# British sailor uniforms, late Victorian era **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749 "2010-03-17T13:02:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/1 "2010-03-17T13:02:02Z")
What did British sailors wear, on board, during the late Victorian era. I know that in the early 1800s, shipboard dress was, um, informal (except for officers), but what was the average Jack Tar wearing in, say, 1898? I’m building a model of a ship in action and would like to be reasonably correct. Man, 1/350 figures are small. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/2 "2010-03-17T13:36:03Z")
There is a picture of an Able Seaman from the period [here](http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%2526+heritage/time/art24231). ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/3 "2010-03-17T13:51:27Z")
Thanks! I suppose he’s wearing his dress uniform to have his photo taken–would he wear that for everyday work around the ship? ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/4 "2010-03-17T14:05:36Z")
Definitely not an expert but I think so. I do not believe other ranks had separate “dress” uniforms. Having said that I believe that sailors doing very dirty jobs wore overalls - pretty sure I have seen pictures of stokers (and sailors recoaling) wearing them. 'Fraid I can’t find a picture at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/5 "2010-03-17T14:11:30Z")
Just found [this picture](http://www.seayourhistory.org.uk/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,825/?g2_itemId=15922)of signalmen from 1910. Looks like a useful site, there is also a picture of a ship about to take on coal but it is not really clear enough to see uniforms in detail. Note that they are wearing white “tropical” uniforms. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/6 "2010-03-17T15:01:02Z")
A nice site! I see that in one of the other pictures lower on the page, there are sailors in the white uniform and some in dark uniforms (presumably blue). Looks like I can have some sailors in white and some in blue-add a little visual interest! ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/7 "2010-03-17T15:19:49Z")
Here’s another photo that doesn’t look too staged: > **[HMS Mars, Battleship of 1902](https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_mars.htm)** > > HMS Mars of the Majestic Class battleships. Mars served with the Channel Fleet in the winter of 1906 and again in 1907. At the outbreak of WW1 she served with the 4th Division of the Home Fleet. Mars then served as a guardship in the Humber in August... Scroll down to the photo labeled “The Fore Barbette”, a little over halfway down the page. (Photo probably from around 1902…) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/8 "2010-03-17T15:22:46Z")
[Here’s a typical sailor from 1880](http://www.norphil.co.uk/2009/09b-royal_navy_uniforms.htm). If you want an official description, go [here](http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/training-and-people/rn-life/uniforms-and-badges-of-rank/the-history-of-rating-uniforms/). It’s so official, they don’t even have pictures 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/9 "2010-03-17T15:25:59Z")
On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with being a little [whimsical.](http://www.gs.uwclub.net/Pinafore01.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sailor-uniforms-late-victorian-era/532749/10 "2010-03-17T15:49:21Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Here’s another photo that doesn’t look too staged: > > [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms\_mars.htm](http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_mars.htm) > > Scroll down to the photo labeled “The Fore Barbette”, a little over halfway down the page. (Photo probably from around 1902…) The “Birds” picture is very interesting-quite a mix of clothing there!