Hat question

[zburkett]

Does anyone know if the Irish Tweed walking hats are period to the Civil War. I have seen them in movies and some CW photos that might be the tweed hats. It would seem logical that they would have been worn by some of the Irish in the war if by no one else, if they were in use during the 1860s.

 

[major bill]

Thank you for posing the question. Hopefully someone will have an answer. I am leaning for a no they are not period. Will someone come along and make me wrong?

 

[ikesdad]

I agree with the Major.

 

[mofederal]

https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tweed-guide-harris-history-styles-patterns/

https://www.theceltictimes.com/index.php/patch-cap

There is a question of when it was used for hats. The cloth began to be called tweed in 1826. It was sometime between 1848 and 1853 that Prince Albert designed the first Balmoral tweed design. He bought the estate in 1848. There were two types of tweeds Clan Tartan and Estate Tweed. There is nothing to indicate when the hats were made. It was used for suits and other clothing at first. Harris itself began in 1909. Lady Dunmore first introduced the cloth to the British aristocracy in 1846. She was the widow of the landowner of Harris Island. These cloths were first made in the 1700's or earlier, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland (the islands of Harris, Lewis and Barra) and in Donegal, Ireland. The Irish homemade patch flat cap (newsboy) and it's many variations first appeared in the early 1800's in Ireland. This hat while popular in Ireland, did not become popular until the late 1800's in the US. I would say no the initial question. They were not really available until later in the US.

 

[zburkett]

Thanks everyone. Since I don't reenact it is not personally important but it seems that considering most of the complaints of the CW "Soldier Hats" that I have read, an Irish tweed hat would have been a great choice had they been available.

 

[mofederal]

Every question is a good question, I learned something new today and I know others did as well. We all want to learn more and expand our knowledge. This was a good thread. Thanks.