Matchcoat

[Swampy Matt]

A couple ofquestions for any of the Seven Years War/18th Century re-enactors...

What sort of size blanket would have been used as a Matchcoat?

Other than the method mentioned on the Wilde Weavery site - http://www.wildeweavery.com/matchcoats.htm - what other ways of wearing a Matchcoat could anyone recommend?

Matt.

 

[Toddy]

I've been looking for sizes for these for a while; this link seems to be the clearest description of the original point blankets that were used as matchcoats in the Americas.

http://www.hbc.com/hbcheritage/history/blanket/history/

That said, it's basically a thicker wool and a narrower bit of cloth but worn just as is a Scottish plaid, belted around the waist and the excess either drawn up over the shoulders or tucked neatly into the waistband. It's just a practical way to wear a blanket I've come across references to British soldiers using their blankets this way during wartime too. To quote a great uncle, "Well we had to carry them, might as well carry them on us, warmer too when you're hanging around just waiting."

I have a source of the very heavy wool used for some of the army ones, it's mink brown coloured but has the soft brushed fur like surface that sheds water. I don't know what the shop will charge for postage though.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[led]

Toddy, I'd be interested in details of the shop if you could post/PM me. Thanks.