Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

[Bob George]

Can anyone weigh-in, were there female tailors running their own businesses during the Civil War?

Also, were they making military uniforms for officers (not contract piece work)?

Many thanks, Bob

Robert Broadwater
NPS Volunteer

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

There would have been women employed in certain aspects of "tailoring", especially when the business was a family enterprise... but the instances of a female tailor being the sole name on the business are rare... to the point we have yet to come across one.

The process:

Taking measurements: a man would need to do this... just period propriety
Drafting the Pattern: I've not come across a woman making it known that she drafted menswear. Many female outerwear and boys' attire drafts found their way into lady's magazines credited to females, but not menswear.
Cutter (cutting the pattern pieces out)- there are a few references to women employed to do this, rare but there
Making Up- this basic sewing was commonly given to women
Fitting: this is another instance when a man would be needed, for propriety
Finish Sewing: there are a few instances of women employed thus
Buttonholer: more than a few instances of women employed thus
Trimmer (the stitcher doing all the fancy braid and "chicken gutz"): often women

As we read diaries of Southern women sending uniforms "from home, by their own manufacture", one can almost make the assumption that they have taken a pattern from a pre-existing garment or had a (male) tailor do the pattern for them.

[Championhilz]

Re: Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

Seamstress Betty Bentley Beaumont of Woodville, Mississippi, established a factory making hats for the Confederate army during the Civil War, and she may have made other items as well - it has been a few years since I read her autobiography. She published several books about her life - the Civil War Years are covered in "Twelve Years of My life," published in Philadelphia in 1887. Here is a link to a brief biography and picture of of Beaumont: http://books.google.com/books?id=UOB...%20war&f=false


And here is a brief description of the work she did during the Civil War in the book "Confederate Industry: Manufacturers and Quartermasters in the Civil War:" http://books.google.com/books?id=Siv...page&q&f=false

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

Please understand there is a difference between making up undergarments and shirts for the ready-to-wear/ready-to-issue market and a "tailor" of men's tailored garments... meaning coats, trousers, waistcoats, and overcoats.

In modern times we've come to refer to any custom or bespoke garment for men as being made by a "tailor", as well as any alterations, renovations, and repairs for men or suits as being done by a "tailor." This is not properly so in period when each worker of an aspect of a garment's production had a specific trade name to distinguish it from other aspects. I alluded to it in my earlier posting... ie: cutter, finisher, trimmer, etc. The person doing alterations, repairs, and renovations were called "renovators" and they were often women, and often the women most in desperate need of money for their services. This is again going on the assumption we are discussing trade titles of employed persons... not patriotic volunteers or backwoods housewives clothing their menfolk the best way they know how.

Mr. Broadwater- which definition of a "tailor" did you mean, so that we may answer your question with more precision?

[Bob George]

Re: Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

Elaine, I appreciate the quick and thorough reply. I mean women offering men's tailored garments, specifically uniforms. Thanks, Bob

[marktaylor]

Re: Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

http://www.cjdaley.com/sackcoatcontracts.htm

See (Mrs.) H.J. Moore.

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Were Female Tailors Making Military Uniforms during CW?

Contracts were given to the firm... it does not stipulate the tailor is the one who's name is on the contract. A woman's name on the contract should not be assumed to be a firm of only women without corraborating evidence.

...and it takes at least three incidences before a "fact" can be seen as more than an anomaly.