History and evolution of the guernsey

[SpareTowel]

Does anyone know of a good resource on this topic? It's interesting to think there must have been an individual or team who was the first to first to trot out the sleeveless shirt. I wonder if this moment has been pinpointed and how others reacted at the time.

 

[Fizzler]

Mero might be of assistance
His website footyjumpers.com is the definitive footy jumper history website.

 

[Mero]

Does anyone know of a good resource on this topic? It's interesting to think there must have been an individual or team who was the first to first to trot out the sleeveless shirt. I wonder if this moment has been pinpointed and how others reacted at the time.

I will divide this into three phases
One.
The first sleeveless vests were made of canvas and laced up from the front.
Canvas was a product in plentiful supply in the colony, given the requirement for tents.
However, when dwellings were built in more durable materials, canvas was used for clothing.
The first instances of players wearing these lace-up vests were the late 1870s.
At this time players supplied their own equipment, so it would be individual players who were first to adopt the jumpers.
I would say StKilda are most likely to adopt them first, particularly amongst the teams that remain in the VFL/AFL.
They had been wearing Black & Red jumpers and tied white handkerchiefs around their necks to distinguish themselves.
The canvas jumpers they had made adopted the White into a yoke around the next.
According to StKilda historian Russell Holmesby, this was 1877.
Over the next 5 years virtually every other club adopted canvas lace-up jumpers.
Two.
Players wore wool jumpers from about 1910.
Wool had become cheaper with the growth of the wool industry in Australia, and the uncomfortable canvas jumpers were phased out.
The wool jumpers are almost always long sleeve, though the taller players in each team tended to wear them with the sleeves cut off.
I understand this to be due to opposition players grabbing the material on the sleeve in ruck contests and using to hold the player down.
The solution was to cut them off.
You may be familiar with the term "Collingwood 6 footer".
Collingwood listed almost every player, except those for whom it was obviously untrue, as being 6 foot tall, or taller.
They also had a majority of players play with sleeves cut off, to give the impression the player was tall enough to play in the Ruck.
This psychological advantage is why I would say the next phase of sleeveless jumpers would be a Collingwood directive.
Richmond followed suit, and a majority of their 1921 premiership team is sleeveless in the team photo.
It came to pass that long sleeve jumpers became the vogue for a Wet day, sleeveless on a Dry day.
With footy being a Winter sport, most players in most teams wore long sleeve jumpers throughout the season.
Three.
Around 1960 Melbourne had experienced a few dry Winters in a row, and clubs tended to retain the sleeveless jumpers all through the season.
The number of long sleeve jumpers in team photos declined rapidly from 1959 where they were the majority to 1962 where there were 1 or 2 per team.
By the mid 1960s long sleeve jumper became the domain of wet weather footy only, and sleeveless jumpers were worn in other games.

I hope this helps.

You can find graphic representations of all jumpers used on my website: www.footyjumpers.com

 

[SJ]

I will divide this into three phases
One.
The first sleeveless vests were made of canvas and laced up from the front.
Canvas was a product in plentiful supply in the colony, given the requirement for tents.
However, when dwellings were built in more durable materials, canvas was used for clothing.
The first instances of players wearing these lace-up vests were the late 1870s.
At this time players supplied their own equipment, so it would be individual players who were first to adopt the jumpers.
I would say StKilda are most likely to adopt them first, particularly amongst the teams that remain in the VFL/AFL.
They had been wearing Black & Red jumpers and tied white handkerchiefs around their necks to distinguish themselves.
The canvas jumpers they had made adopted the White into a yoke around the next.
According to StKilda historian Russell Holmesby, this was 1877.
Over the next 5 years virtually every other club adopted canvas lace-up jumpers.
Two.
Players wore wool jumpers from about 1910.
Wool had become cheaper with the growth of the wool industry in Australia, and the uncomfortable canvas jumpers were phased out.
The wool jumpers are almost always long sleeve, though the taller players in each team tended to wear them with the sleeves cut off.
I understand this to be due to opposition players grabbing the material on the sleeve in ruck contests and using to hold the player down.
The solution was to cut them off.
You may be familiar with the term "Collingwood 6 footer".
Collingwood listed almost every player, except those for whom it was obviously untrue, as being 6 foot tall, or taller.
They also had a majority of players play with sleeves cut off, to give the impression the player was tall enough to play in the Ruck.
This psychological advantage is why I would say the next phase of sleeveless jumpers would be a Collingwood directive.
Richmond followed suit, and a majority of their 1921 premiership team is sleeveless in the team photo.
It came to pass that long sleeve jumpers became the vogue for a Wet day, sleeveless on a Dry day.
With footy being a Winter sport, most players in most teams wore long sleeve jumpers throughout the season.
Three.
Around 1960 Melbourne had experienced a few dry Winters in a row, and clubs tended to retain the sleeveless jumpers all through the season.
The number of long sleeve jumpers in team photos declined rapidly from 1959 where they were the majority to 1962 where there were 1 or 2 per team.
By the mid 1960s long sleeve jumper became the domain of wet weather footy only, and sleeveless jumpers were worn in other games.

