't blow off. By the time the rain gets through the water has warmed up nicely. As they are tired at the back the curtains are held off the back of the neck which again helps with insulation. The original bonnets were less ornate and came from the bonnets worn by farm workers . The fish wives of Staithes wore similar bonnets. The boating bonnets became more ornate over the years. Two more frivolous answers:- nobody recognises me without the bonnet and you can't see what state my hair is in! With Staithes being just up the road from me I had a a quick Google and brought up some copyrighted images that shows them. Something I didn't know despite how close Staithes is. Every day is a school day. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/405183297707621045/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted August 15, 2021 Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 12 hours ago, BEngo said: Top sort of hat to be wearing when blacking the underside of the baseplate. The flouncy bit at the back stops the drips going down your neck too. On a more serious note it seems like a practical outdoor lid to me. One doubts they would have survived so long if they were not. I expect all the tucks and pleats on top make for quite good insulation on both hot sunny and bitter cold days. The stern flounce keeps the sun off your neck or absorbs the rain drips that would have gone betwixt neck and collar and there Is enough material in the whole thing that it would take a while to get saturated In the rain. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 That is where I got the idea. I was driving the slip the first time Fulbourne went up onto all three beams. I think subsequent visits have only used two. I have a suspicion the bonnet, post blacking, was no longer suitable as Sunday Best. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Schweizer Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 (edited) Pleated bonnets were still being worn by some older country women well into the 1930's. Here is a photo taken of a woman gathering corn stooks in Great Cheverell, Wiltshire in 1938. Edited August 16, 2021 by David Schweizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterScott Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 7 hours ago, BEngo said: I was driving the slip the first time Fulbourne went up onto all three beams. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterScott Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 8 hours ago, BEngo said: I have a suspicion the bonnet, post blacking, was no longer suitable as Sunday Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeannette smith harrison Posted August 17, 2021 Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 On 16/08/2021 at 16:50, PeterScott said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeannette smith harrison Posted August 17, 2021 Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 2 minutes ago, jeannette smith harrison said: they also did ready made phone first to check they have some in stock as i belive it is one of their lady that made them On 16/08/2021 at 16:50, PeterScott said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_MM Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 15/08/2021 at 11:37, M_JG said: Genuine question. Did they actually serve any useful purpose for the women who wore them? They are I presume not water proof so no good in the rain and too heavy to be used in bright sun. They don't look particularly practical and look as if they would be more of a hinderance than a help when working a boat. I'm guessing then they were more of a purely decorative item that signified their occupation, a bit like the nurse's caps my female colleagues used to wear?? Open to correction though. I think something similar was worn by many women who worked outdoors - whether on the water or on the fields - as protection from sun or rain. My sense of life for boatwomen was that they were unlikely to wear something to signify their occupation, I'm not sure they saw it as an 'occupation', more life that you just got on with! One thing that does seem to be clear is that they would always wear a head covering of some sort, even after the bonnet went out of fashion (according to Ramlin Rose, in the early 20s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 15/08/2021 at 11:37, M_JG said: Genuine question. Did they actually serve any useful purpose for the women who wore them? They are I presume not water proof so no good in the rain and too heavy to be used in bright sun. They don't look particularly practical and look as if they would be more of a hinderance than a help when working a boat. I'm guessing then they were more of a purely decorative item that signified their occupation, a bit like the nurse's caps my female colleagues used to wear?? Open to correction though. Protected their ears and faces from the effects of UV, though they probably didn't realise this at the time. As a side, five years ago I was diagnosed with a Basal Cell Carcinoma on one of my ears. The medical people said this was probably due to over exposure to UV in the course of my life. I had spent about 50% of my career working outside, many years dinghy and offshore sailing, never thought to put sun factor cream on my ears. All is ok, I went to the GP early and an operation delt with the tumour. Incidentally women tend to be less affected as often they have long hair covering their ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeannette smith harrison Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 1 hour ago, Kate_MM said: I think something similar was worn by many women who worked outdoors - whether on the water or on the fields - as protection from sun or rain. My sense of life for boatwomen was that they were unlikely to wear something to signify their occupation, I'm not sure they saw it as an 'occupation', more life that you just got on with! One thing that does seem to be clear is that they would always wear a head covering of some sort, even after the bonnet went out of fashion (according to Ramlin Rose, in the early 20s). Kate as i grew up the bonnets had became a distant thing & hat or head scarf was worn . in the main bonnets where to keep the sun off of the neck but another thing that i have always pondered on was being told put your hat on girl to keep the bugs away .As you know up until 1925 ish many of the boats when serviced e.c.t. where fumigated i have often wondered if there was ever a connection. The black bonnets where worn as a mark of respect when victoria died, most boat people had a picture of the king or queen & would & some still do have them hanging in the lounge when they came off the boats i have several in their late 80's 90's who still have a picture in their homes of the late Queen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_MM Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 47 minutes ago, jeannette smith harrison said: Kate as i grew up the bonnets had became a distant thing & hat or head scarf was worn . in the main bonnets where to keep the sun off of the neck but another thing that i have always pondered on was being told put your hat on girl to keep the bugs away .As you know up until 1925 ish many of the boats when serviced e.c.t. where fumigated i have often wondered if there was ever a connection. The black bonnets where worn as a mark of respect when victoria died, most boat people had a picture of the king or queen & would & some still do have them hanging in the lounge when they came off the boats i have several in their late 80's 90's who still have a picture in their homes of the late Queen I hadn't heard the thing about the bugs - but it makes sense. And good point about the black bonnets, I think a lot of people think that black was the norm because it's what you see in most photos - probably because it happened to coincide with Victoria's death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 Mrs Phil Ward . Picture from "A Canal People." Sam & Anna Beechey. Photo from "NarrowBoat Magazine." Unknown lady. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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