Origins of the Naval Uniform
The uniform worn in the Sea Cadet Corps is almost the same as that of the Royal New Zealand Navy, and this in turn is similar that worn in the Navies of many other countries around the world. All the uniforms can trace their origins back to the development of sailor’s uniforms in the Royal Navy.
In the 1700s many sailors were forcibly recruited by “Press Gangs” and literally grabbed off the streets. They arrived onboard with only the clothes they were wearing, and when these wore out they either had to purchase ready - made garments or “Slops” from the Purser’s Stores, or make their own from whatever resources were available such as old sails. These items of clothing lacked uniformity and their colours and fashion varied with the period and whim of the contractor. Some ships Captains would supply uniforms, especially for the crews of their own barges, and paid for them out of their own pockets. These often consisted of brightly striped shirts in many different colours, and straw hats.
In the reign of Queen Anne for instance, seamen tended to wear red and grey clothing but by the middle of the 18th century blue had become the most common colour. The reason for this was that only indigo based dyes offered a reasonable degree of colour fastness to sunlight and wear at a time when the range of dye colours was very limited and a way of testing for colour fastness did not exist. Indigo, which is extracted from a tropical plant, appeared in the UK as trade with India expanded in the 18th century.
Officer’s uniforms were first introduced in 1748 by the Admiralty, at the request of the Officer’s themselves. They were modelled after Army uniforms and were altered many times over the next hundred years or so to follow changes in fashion ashore.
During the French Revolutionary wars from 1778 to 1815, commanding officers began to pay more attention to their men’s clothing requirements and by 1800 it was common for ships companies to be mustered at divisions 'all in blue' or 'all in white' so giving a fair degree of uniformity between ships as the men made their clothes from the 'standard' blue, white or 'fancy' cloth sold by the Pusser. (The latter might be tartan, check, gingham etc. and all have been worn at sea at some stage).
There was still plenty of room for variations, however, and in the 1830s the captain of HMS Vernon ordered his seamen to wear red serge frocks and comforters (scarves). After some time in commission the stock ran out and red garments were then allocated to the port watch, the starboard wearing blue (not green which was significantly more difficult and thus expensive to dye). The captain of HMS Blazer ordered his men to wear blue and white striped Guernsey's and the captain of HMS Trincomalee followed with red shirts and 'fancy' hats. Most eccentric of all was Captain Wilmott of HMS Harlequin who, as recently as 1853, paid for his boat's crew to be dressed as harlequins. This attracted ribald comments from the press and, no doubt, his boat's crew and may have prompted the Admiralty to issue its circular on ratings uniform in 1857.
In 1857, a type of uniform called Square Rig, based on clothing worn by the crew of the Royal Yacht, was officially introduced for seaman below the rank of Petty Officer. Many of the parts of this rig served a practical purpose in the age of wooden-walled Line-of-Battle ships.
In the 1700s many sailors were forcibly recruited by “Press Gangs” and literally grabbed off the streets. They arrived onboard with only the clothes they were wearing, and when these wore out they either had to purchase ready - made garments or “Slops” from the Purser’s Stores, or make their own from whatever resources were available such as old sails. These items of clothing lacked uniformity and their colours and fashion varied with the period and whim of the contractor. Some ships Captains would supply uniforms, especially for the crews of their own barges, and paid for them out of their own pockets. These often consisted of brightly striped shirts in many different colours, and straw hats.
In the reign of Queen Anne for instance, seamen tended to wear red and grey clothing but by the middle of the 18th century blue had become the most common colour. The reason for this was that only indigo based dyes offered a reasonable degree of colour fastness to sunlight and wear at a time when the range of dye colours was very limited and a way of testing for colour fastness did not exist. Indigo, which is extracted from a tropical plant, appeared in the UK as trade with India expanded in the 18th century.
Officer’s uniforms were first introduced in 1748 by the Admiralty, at the request of the Officer’s themselves. They were modelled after Army uniforms and were altered many times over the next hundred years or so to follow changes in fashion ashore.
During the French Revolutionary wars from 1778 to 1815, commanding officers began to pay more attention to their men’s clothing requirements and by 1800 it was common for ships companies to be mustered at divisions 'all in blue' or 'all in white' so giving a fair degree of uniformity between ships as the men made their clothes from the 'standard' blue, white or 'fancy' cloth sold by the Pusser. (The latter might be tartan, check, gingham etc. and all have been worn at sea at some stage).
There was still plenty of room for variations, however, and in the 1830s the captain of HMS Vernon ordered his seamen to wear red serge frocks and comforters (scarves). After some time in commission the stock ran out and red garments were then allocated to the port watch, the starboard wearing blue (not green which was significantly more difficult and thus expensive to dye). The captain of HMS Blazer ordered his men to wear blue and white striped Guernsey's and the captain of HMS Trincomalee followed with red shirts and 'fancy' hats. Most eccentric of all was Captain Wilmott of HMS Harlequin who, as recently as 1853, paid for his boat's crew to be dressed as harlequins. This attracted ribald comments from the press and, no doubt, his boat's crew and may have prompted the Admiralty to issue its circular on ratings uniform in 1857.
In 1857, a type of uniform called Square Rig, based on clothing worn by the crew of the Royal Yacht, was officially introduced for seaman below the rank of Petty Officer. Many of the parts of this rig served a practical purpose in the age of wooden-walled Line-of-Battle ships.
See the Navy Museum's List of Changes to the RNZN Uniform