I hope this helps.

You can find graphic representations of all jumpers used on my website: www.footyjumpers.com

You should put a historical summary like this on the website as a resource.

 

[BringBackTorps]

I will divide this into three phases
One.
The first sleeveless vests were made of canvas and laced up from the front.
Canvas was a product in plentiful supply in the colony, given the requirement for tents.
However, when dwellings were built in more durable materials, canvas was used for clothing.
The first instances of players wearing these lace-up vests were the late 1870s.
At this time players supplied their own equipment, so it would be individual players who were first to adopt the jumpers.
I would say StKilda are most likely to adopt them first, particularly amongst the teams that remain in the VFL/AFL.
They had been wearing Black & Red jumpers and tied white handkerchiefs around their necks to distinguish themselves.
The canvas jumpers they had made adopted the White into a yoke around the next.
According to StKilda historian Russell Holmesby, this was 1877.
Over the next 5 years virtually every other club adopted canvas lace-up jumpers.
Two.
Players wore wool jumpers from about 1910.
Wool had become cheaper with the growth of the wool industry in Australia, and the uncomfortable canvas jumpers were phased out.
The wool jumpers are almost always long sleeve, though the taller players in each team tended to wear them with the sleeves cut off.

Are you aware if players ever wore LONG-sleeved Canvas jumpers (whether laced-up, or not)?
If so, over what era approx.?
And during this era, approx.what % of players wore long-sleeved lace-up jumpers?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Funny we’ve always called it a guernsey as opposed to a jersey. Think it’s the only sport in the world to do so.

http://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/andc/meanings-origins/g

 

[Mero]

Are you aware if players ever wore LONG-sleeved Canvas jumpers (whether laced-up, or not)?
If so, over what era approx.?
And during this era, approx.what % of players wore long-sleeved lace-up jumpers?

No, canvas jumpers were all sleeveless.
Players would wear a spencer (basically the same as a t-shirt) under their canvas jumpers to prevent chafing under their arms.

 

[Mero]

Funny we’ve always called it a guernsey as opposed to a jersey. Think it’s the only sport in the world to do so.

http://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/andc/meanings-origins/g

Our jumpers were definitely the same as the jumpers made in Guernsey, and rugby jumpers were the same as those made in Jersey.
Rugby jumpers were a lighter weight, tighter knit.
Footy jumpers were a heavier weight, and looser knit.
Jumpers and shirts these days are neither a Jersey or a Guernsey.
People call them that today because of what they have traditionally called them.

 

[blueycarlton]

Here's a Carlton team photo from July 04 1896, v Fitzroy at the MCG.
Jumpers and spencer/long sleeved underwear/shirts worn under canvas jackets.
We know the names of a few of the players and officials. See http://www.blueseum.org/1896
If any one knows the names please contact Blueseum
www.blueseum.org

 

[blueycarlton]

I saw a genuine sleevless canvas jacket from around 1905 last Saturday in a Victorian country town's museum. It was the town's football team's jacket. Found in a barn, in good condition but the colours have faded, still, well over 100 years old.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Hotham FC jumper (1880's)

 

[GreyCrow]

Just as a FYI for those interested I came across this snippet talking about the use of numbers on the back.

The last paragraph of the article suggests a 'Billy Anderson' a delegate of the Goulburn Valley FL first thought of and put numbers on the back of jumpers , later to be adopted by the VFL

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187169720

 

[blueycarlton]

Are you aware if players ever wore LONG-sleeved Canvas jumpers (whether laced-up, or not)?
If so, over what era approx.?
And during this era, approx.what % of players wore long-sleeved lace-up jumpers?

Here's a Carlton old players team at the MCG from October 1881
Note the various types of lace-up and other styles of guernsey.
The bloke sitting on ground far left has a lace-up with sleeves to his elbows. The player seated far right has very short sleeves on his lace-up, so too the fella standing fourth from left.
Blueseum thinks they know 17 of the 22 players shown, see the 1881 page (http://www.blueseum.org/1881)
If anyone can identify these players please contact Blueseum. (www.blueseum.org)
Picture courtesy of the Brighton Historical Society.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Hotham FC jumper (1880's)

What is the source of this photo eg book title?
Is this definitely a Hotham/NMFC player?
What era did Hotham/ NMFC have horizontal stripes?

 

[Snake_Baker]

What is the source of this photo eg book title?
Is this definitely a Hotham/NMFC player?
What era did Hotham/ NMFC have horizontal stripes?

1) The North Story
2) Yes
3) 1869-1884

 

[killer]

FOOTBALL LIFE JULY 1968

 

[blueycarlton]

SLV, Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News June 16, 1910
Here's one for the Northerners I found at the State Library.
The bloke in front looks to be wearing a Carlton lace-up. I think North wore wore similar ones at one stage. In a 1911 edition of the newspaper there is a portrait pic of former Carlton player "Mallee" Johnson, who was then C & C of N.M. wearing a Carlton type canvas jacket over his N.M. striped jumper.