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Capper & Sons Of Gracechurch St

March 13, 2015
by the gentle author

If any readers are considering investing in new outfits for spring, they might find some ideas here in these plates of over a century ago from Capper & Sons of 63 & 64 Gracechurch St, High Class Tailors, Riding Habit & Breeches Makers, & Juvenile Outfitters, courtesy of the Bishopsgate Insitute.

Single Breasted Chesterfield Overcoat – in soft black and blue llama

Cappers’ ‘Seymour’ Coat – made in new west of England waterproof coatings

Lounge Jacket Suit – in all the latest shades of Cashmere

Double Breasted Loung or Yachting Suit – in navy blue serge or cheviots and striped flannels

Morning Coat & Waistcoat – in black cheviot, llama and various cloths

Frock Coat & Waistcoat – in black Vicuna with silk facings

Double Breasted Chesterfield Overcoat – in Venetians, Beavers and Vicunas

Double Breasted Travelling Ulster – in waterproof but not airproof cloth

Dress Jacket Suit – in fine elastic twill or vicuna

Dress Suit – lined throughout in silk with silk facings

Norfolk Jacket & Knicker Suit – in west of England, Scotch & Irish tweeds

Boys’ Harrow Suit – in Cappers’ indestructible school suitings

Boys’ Eton Suit – made to measure in fine elastic twill

Cappers’ ‘Cottesmore’ Habit – with Norfolk plaits back and front

Cappers’ Quorn Habit – in fine Meltonian cloth for hard wear

Images Courtesy Bishopsgate Institute

You might like to read these other stories about commerce in Bishopsgate & Gracechurch St

Businesses in Bishopsgate 1892

At Dirty Dick’s

J.W.Stutter, Cutlers Ltd

At James Ince & Sons, Umbrella Makers

Vivian Betts of Bishopsgate

Charles Goss’ Bishopsgate Photographs

The Romance of Old Bishopsgate

Tallis’ Street Views of Bishopsgate 1838

9 Responses leave one →
  1. March 13, 2015

    Good to meet you this evening at Dennis Severs house I’ve subscribed and will look forward to reading your blog
    Black Vicuña with silk facings !, mmmm that must have cost a pretty penny!
    And a dress suit lined in silk
    What fun love the drawings !
    Fay
    And the trees MUST stay !

  2. March 13, 2015

    I was intrigued to read the riding outfit was called capers quorn habit. I have always associated quorn with the mushroom protein. A search though on Google shows that there’s a village of Quorn in Leicestershire that was once associated with industrial knitting. So I guess that means it’s a knitted outfit. And I hadn’t realised that llama wool was available a century ago.!

  3. March 13, 2015

    Wonderful collection of ads, the clothes all look so smart. Valerie

  4. March 13, 2015

    Alas! Such a great style will never return and be seen again …

    Love & Peace
    ACHIM

  5. Pauline Taylor permalink
    March 13, 2015

    I think the Quorn is the name of a hunt in Leicestershire.

  6. March 13, 2015

    The Oxford English Dictionary gives this definition of Quorn: “The name of a celebrated hunt that meets at Quorndon (formerly Quorn) and in the surrounding area of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Also more fully Quorn Hunt.” The Quorn habit would be an outfit appropriate for wearing at the meet.

    In 2012, novelist Susanna Forrest wrote about riding sidesaddle in a corset. Twenty-eight women chose to ride sidesaddle at Quorn that year. I wonder how long the skirts were?

  7. Hilary permalink
    March 13, 2015

    Yes,the Quorn is England’s oldest hunt and the hounds were kenneled there till 1904. Women did ride side-saddle to hunt so this is probably a very fashionable hunting outfit.

  8. Rosemary Hoffman permalink
    March 13, 2015

    fascinated by the footwear !

  9. Gary Arber permalink
    March 13, 2015

    You would not find toffs like that in the East End.
    Give me the Gor-blimey Cockney any day
    Gary

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