Royal Naval uniform: pattern 1836

White cotton twill trousers with a satin finish. Fall-front with four metal button fastenings, worn by Lieutenant Horatio James (died 1850), later Commander. The flap fastens with two additional buttons. There is a fob pocket in the waistband. The pocket flaps also fasten with metal buttons, but are separate from the flap. There are four buttons along the top for braces. At the back there is one button on either side of the gusset to secure braces. The central back gusset also had two eyelets on either side with cotton tape to adjust the fit.

The trousers have tapered legs, with a small vent on the outer seam at the ankle. On the legs, just inside the bottom hems are four metal buttons (two on each side of the ankle) to which is fixed a black elastic bootstrap. The pocket bags are of heavy white cotton. The front of the trousers are lined with the same material. The back of the waistband is inscribed in ink on either side of the gusset with the laundry mark ‘H. James’.

Object Details

ID: UNI0227
Collection: Uniforms
Type: White trousers
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: circa 1836
People: James, Horatio; Marsland, G.
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 1097 x 525 mm