Original Vintage English Grenfell Cloth Cotton Raincoat By appointment from Grenfell For Cordings of Piccadilly Original circa 1930-50s Classic Excellent condition Size approx 42 100% Cotton Original Grenfell Cloth Lined 100% Cotton Original Grenfell Cloth A classic English raincoat possibly before it was even named after Donald Campbell. It’s a double layer of Grenfell cloth which is rare anyway, let alone in a Campbell raincoat. There’s some lining in the front pleat that they used to use to keep the lining of the coat, it looks like a strange mixture probably including horse hair. An important piece, a fine addition to any collection. A fine gentlemans raincoat from the early 20th centuary. Made from the best and finest outdoor natural performance fabric to date. If interested please see my other listings for similar performance natural outdoor fabrics made from Ventile and others Woven in Burnley by Haythornwaite& Sons, on the steam driven looms of England Made from the legendary 100% cotton Grenfell Cloth Englands answer to the weather in the early 20th century & throughout. An extraordinary accomplishment by Walter Haythornwaite for Dr Wilfred Grenfell. A doctor helping the poor native people in Newfoundland Labrador where the cloth was invaluable for the icy arctic conditions. Light and finer than Ventile, woven to 600 thread counts per inch. The looms had to be strengthened to weave the cloth. It’s been used everywhere, tried & tested throughout, from the land speed records to Everest. In 1933, a Grenfell tent formed the highest habitation ever made by man on this planet. S Smythe slept in it for 13 hours-and awoke refreshed, although scientists had predicted that any man sleeping at that altitude would never waken. It was pitched at 27,000 feet, in a blizzard that drove Smythe to his knees… A wind that forced microscopic snow crystals through other tents pitched 500 feet below-but not through the Grenfell cloth. Silk like, a most fine natural outdoor fabric to wear. Over 50 years ago Donald Campbell in Bluebird at Goodwood, wearing his Grenfell racing suit. “The right cloth for Labrador mission workers”, said Grenfell, should be light.. Because travel was always on foot, following the dog teams. It should also be strong, for once on the trail, the wearer’s life might well depend on it. It should be weatherproof, to turn both rain and snow, and windproof to retain wearer’s warmth. Above all, it must allow the body moisture to escape. We use it constantly-on the ships -on the planes-on the sledges-and motoring. It does not wear out and we cannot afford to take chances-much less dare we recommend to anyone else anything that would fail them at a pinch. Sir Wilfred Grenfell. The item “Vintage Original English Grenfell Cloth Cotton Campbell Raincoat Coat Jacket” is in sale since Friday, March 17, 2017. This item is in the category “Clothes, Shoes & Accessories\Vintage Clothing & Accessories\Men’s Vintage Clothing\Coats & Jackets”. The seller is “windproof600″ and is located in Brighton, East Sussex. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Decade: 1930-50s
- Style: Raincoat
- Main Colour: Beige
- Material: 100% Cotton Grenfell Cloth
- Brand: Grenfell
- Vintage Type: True Vintage