Hats
This month we focus on descriptions for the papers of milliners - hat manufacturers and retailers. There are also links to related websites.
Above: illustration from the National Co-operative Archive's modern journal collection, The Producer volume I, "A scene in the Millinery Department of the Societies [Co-operative Wholesale Society], Balloon Street, Manchester", from an article entitled "Managing the Millinery", pp120-121, February 17th, 1917. Image copyright © Co-operative Press Photographic Collection.
The photo on the homepage for April 2007 was courtesy the University of Bradford, "J.B. Priestley and Jacquetta Hawkes in 1958". Photographer unknown. From the Jacquetta Hawkes Archive. Reference: GB 532 HAW 18/1/3/3/5.
Collections
- James Bevan (1828-1917): entrepreneur and explorer; owner of James Bevan & Co., hat manufacturers.
- House of Fraser plc: the Glasgow drapery business Fraser, Sons & Co Ltd, developed into the House of Fraser department stores.
- Owen Owens and Son: Owen Owens (1764-1844) manufactured hat linings and trimmings in Manchester; the family business was involved in millinery until the 1830s.
- Watson family of Pittenweem: 18th century exporters of hats and other goods.
- George du Maurier (1834-1896): illustrator and novelist, author of Trilby, 1894; the name of the novel's heroine was adopted for the style of hat.
Related links
- Hat Works: museum dedicated to the world of hats and hat making (Stockport, Greater Manchester)
- Hats: images of 18th-20th century hats from around the world (ingenious website)
- The Hat Story: a history of hats (British Hat Guild website)
- Bowler Hat: the history of the bowler (Museum of London website)
- The Avengers: Steed sees hats (The Avengers Forever website).
Suggested reading
Links are provided to records on Copac for these items. Copac is the free, web based national union catalogue, containing the holdings of many of the major university and National Libraries in UK and Ireland plus a number of special libraries. For more information about accessing items see the FAQs on the Copac website.
- John Benson and Laura Ugolini (eds.) A nation of shopkeepers: five centries of British retailing. Records on Copac
- Richard Davin 1st floor: millinery. Records on Copac
- George du Maurier Trilby. Records on Copac
- Michael Moss and Alison Turton A legend of retailing - House of Fraser. Records on Copac
- Eva Richter The A.B.C. of millinery. Records on Copac
You can receive regular updates on our special features by joining our mailing list.