Figure 1.--Here is an illustration by Harold Earnshaw. In this illustration Durrant accompanies his nearsighted Aunt Barbara who is concerned about his collar. The boy notices a smut on her nose. click on the image to see the missing collar.
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Figure 1.--Here is an illustration by Harold Earnshaw. In this illustration Durrant accompanies his nearsighted Aunt Barbara who is concerned about his collar. The boy notices a smut on her nose. click on the image to see the missing collar. |
Different uniforms are depicted in Meredith Fletcher's The Pretender's. Except for the Eton collars and red caps, we are not sure just what the uniform was. We see boys wearing both Eton suits and Norfolk suits. Not only are there two uniforms, but there seems to be no clear convention as to which one is whorn for different occassions. We note boys in the classroom wearing both Eton suits and Norfolk suits. It may well be that at the school only the red cap and Eton collar was required and that boys could choose whsat style suit they wore. There was also a variety of ties. There does not appear to have been a school tie. This is, however, just a guess. Of course this is a fiction story, We are unsure to what extent British schools actually had such uniform regulations. We do not know to what extent the uniform comes up in the book. We do know the author discussed the Eton collars that the boys wear.
We do not know to what extent the uniform comes up in the book. Different uniforms are depicted in Meredith Fletcher's The Pretender's. We note boys in the classroom wearing both Eton suits and Norfolk suits. And it appears that the boys had noth types of suits. The main character, Peter Durrant, is seen here in a knickers Norfolk suit. We see him in other illustrations wearing a long pants Eton suit.
Except for the Eton collars and red caps, we are not sure just what the uniform was. We see boys wearing both Eton suits and Norfolk suits. Not only are there two uniforms, but there seems to be no clear convention as to which one is whorn for different occassions. We note boys in the classroom wearing both Eton suits and Norfolk suits. It may well be that at the school only the red cap and Eton collar was required and that boys could choose whsat style suit they wore. There was also a variety of ties. There does not appear to have been a school tie. This is, however, just a guess.
While we are unsure to what extent the uniform is mentioned in the book. We do know that the boys' Eton collars are mentioned. The available illustrations suggest that the boys were required to wear these large stiff collars. They look very smart on the boys, but these collars presented a problem. Given the nature of boys, keeping them supplied with a steady supply of these collars and ensuring the boys wore them properly was a major undertaking. Many schools had collar monitors.
Here the lady not only comments on the boy's nose, but describes the importance of a clean collar. The book text reads, "
"I hope, Peter, that your collar is quite clean? I cannot see very well wityhout my spectacles."
I couldn't answer for Peter's, but mine was spotless--for a wonder! at least it had been when I started off, so that I was able to set her mind at rest.
"Do you know, my dear, it seems the most extrodinary thing!--but I find that you are a collar short. I suppose you have no idea at all what can have become of it?"
I had. A very good idea. But I wasn't going to say so. In fact, I was just on the point of stumbling forward on my hands and knees and pretending that I had tyripped over the cloak, which was trailing a little between my feat, for the sake of creating a diversion, when a particle of soot floated down from the chimney of a house we were passingh and settled upon my worthy relative's face.
"Aunt Barbara!" I cried with a tragic gesture, coming to a sudden standstill.
What? What?"
"You've--got--a--smut--on yout--nose!"
.
Of course this is a fiction story. We are unsure to what extent British schools actually had such uniform regulations.
We do know the author discussed the Eton collars that the boys wear.
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