Leather Capps faced with Red Cotton, and lined wit

[Gentleman of Fortune]

It could be...

Hard to say.

Enigma for sure!

[Swashbuckler 1700]

More similar barge sailor's caps of 18th century (but late: circa 1750) and the caps look like they have white tread in them. I see the thing that the peak is turned up as important. It seems likely that if the RN slop leather caps had peaks they were upturned, otherwise the peak would have been in the way and could prevent men of seeing the sails and rigging.

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66293.html

Edited February 20, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I am not sure why I studied this but well.... And I am sorry if I am unclear

It seems that "barge crews" who rowed "barge" boats had many different types of caps, at least during the mid and late 18th century. Many of them where peaked (like Lord Anson's barge crewmember above) sometimes the caps were like like grenadier caps (like here). It seems that people here are not ordinary RN sailors but some barge men who had uniforms like said in this other example here

" The 18th-century admiral’s barge carried by men-of-war was a richly ornamented craft. A smartly dressed and well-drilled barge crew was considered to be a status symbol amongst the ships of the fleet and often oarsmen were dressed in a uniform designed and paid for by the admiral himself."

Also Thames watermen who are more or less related to barge boatsmen used (at least later) and still uses a form of cap that is interesting. http://www.watermenshall.org/ (note how similar these are http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4084/5021679416_facb286799_z.jpg and these men http://www.watermenshall.org/events1.html)

So all in all there is a lot of caps and a lot of rowing men but that is any of this related to 1706 RN slop contract is unclear.... I think But if so then the caps here http://www.nationwidebooks.co.nz/assets/images/products/9781849084970.jpg can be accurate

And I almost forgot: Well an example of one style of cap... Thought there is no links to the RN slop caps of 1706....

Here is a particularly ugly bargeman's cap (in my personal opinion as I think jockey cap or baseball cap styled hats are ugly and boring). Circa 1795 and there is even some leather in it.. somewhere.

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/71260.html

This cap belonged to a member of Samuel Hood's (1724-1816) barge crew. It is made of wood that has been steamed, shaped and covered with brown velvet. The brim is of stiffened leather and has also been covered with brown velvet as well as Viscount Hood's crest, which has been embroidered in stumpwork. The interior of the hat is lined with linen and has the maker's label as well as the owner's name, John Lea. There are two holes for ribbon ties at the back which would have served to secure the hat. Officers often dressed their barge crews in non-regulation clothing such as this hat.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I am not sure why I studied this but well.... And I am sorry if I am unclear

It seems that "barge crews" who rowed "barge" boats had many different types of caps, at least during the mid and late 18th century. Many of them where peaked (like Lord Anson's barge crewmember above) sometimes the caps were like like grenadier caps (like here). It seems that people here are not ordinary RN sailors but some barge men who had uniforms like said in this other example here

" The 18th-century admiral’s barge carried by men-of-war was a richly ornamented craft. A smartly dressed and well-drilled barge crew was considered to be a status symbol amongst the ships of the fleet and often oarsmen were dressed in a uniform designed and paid for by the admiral himself."

Also Thames watermen who are more or less related to barge boatsmen used (at least later) and still uses a form of cap that is interesting. http://www.watermenshall.org/ (note how similar these are http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4084/5021679416_facb286799_z.jpg and these men http://www.watermenshall.org/events1.html)

So all in all there is a lot of caps and a lot of rowing men but that is any of this related to 1706 RN slop contract is unclear.... I think But if so then the caps here http://www.nationwidebooks.co.nz/assets/images/products/9781849084970.jpg can be accurate

And I almost forgot: Well an example of one style of cap... Thought there is no links to the RN slop caps of 1706....

Here is a particularly ugly bargeman's cap (in my personal opinion as I think jockey cap or baseball cap styled hats are ugly and boring). Circa 1795 and there is even some leather in it.. somewhere.

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/71260.html

This cap belonged to a member of Samuel Hood's (1724-1816) barge crew. It is made of wood that has been steamed, shaped and covered with brown velvet. The brim is of stiffened leather and has also been covered with brown velvet as well as Viscount Hood's crest, which has been embroidered in stumpwork. The interior of the hat is lined with linen and has the maker's label as well as the owner's name, John Lea. There are two holes for ribbon ties at the back which would have served to secure the hat. Officers often dressed their barge crews in non-regulation clothing such as this hat.

More bargemen uniforms and peaked caps but now early in circa 1710

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66360.html

They are wearing uniforms of the Royal Bargemen but while the breeches are red it doesn't mean that these would have any real touch to RN slops. For example here we have white shirts and socks. Also the caps, which may made out of leather though, doesn't fit to either slop cap description as they have tan peaks. They are not red or sewn with white thread Also I think caps with that large peaks would have been impractical when there was need to see above, to the ship's rigging. That was likely the reason why tricorns were often worn backwards aboard ship during the 18th Century. Simple bargemen who just rowed didn't need to see anywhere.

Also it seems that bargemen had quite similar uniforms earlier like here the figures rowing with white shirts.

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/381/media-381131/large.jpg

And later in 1750s http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/15075.html see the tiny white and red men around another here 1740 http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12538.html

and I think bargemen had their peaked caps which were rather unique to them. However the style of the peaked cap dates back at least to the early 1700s so perhaps slops had something like that. Well they are not cool looking but well....

Edited June 23, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Furthermore about the water/barge men. They wore caps like this apparenlty during the most 18th century

Usually these men are seen wearing red or blue but this figure is painted green. Perhaps it is an error. Anyway apart of the green flaps of his cap this might well be something near "Small Leather Capps stich’d with white Thread" However the figure is made in 1750s so later than the slops of 1706-25....

http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explorer/index.php?qu=PD.348-1973&oid=42264

another figure without paint with similar cap but again in 1750s

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/5776.html

However even when the oarsmen/watermen/ bargemen of the 18th century had jockey styled peaked caps it doesn't mean that other sailors used them really much. In paintings you can see uniformed oarsmen and watermen (whatever) who are wearing these caps or something like that but usually sailors aboard ships, even navy ships, are wearing very mixed clothing and it seems that the watermen were distinguishable from sailors. Especially thinking that Thames watermen worked much as water-taxis with their boats. So perhaps the peaked caps were watermen's way to be distinguishable as modern taxis do with their yellow colour in many countries. But still admirals, for example, had that kind of men (with caps) in their rowing barges like admiral lord Anson (see the early 1900s picture of bargeman of 1743 ) Though I see it still fairly plausible that slop leather caps were related to these caps (but likely the front peak was upturned and thus on the way as at least I think it would have been impractical to have a large point forward peak in your cap aboard sailing vessels) .

So now I agree with the one book and I think the authors made good job in book "Pirate the Golden Age"with the leather caps. They made the leather caps like this in their pictures (see the man on the right wearing black cap with white thread)http://www.edinburghwargames.com/J57%20Images/Recruitment002.jpg

Edited June 24, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700