THE SCHOOL UNIFORM
W H AT ’ S I T A L L A B O U T ?
Older ONs will recall those Newcastle retailers specialising in School Uniforms, the earliest of these being Raymond Barnes, whose premises at 102 Grey Street will be remembered by many alumni.
BY THE EDITOR
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heir small premises were adorned with the crests of dozens of schools and it was a late summer ritual to visit these ‘outfitters’. Isaac Waltons in Grainger Street and Bainbridges, later John Lewis, became the appointed specialists, and the Archives hold a Cricket Blazer made from BAINBRO ‘venetian striped’ fabric. Latterly, uniforms and sportswear are bought by parents online from two approved companies.
NEWTS (Junior Swimming Club) colours Blazer - originally the NEW-TS - anyone know why!
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For my own part, as manufacturers of School Blazers (Distinctive Clothing) supplied all over the UK and beyond, it was an education in itself dealing with very many schools across the entire country. Whilst the great majority of uniforms, girls and boys, vary only in their colours and fabrics, there are still some anomalies and particular eccentricities perpetuated by a good number of institutions. King’s College, Canterbury have continued the striped trousers and now skirts which used to accompany formal dress jackets. My family used to cringe on holidays as I ‘interviewed’ boys and girls about which school they attended. One hilarious example was twin lads attending Blundell’s School, Tiverton, whose boys wore a most
