Figure 1.-- This page of the Eaton's SpringSummer 1907 catalog (page 65) offered different styles of knee pants Norfolk suits.

Here is another offering from the Eaton's Spring and Summer catalog (1907), p. 65, showing a variety of Norfolk style suits for boys from about 12 to 16. They are almost entirely knee pants suits, but one style has "Bloomer knickers" instead. The sizes are chest sizes--from 29 to 33 (which is approximately age 12 to age 16, although the size of boys' chests can vary of course. It is interesting that the catalog shows no long trousers suits for "boys" although there is a category of youths and young men that seems to include boys in the 18-21 age span. With all these suits of course long black stockings were universally worn.

Eaton's Department Store

This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.

Norfolk Suits

One of the more popular styles for boys until recent years has been the Norfolk jacket. It was, however, not exclusively a boy's style. It was developed for the Duke oF Norfolk during the early 19th century for country outings. It was initially worn without matching trousers. Instead knickers were worn. it was widely worn by boys from the 1870s to the 1930s. The Norfolk jacket was most popular in England, but widely worn in America as well--at least by boys.

Suit Jackets

Auit primarily derives its name from the jacket or coat. Here is another offering from the Eaton's Spring and Summer catalog (1907), p. 65, showing a variety of Norfolk style suits for boys from about 12 to 16. This shows just how popular Norfolk styling was for boys at the time. Norfolk styling involved plears and belts. We see a variety of different arangements for these featurs.

Suit Pants/Trousers

They are almost entirely knee pants suits, but one style has "Bloomer knickers" instead. Such terms were highly variable and not stanfarized. HBC uses the term "bloomer knickers" for the draw-string knickers younger boys wore with tunic suits. Here Eaton's uses the term we beliee to contrast with the straight leg knee pants of the other suits. The page suggests that most boys wore knee pants in 1907. Knickers would, however, become increasingly popular and would become the principal type of pants boys worevin the 1910s. The sizes are chest sizes--from 29 to 33 (which is approximately age 12 to age 16, although the size of boys' chests can vary of course. It is interesting that the catalog shows no long trousers suits for "boys" although there is a category of youths and young men that seems to include boys in the 18-21 age span.

Boys’ Norfolk Suits: Ad Copy

Eaton's offered several different suit style, each with a variety of options. There are eight illustratins, but some of the offerings are not illustrated. And the layout is a liitle confusing, especially because the available scan makes it a little difficuklt to read the tet and match the illustrations. The page appeared in the Eaton’s Spring and Summer Catalog (p. 65). It was labeled, "Boys’ Norfolk Suits" They were done in sizes from 29 to 33 meaning chest sizes. We believethis would be forvboys 12 to 16 years. The size of the jacket was important for a good fit. With knee pants suits the length of the pants were not very important. The ad copy is organized by item number.

Top left: No heading

We note several ordernumbers:
E3-1047. All Wool Tweeds in medium dark shades, also light grey homespun, good Italian linings, as cut E3-1045. 29-30 $5.00, 31-32 $5.25, 33 $5.50. E3-1010. Navy blue worsted serge English cloths, lined with strong Italian, always a fashionable suit, as cut E3-1035. 29-30 $5.25, 31-32 $5.50, 33 $5.75.
E3-1011. Dark worsted finished Tweeds; also neat brown and green mixture, pretty all wool materials, best linings, as cut E3-1055. 29-30 $6.00, 31-32 $6.25, 33 $6.50.
E3-1042. Fine navy blue English Clay Twill Worsted, best linings and trimmings throughout, as cut E3-1035. $6.50.

Left center: Double Breasted Norfolks

Here Eaton's notes "Coat and Pants only." I think this means that there were no vests.
E3-1945. Medium light grey homespun Tweed, Italian lined, as cut E3-1045. $4.50. E3-1046. Imported All Wool Tweeds in grey mixed pattenrs with overplaid effects, good linings, as cut E3-1045. 29-30 $4.50, 31-32 $4.75, 33 $5.00.

Left bottom: No Heading

Left Bottom: New Double Breasted Norfolks

Again these are "Coat and Pants only.:
E3-1065. The New Norfolk made from medium, light grey homespun tweed, Italian lined, as cut E3-1065. $5.00.
E3-1066. Pretty light grey Halifax Tweed with patterns. Cool and dressy, good linings, as cut E3-1065 $5.00.
E3-1067. Handsome Fancy Worsteds, imported materials, in mid grey shade with neat small pattern, something different from the ordinary boys’ wear, best linings, as cut E3-1065. 29-30 $6.25, 31-32 $6.50, 33 $6.75.
E3-1075. Double Breasted Norfolk with Bloomer Knickers made from medium grey homespun tweed, light weight material, as cut E3-1075. $5.00. [HBC note: Note that this was the only knickers suit offered here. They would become increasingly popular in subsequent years and dominant for boys' wear by the 1910s. The term "bloomer" was not often used in connection with knickers, in part because of the association with women's bloomers. Terms like this were not stadardized. HBC uses the term for the raw-string knickers worn with tunic suits at the time. This is not how Eaton's is using the term. As best we can tell, thee are standard knickers.

Center: Special Norfolk Suit

Top Right: Norfolk Suits

Coat and pants only. Sizes 29 to 33, except where indicated.
E3-1036. Dark patterns of all wool tweeds, also light grey homespuns, well made and trimmed, as cut E3-1035. $4.00.
E3-1037. Medium light grey homespun tweed, Italian linings, as cut E3-1035. $4.50.
E3-1038. Medium light grey, also dark patterns of all wool tweeds, well made and trimmed, as cut E3-1035. 29-30 $4.50, 31-32 $4.75, 33 $5.50.
E3-1039. Light grey homespun, also darkWorsted finished tweeds, neat small patterns, good linings, as cut E3-1035. 29-30 $5.00, 31-32 $5.25, 33 $5.50.

Center Right: Single Breasted Yoke Norfolks

Coat and Pants only.
E3-1050. Neat, dark mixed Tweeds, overplaid effects, also light grey shades, good linings, as cut E3-1050. 29-30 $4.50, 331-32 $4.75, 33 $5.00.
E3-1051. A dressy all wool Tweed in striped pattern, well lined and trimmed as cut E3-1050. $5.00.

Bottom right: The Latest Single Breasted Norfolk

Bottom right: A New Double Breasted Norfolk

Hosiery

School age boys except the yougest commonly wore knee pants with long stockings. Black long stovkings were especially common, lthough younger boys might war white stockings for dress occassions. All these suits here are depicted being worn with long black stockings. There is n attempt to match thesuits and stocking colors. Note that this is the case even for Spring and Summer.

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Created: 5:26 AM 3/15/2008
Last updated: 6:52 PM 3/15/2008