Early Slops

[MarkG]

Jamestown Settlements lost some of their reference works and put out a call for documentation showing sailors wearing slops to justify how the sailors are dressed on their 1607 ships. I found some nice examples from the British Museum that I thought were worth sharing.

First there is this guy from 1600. Notice the thrum cap and cassock (the pull-over). It is hard to tell how full his slops are but there is no question that they are straight-legged instead of gathered below the knee.

Next are some etchings from Flanders, 1647. These are from a set of views from a waterfront.

One final etching. Notice the sailor sitting on the right. Very full slops and another thrum cap.

A couple of observations about these:

1) I have seen assertions that slops were worn over regular breeches. None of these show any sign of having another layer underneath. Breeches during this period were very full and would show if the slops were being worn over them.

2) The slops were not limited to just sailors.

Mark

[GentlemenScotty]

Jamestown Settlements lost some of their reference works and put out a call for documentation showing sailors wearing slops to justify how the sailors are dressed on their 1607 ships. I found some nice examples from the British Museum that I thought were worth sharing.

First there is this guy from 1600. Notice the thrum cap and cassock (the pull-over). It is hard to tell how full his slops are but there is no question that they are straight-legged instead of gathered below the knee.

Next are some etchings from Flanders, 1647. These are from a set of views from a waterfront.

One final etching. Notice the sailor sitting on the right. Very full slops and another thrum cap.

A couple of observations about these:

1) I have seen assertions that slops were worn over regular breeches. None of these show any sign of having another layer underneath. Breeches during this period were very full and would show if the slops were being worn over them.

2) The slops were not limited to just sailors.

Mark

thanks mark - great references

[capn'rob]

Great stuff, Mark. What I really liked was the first print. The Twine Needle the man is using looks just like the ones in my rigging bag and ditty bag. I would guess by the presence of that anchor with the nets he may be mending twine for a Fish Trap, alias wier or pound. One of the first fisheries in the Colonies it was taught to the "new neighbors" by the Wampanaug of the Naragansett Nation. At least for the New Englanders.

[Slopmaker Cripps]

The "shorts" that the slaves are wearing (with the shackle around their ankle when not working) in Flanders were worn throughout the Spanish empire at that time....they were called Zaraguelles, and were made from anjeo which was a course linen imported from Anjou France most commonly, though occasionally you see them as being made from wool and rarely out of a heavy silk taffeta.

Sea chest contents of Antonio Gonzalez, age 26 from Triana on a voyage to New Spain in 1571:

"-Three old zaraguelles, one of linen, another of coarser linen, and another of black woolen cloth...."

Courtesy of Pablo E. Perez-Mallaina

Cheers,

Adam C.

[Slopmaker Cripps]

Forgot to mention that Weiditz in 1529 painted up a few pictures of sailors and slaves working on Spanish ships, one of which shows slaves filling water casks and they're wearing the zaraguelles and have the ankle thing.

Cheers,

Adam C.

[MarkG]

The "shorts" that the slaves are wearing (with the shackle around their ankle when not working) in Flanders were worn throughout the Spanish empire at that time....they were called Zaraguelles, and were made from anjeo which was a course linen imported from Anjou France most commonly, though occasionally you see them as being made from wool and rarely out of a heavy silk taffeta.

Sea chest contents of Antonio Gonzalez, age 26 from Triana on a voyage to New Spain in 1571:

"-Three old zaraguelles, one of linen, another of coarser linen, and another of black woolen cloth...."

Courtesy of Pablo E. Perez-Mallaina

Cheers,

Adam C.

I was wondering about the ankle thing. Some men have them. Most who have one only have one but one guy has two. Were they iron bands lined with rags to keep them from chafing?

[Slopmaker Cripps]

Yes, there's some kind of padding underneath. I was hoping that I could find better versions online, but couldn't find any decent quality pics of the ones I was looking for.....numbers 1469 and 1479 here show them, but they're tiny....

http://www.funjdiaz.net/grab1.cfm?pagina=25

And I forgot to mention it earlier, but Zaraguelles just translates as "drawers"....

Cheers,

Adam C.

[callenish gunner]

In the engravings of the men on the docks, they appear like Tartars or Cossacks with the scalp-locks and mustaches.

[jendobyns]

Yes, there's some kind of padding underneath. I was hoping that I could find better versions online, but couldn't find any decent quality pics of the ones I was looking for.....numbers 1469 and 1479 here show them, but they're tiny....

http://www.funjdiaz....1.cfm?pagina=25

And I forgot to mention it earlier, but Zaraguelles just translates as "drawers"....

Cheers,

Adam C.

Try looking for "sarouelles", which is apparently a form of Turkish trousers. Folkwear makes a pattern for them that is still popular. http://www.folkwear.com/119.html Also, if you look up sarouel, slightly different spelling, you can find some examples of another style, with an extremely loose, baggy crotch section and tight lower leg.

Mistress Dobyns

[Slopmaker Cripps]

Try looking for "sarouelles", which is apparently a form of Turkish trousers. Folkwear makes a pattern for them that is still popular. http://www.folkwear.com/119.html Also, if you look up sarouel, slightly different spelling, you can find some examples of another style, with an extremely loose, baggy crotch section and tight lower leg.

Mistress Dobyns

Slight dialectical differences, but those are identical to the Sharwal trousers that descended from the Persian شلوار (Shalawar) which just means "trousers".....they're all in the same family with roots going back to the 12th century....

There's a pair of trousers called (if I remember the name correctly) Greguescos which are similar to the Sharwals, but it has a normal waistband instead of the drawstring and they flare at the hips and go tight at the ankles....it was apparently a greek fashion that was picked up by the Spanish and Portuguese, and you see them in some 16th century pics of Portuguese mariners in Japan...

The zaraguelles are knee length, open bottomed shorts that gather into a waistband....like in the pics above and being worn in the Weiditz paintings...

Cheers,

Adam C.

[Grymm]

Here's a chap on Henry VIII flagship in The Embarcation at Dover 1540summat still with the trews, short jacket woolly hat.