Great Britain is the birthplace of the school uniform and over the years schoolboys have worn a wide variety of official school dress. These pages illustrate a selection of these uniforms and provide some details of their history.
Shown is the traditional bluecoat uniform of Christ’s Hospital School in Sussex. Link -via the Presurfer
dodgyd55
dont think any school actually uses that uniform, looks like a quire boy robe, plus we have normal school uniforms…… is that an Australian flag he is caring
Tim Giachetti
I look at these previledged kids and I think of the original film “Lord of the Flies” Check it out. It was the richie rich choir boys with the spiffy uniforms that did most the killing. Think about that if yer a catholic priest. Sorry for my spelling, I’m beat today.
Sid
Actually, if you go to the link, you’ll see that the uniform in the picture is the *daily* attire at that school and has been for a LONG time. Some of the other schools reserve their most archaic attire for special occasions, but this school is big on tradition. I’ll bet they don’t take a lot of whining and bad behaviour from the kids either. Sure it’s a bit goofy, but only because it’s foreign to us. I think it looks a whole lot better than the falling-down-pants & sidewise hat thugwear permitted in government schools in the US.
Barbra
hey guys, enjoying the pictures. good to see how everything is, just to let you know that i’ve turned homo and now am a woman. miss you all! mwah!
YEP
John Franklin
Children that attend Christ’s Hospital come from all walks of life and for many, its ancient traditions are a completely alien concept, however this element to life at Christ’s Hospital is considered a very important part of its ethos. From the extraordinary Tudor uniforms, which include ankle length blue coat, breeches for the boys and yellow socks, to marching into lunch each day accompanied by a band of 120 children, much of life at the School is laced with a sense of the past. This is not to say that the School is old fashioned, more that the maintenance of these traditions helps to instill discipline and make pupils feel part of something very special.
The pupils are frequently asked about the uniform and they say that it’s a striking statement that signifies we are an ancient foundation, but more importantly, a community. It’s that sense of community that makes pupils feel at home and secure in a boarding environment.
When Christ’s Hospital was founded in 1552, the City of London gathered up ‘fatherless children and other poor children’ to educate and care for them. They were usually filthy and ragged. The citizens of London generously provided smart new clothes for the children. The early uniform was in Tudor style, very colourful. Blue and yellow could have been chosen to distinguish the children within the care of Christ’s Hospital from those attending other charity schools. The linings of the coats were dyed yellow and their ‘stockings’ were always knee length and also dyed yellow, as it was thought to deter vermin!
A new pupil dressed for the first time in their ‘Housey’ uniform becomes a member of a world-wide community and an heir to four-and-half centuries of tradition. The Christ’s Hospital uniform is a symbol of continuity and equality. However deprived a background or disadvantaged a family, wearing the uniform unites the pupils. Provided free to all our pupils, its continuance has been put to the vote which only underlined how proud they are to wear it as a distinctive feature and tradition of Christ’s Hospital
John Franklin is the Head Master of Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham, a co-educational boarding school for pupils aged 11 to 18.
That’s where the uniforms come from…
Comment RSS
RSS
fluff
ted
