Replica old English? Military Vrummer Boy type Jacket

[mickk]

Replica old English? Military Drummer Boy type Jacket UPDATE headng for a banner.

Ok well I spotted this, by the hand writing I thought it would be late 1800s so I thought it was work the price.

Turms out the name is a well known English Costumers, still in business, one of the best. It looks like Laddie Ch (for charles) H Stephens and the VH xould be the initials of a film or a pla, Victoris something I dunno. Inerstingly the address is given as 117 and the firm has been at 119 for a very long time. Moriss Angel and Son Ltd, I should send them the pics I suppose.

Was laddie just a Scotsman writing boy, or was the character a laddie, or is it laddies size?

Now I am wondering if yu sleuths can name the rank of the jacket if it is a real rank and or regimnent that is.

It is an old stage costume I am sure, but how old, the firm has been going for centuries it seems. It looks very well made, made to last longer than a movle. Made to be seen close up.

There sould be a fasinating story behind it. If we can work out what it is we can work out when it was used and in what.

Over to you thanks.

?

 

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[pkb]

Could be a band uniform also

 

[nhbenz]

I believe it reads "Laddie Cliff": Laddie Cliff - IMDb

 

[JrMack]

Looks like something prince wore in the 80's--LOL! but it definitely looks old!

 

[Scabby Jack]

well, it's too short for Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

 

[nhbenz]

Or maybe the VH is Van Halen, as I'm pretty sure David Lee Roth wore something similar at one point.
But, seriously, it appears that the name (Laddie Cliff) may have been written in by the man himself, with some similarities to the few online: laddie cliff autograph - Google Search

 

[mickk]

WOW I haventy looked at the online sigs yet, I just looked at the IMDB, that had me thinking there is a story in itself.

In Australia, the only refernce to this maker was from some ballet costumes from 1910ish in the national collection. I had been hoping that it was some old circa 1900 costime from some Australian theatre, because almost no costumes from ths era exist so it would be great to save one for students of the arts.

So Now I go to look at online sigs of Laddie Cliff, what a name! que music.

Hmm it does resemble his writing circa 1913. I wonder what Stephens is, maybe a company?

So we have a possible name, I suppose now I go to look for a laddie cliff society> Im still hoping to Id the cuffs to see if there is any real meaning to them.

So thanks for all your help so far and the gags, I have to agree, it is in that style.

I tink we have a good chance of having something that a museum will want. Costumes were used and trown out, not many from 100 years ago, havin a known name, might be the reason it was not thown out.

 

[mickk]

I heard back from the makers overnight, they are dead keen to see the pics, so I sent and should have more news tomorrow.

The bloke says they would have made it for Laddie Cliff at the start of his career. Overall, I would now call it a Matador Type jacket.

I cant wait to hear back, I do hope that they will want it for their collection.

I took it to work today, people were actually amazed at it which amazed me. The gold is actually some form of metal, its not tarnished, so maybe its gold plated brass thread or similar.

All in all great fun and I knew you guys would nail it, thats why I posted it here, thanks agaian and I will keep you all informed.

 

[mickk]

Aha well the plot thickens. To cut a long story short.
Ladie Cliff, 100% correct and when we make the movie, NHBENZ is the leading credit.

Turns out, if you go to youtube, you can hear him speak. He souds like an Aussie in the 1930s.

That is because, in 1906 at the age of 15 he came here to entertain. So there is the aussie connection that i felt in my bones. It is real it looks like he spent at least 5 years here which at that age cemented his accent. Then he went to the USA and then to the great war.

Coal Black Mamma - Laddie Cliff is a song he wrote which most of you will recognise the tune of the chorus in your head.

He was very well known in his day, at his peak in todays terms, he was second lead male kinda guy.

For me, the story is a 15 year old kid, going to the best outfittes in london with a lifes savings at the age of 15, to buy a jacket to perform in in Australia. Then boarding a sailing ship for the 10 week trip to Australia. Then performing here and exactly where is my quest.

This is going to be bigger than Ben Hur. Ive got the feelers out, there is a documentary in this.

In those days, Australia was an economic powerhouse of gold, wheat and wool. We had everty star in the universe visit. Houdini, WC Fields, Hoover, you name it they came here, then all was lost to two world wars and a the great depression. IN Australia, there might be a handful of costumes fromthis period that can be ascribed to someone.

I will keep you infomed.

So ole Laddie Cliff is going to find a home in our National Costume collection for sure.

It is a precious part of our history.