A question for the Brits (or whoever can answer)

[Guttersnipe]

I was browsing E-bay and I saw the term "demob" associated with immediately post-war English suits.

What is this term "demob" all about? Does it relate to post-war demobilization? What's the connection to civilian suits?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I was browsing E-bay and I saw the term "demob" associated with immediately post-war English suits.

What is this term "demob" all about? Does it relate to post-war demobilization? What's the connection to civilian suits?

That's de-mobilization, mate! Methinks you lot call it discharged!

Servicemen were taken to various "de-moblization centres" and given a three piece suit at government expense. It was a wardrobe based on that of a middle-class family man in Sunday dress - a hat, three-piece suit, shirt, tie, two pairs of socks, shoes, a raincoat, studs and cufflinks. Many of the suits were immediately sold on the black market for much needed cold cash!

-dixon cannon

 

[benstephens]

The suits were made by a lot of the big tailoring firms. They originally had Army style lables in side them stating size etc. The suits were of very good quality, and cut to the latest styles. The idea being that it was a thank you and a help back into civilian life.

There were many different styles as well, and a lot of different wools. I feel that some of the suits listed as De-mob on ebay are not actually de-mob suits.

The hats are probably one of the hardest items to find now, and often with no markings they are not very easy to spot unless one knows the subtle clues, but even then, the fact they were the same as civilian hats make them very hard to spot.

I believe de-mob suits were also issued after WW1 as well.

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[H.Johnson]

Oh, Ben, you made my day. Masterful.

I hereby nominate you for the Fedora Lounge Tasteful Understatement award of 2008, first class, with oakleaf cluster and bar.

Take the rest of the week off.

I feel that some of the suits listed as De-mob on ebay are not actually de-mob suits.

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[H.Johnson]

There was an alternative (not universally available) of slacks and a sports jacket.

Servicemen were taken to various "de-moblization centres" and given a three piece suit at government expense. It was a wardrobe based on that of a middle-class family man in Sunday dress - a hat, three-piece suit, shirt, tie, two pairs of socks, shoes, a raincoat, studs and cufflinks. Many of the suits were immediately sold on the black market for much needed cold cash!

-dixon cannon

 

[Eyemo]

Ben Stephens.... Knows his stuff:eusa_clap

 

[benstephens]

Maybe, just maybe Marks and Spencers did make De-mob suits in wool/man made mixes! lol

It also seems that any suit made in 1945 and after was a de-mob suit as well!


Ben

 

[benstephens]

There was an alternative (not universally available) of slacks and a sports jacket.

Yes very true. Many soldiers would sell their new suit straight to spivs, although canny soldiers would swap the suit for their uniform in the box!

The range of ties was also quite large as well. I have been trying to find out all the tailors whom were contracted to make de-mob suits.

Many are the same as the Battle dress manufacturers. One thing I have not been able to find out is who designed the de-mob clothing.

Kindest regards

Ben

 

[H.Johnson]

Something stirring at back of my old mind - didn't Norman Hartnell have something to do with it? I think I have some 'gen' about this somewhere. I'll try to find it.

 

[scotrace]

Excelent summation, Ben.

Also do a search for older threads. Baron Kurtz has gone into the details.

(Advanced search, use the term "demob," for user Baron Kurtz, and limit it to posts rather than threads.)

 

[Lone_Ranger]

That's de-mobilization, mate! Methinks you lot call it discharged!

Servicemen were taken to various "de-moblization centres" and given a three piece suit at government expense. It was a wardrobe based on that of a middle-class family man in Sunday dress - a hat, three-piece suit, shirt, tie, two pairs of socks, shoes, a raincoat, studs and cufflinks. Many of the suits were immediately sold on the black market for much needed cold cash!

-dixon cannon

That's what I like about the British. STYLE! US service men were given the "ruptured duck" pin...

"The pin was to permit Honorably Discharged military personnel to wear their uniform for a period of time after they left military service due to their inability to afford civilian clothes, while at the same time identify themselves as no longer active duty personnel. The pin version of the patch was intended to permit civilian dressed, Honorable Discharged personnel to identify their former military status easily when applying for work or veteran's benefits."

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Ahh Hhmmmmm......

Oh, Ben, you made my day. Masterful.

I hereby nominate you for the Fedora Lounge Tasteful Understatement
award of 2008, first class, with oakleaf cluster and bar.

Take the rest of the week off.

...can a bloody Yank get at least a chicken feather for my cap for even
knowing what "Demob" means! And a bleedin' photie to boot! Cor d' blimey!!

-dixon cannon

 

[H.Johnson]

Indeed sir. Award yourself a hackle.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Wow! Really interesting!

Thanks guys! Once again the FL is a wealth of information.

The whole concept of issuing a set of the "standard issue" middle class uniform upon discharged seems so classically British, it's wonderful!

 

[Miss Hattie]

Nothing Useful

I once heard a man say that the only part of his de-mob suit that actually properly fitted him was his tie-! Well there you are, my little bit of useless information I thought I would share and it did make me chuckle so at the time!

Hats x

 

[H.Johnson]

I'm not sure that demob suits were 'middle class' in any way. British working men typically bought a good three piece suit 'for best' or 'for church' (e.g. weddings and funerals) every few years - the period depending on their disposable income.

This was worn for best until a replacement could be afforded, when it was relegated to 'second best' and eventually came to be worn for manual work. In the 1930s you regularly see photographs of dockers and even miners wearing what are probably the remains of what was once a good suit. Montague Burton and Price's (The Fifty Shilling Tailor) made their names in this market and, significantly, many of the (genuine) demob suits you see were made by them.

In giving every ex-serviceman a set of clothing, the WD was in effect giving them the 'for best' suit that they would probably have bought anyway in the 5+ years that 'call up' lasted. The difference in pay between a working man's and a serviceman's pay over that time would have bought a whole wardrobe of clothes!

Thanks guys! Once again the FL is a wealth of information.

The whole concept of issuing a set of the "standard issue" middle class uniform upon discharged seems so classically British, it's wonderful!

 

[benstephens]

I'm not sure that demob suits were 'middle class' in any way. British working men typically bought a good three piece suit 'for best' or 'for church' (e.g. weddings and funerals) every few years - the period depending on their disposable income.

This was worn for best until a replacement could be afforded, when it was relegated to 'second best' and eventually came to be worn for manual work. In the 1930s you regularly see photographs of dockers and even miners wearing what are probably the remains of what was once a good suit. Montague Burton and Price's (The Fifty Shilling Tailor) made their names in this market and, significantly, many of the (genuine) demob suits you see were made by them.

In giving every ex-serviceman a set of clothing, the WD was in effect giving them the 'for best' suit that they would probably have bought anyway in the 5+ years that 'call up' lasted. The difference in pay between a working man's and a serviceman's pay over that time would have bought a whole wardrobe of clothes!

That is a very good synopsis. I think there is a perpetuated myth that the working man did not have good clothing, or at least it was beyond his means. The rise of tailors such as Prices, CWS, Fridays and Burtons etc meant that a suit of reasonable quality was within the reach of working class people.

Orwell comments in Road to wigan Pier "The youth who leaves school at fourteen and gets a blind-alley job is out of work at twenty, probably for life; but for two pounds ten on the hire-purchase system he can buy himself a suit which, for a little while and at a little distance, looks as though it had been tailored in Savile Row."

The rise of mass tailoring meant that the working classes, whom would have once been distinguished by their poor clothing were able to at least buy a decent suit, and this meant that the visual distinguishers between the Working class and certainly the lower middle classes was certainly blurred and not as distinct as it had once been.

Kindest Regards

Ben