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British Waterways "Uniform" Mid Century


cheshire~rose

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Working the grey matter further on the subject of work clothes, these points came to mind around the early mid 50's when they (Gov )realized we were not going to have to oppose the  USSR in WW3 they released a wide range of ex WD kit. A sought after item for boaters was the Great Coat excellent in the ways of keeping the wearer warm/ dry unless the rain was heavy & day long ,& could be purchased from Army & Navy Stores or Millets for 8s/6d /10s/6d  2 draw backs  weighed  a ton & were were a b***er to lock wheel in one using a bike ,around mid 50's a cut down hip length model appeared  en quires via the tow path telegraph came up with the info the Wheelock flight lock keepers wife was the sewng machine wizard & would cut & sew the garment or 2 shillings or if you supplied the correct thread it was1s/6d This led to someway out colour schemes the most bizarre being a RAF GC with pink & kingfisher stitching a the longevity was so great by the time they were worn out the availability at an  affordable price had passed there was a row of cottages near Big Lock in Middlewich 2of which were used to produce clothing & around 60ish was the first sight of the "Donkey Jacket as passing through the lock a guy used to appear with2/3 asking if any one wanted to purchase IIRC the price was 12s/6d I think it was 63 when I needed a replacement which I  bought from a Agri outlet as it was 2s cheaper

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19 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

It's on a boat, rarther than a uniform, but I would say this is probably the latest BW logo in the mid 1980s.

Sickle breaking ice in Berkhamsted in 1985, (photo Roger Allsop).

Not that the crew are in any kind of uniform even here.  It's Ian Tyler (who now owns "Holland") at the tiller of Sickle.

Sickle_1985_001.jpg

What an amazing photo that is - thanks for sharing 

18 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

I had some fun with logos in this thread:

 

Indeed, that is good to read.

 

We received our first licence with a dissolving polo mint on it today 

 

 

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21 hours ago, Steve Corbett said:

Asset number is definitely the correct term. As promised here are a couple of pictures of the bits of BWB 1980's gear that I've kept. The bib and brace were the last ones I got before I left. They've never been worn and were still in the bag they came in. On the very rare occasions I get to go boating I still wear the donkey jacket.

Badge.JPG

Bag.JPG

Bib and Brace 2.JPG

Bib and Brace 1.JPG

Absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing those photos (sorry I saw them last night and responded to a couple of other posts before getting distracted away with something rather urgent.

It appears the logo is embroidered onto a tape that is then stitched onto the overall which actually makes a lot of sense. I adore the holdall too!

If you ever fancy an excuse to wear the donkey jacket you would be very welcome to come Python boating in it :)

Thanks a million, I am so pleased I started this thread, it was just a vague gap in my knowledge about the era in question and everyone has pulled together with loads of information.

 

 

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The book "Working Boats" by Roger Alsop & Graham Dodkins has on page 83 a photo of Arthur Bray and Ernie Kendall from 1985.  They are aboard Poacher which the Brays lived on in retirement, after moving off Raymond.

Underneath a zipped checked jacket, Ernie is wearing a pair of bib and braces with exactly that BWB embroidered logo on.

However Ernie's appears to have a big horizontal front pocket, with a flap, rather than the angled front pocket shown on your mint example, so clearly there were multiple types that differed in the detail.

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The company must have got their work wear from different sources as the years went by possibly by tender and going for the cheapest. I have another set of bib and brace with plastic clip in fastenings for the shoulder straps a short length of elasticated material in the straps and a horizontal front pocket. These would be from about 1985 same as Ernie's. I very rarely (never) wore a tie to work like Ernie. The logo is embroidered onto the white strip and then stitched on. This is starting to get a bit like a fashion magazine, who would have thought there would be such interest in a pair of overalls.

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