Objects Database

Aquascutum anorak

Accession Number

1016.2012.1

Object Name

Aquascutum anorak

Created

27/09/2012

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

27/09/2012

Brief Description

Orange Aquascutum anorak with three button on hood and a button on each cuff. Two buttoned front pockets and a drawstring bottom.

Materials

cotton,nylon

Dimensions

85(l) x 64(w) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

On label " AQUASCUTUM REGENT STREET LONDON W.1 MADE IN ENGLAND BY APPOINTMENT TO H.M. QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER MAKERS OF WEATHERPROOF GARMENTS"On other label "THIS GARMENT IS MADE FROM WYNCOL REGD. D.711 AS USED IN THE CONQUEST OF EVEREST MAY 29 1953"
Handwritten inside "MORAY OB NO 1"

Colour

orange

Maker

Aquascutum

Object Production Place

England

Provenance

In a world of Pertex, Gore-tex, Polartec and various other forms of breathable materials, few will have heard of AQUASCUTUM or Wyncol fabric, even though the company has been around since 1853 and the fabric since 1953 when it was used on the first successful Everest Expedition.

A guy called John Emary set up Aquascutum(latin for watershield)on the back of his patent for waterproof wool and he went on to produce trench coats for the military in both world wars, famously providing the outer clothing for Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tensing when they conquered Everest in 1953.

The material used for these garments is a very finely woven mixture of 72% cotton and 28% nylon, bearing the trade name Wyncol 711, though post Everest it became known as Everest cloth.
In the 1950's the only mill making this material was John Southworth's down in England though quite what has happened to them we are not sure since Aquascutum went into receivership in 2012.
The Aquascutum anorak that we have here in the collection post dates the 1953 Everest Expedition, and we suspect late 1950's for its manufacture, when it seems to have been bought by The Moray Outward Bound Sea School which operated from 1952 to 1977 when it (and the anorak) transferred to Loch Eil near Fort William. Destined for the skip in the 1990's our pal, Martin Jackson, rescued it and subsequently passed it on to us.
Still in remarkably good condition for its age, one cannot help but wonder why Wyncol 711 hasn't made a greater impression in the outdoor clothing market.
The attached photo by George Smith seems to show Moray Outward Bound students in action in March 1967 and there may well be an Aquascutum anorak in there somewhere.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Martin Jackson

Acquisition Date

27/09/2012

Condition Check Date

27/09/2012

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

27/09/2012

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