Welsh Wig
Type | Cap |
---|---|
Material | Wool |
Place of origin | Wales, United Kingdom |
The Welsh Wig or Welch Wig was a
History
The wool industry was an important part of the Welsh economy throughout its history. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries areas like Monmouthshire and Glamorgan were famous for quality wool, and Wales gained an international renown for high quality woollen products such as caps. This reputation saw a vast increase in trade and exports with Welsh woollen goods found across the markets of Northern Europe.[1]
The continued demand for Welsh goods during this era would allow the industry to become semi-industrialised. These new production processes would in turn lead to a greater variety of goods, especially new woollen caps such as the iconic
The decline was reversed when the new
Popularity
The Welsh Wig was prized by workers for its excellent protection against the elements, providing a shield against the wind on the back of the neck. As the fashion for traditional wigs declined, there was now a market for more practical knitted headwear and Welsh wigs soon developed a reputation as a hardy and utilitarian product. It became a common accessory throughout the British Empire, not only associated with industrial workers but also with stagecoach travelers, mountaineers and polar explorers. By the 1850s a Welsh wig was seen by the British as so ubiquitous, that it was part of the "kit list" for men fighting in the Crimean War.[3]
In
See also
- Monmouth cap
- Mr Fezziwig
- Woollen industry in Wales
References
- ^ Carlson, Jennifer L. "A Short History of the Monmouth Cap".
- ^ "Economic History and Material Culture – Margot Finn, John McAleer, Pat Hudson". History AFTER Hobsbawm. 3 May 2014.
- ^ "Economic History and Material Culture – Margot Finn, John McAleer, Pat Hudson". History AFTER Hobsbawm. 3 May 2014.