wdbikemad Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 (edited) Main producers of smocks and trousers in '68 and later patterns were:- James Smith & Co Ltd Cookson & Clegg Ltd Compton Webb Ltd Supercraft Garments Ltd H Lotery & Co Ltd H E Textiles Ltd But others can be found. These include:- Dashmore Clothing Ltd Clayton St Mill Wm Brownlee Ltd Beaver of Bolton E Walters Ltd F Fryer & Co Ltd Jeltek Weatherguard Bernard Uniforms Ltd Etc. There a a fair few others too ! Edited June 24, 2011 by wdbikemad Quote
airportable Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 Just going through to-days finds from the Northern Expo. Friend spotted a 68ptn. smock, very worn, some replaced buttons. Unusual because of the colours of DPM. At £3 worth it for intrest. Turns out made by Jeltek Weatherguard Ltd. If my camera does justice to the colours will post pics. if intrested. Quote
wdbikemad Posted November 6, 2011 Author Posted November 6, 2011 Jeltek is a nice find.......as the full name suggests, primarily a manufacturer of waterproof clothing and prominent within the MoD of the 1980s........they made the blue waterproofs issued to RAF Police & Air Cadets amongst other items..... Sadly, long now out of business as with many of the former combat clothing manufacturers..... Quote
Eaglehurst Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 Agree that if you include 68 AND LATER you see all of these makers however for 68 pattern the list is shorter and closer to the 7 that Dave mentions. One to add is 'C W Son'. I particualrly like their gear as they also include a date on the label which is unusual for 68 gear (or anything with an NSN actually). I have a pair of 68 patt trousers made by them dated 1971. Quote
wdbikemad Posted November 9, 2011 Author Posted November 9, 2011 I've also got a pair of early 68 strides marked "CW Ltd".........guaranteed early 68 pattern clothing manufacturers are F Fryer, H Lotery, CW and Clayton St.Mill....but also Beaver, some James Smith, Cookson and H E Textiles.........all the others came in a little bit later in the 70s...... The list I suspect is not exhaustive......:-\ Quote
Scotch Harry Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 These came recently in a kit bag with other stuff issued to the same chap. For the life of me cannot get a decent pic of the trs label:( Quote
Eaglehurst Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 Couple more...Supercraft & Jeltek (v.faded)... Quote
wdbikemad Posted February 23, 2012 Author Posted February 23, 2012 Both garments shown are post-77 manufacture (later 8415 NSN)......usually of mixed 70/30 cotton-synthetic composition.......Jeltek (sadly) long out of business, Supercraft still going but taken over by a larger concern..... Quote
airportable Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 (edited) Reminded me, I was going to post pic. of my 'Jeltek' smock. Label washed out, but intresting as it appers to have been made up of materials of different colours! Be great to know what sort of age please? Edited February 23, 2012 by airportable Gramma Quote
wdbikemad Posted February 24, 2012 Author Posted February 24, 2012 Post-77 manufacture......colours, fabric (cotton-modal) and nylon-backed zipper confirm this......plus Jeltek did not appear to manufacture DPM gear until the very late 70s/early 80s..........my own guesstimate would be about 1980-82 for this smock...... Interesting match of colours....not common, but this did occur within volume garment manufacture..... Quote
Eaglehurst Posted April 30, 2012 Posted April 30, 2012 Acquired this recently. Superb example of a 68 pattern smock by uncommon manufacturer Wm Brownlee. The interesting point about this smock is that it illustrated the danger of assuming date and pattern from the actual material pattern. This carries the later 8415 designation of the 68 pattern line so it is likely very late 70's or more likely early 80's manufacture however the material is the classic older lighter colours with the dots around the black etc. In fact the material is an excellent match for a 1971 dated CW Son smock I have. I think it has already been said (Wdbike and Scotchharry) but the lesser known manufacturers with a small output of smocks probably spent a long time using up thier stocks of material! Lesson - material pattern does not automatically equal uniform pattern/date! PS: Panzernut also did quite a nice comparison of where late 68 pattern was a dead ringer for 84/85 pattern issue illustrating the opposite problem! Quote
wdbikemad Posted April 30, 2012 Author Posted April 30, 2012 Lovely example Jason, of one of the smaller manufacturers garments.........these were uncommon......only one guy in my old unit had a "Brownlee" made smock and since then I've only ever come across the odd pair of trousers by this company..... "E Walters (Ludlow)" were another small-volume producer of later DPM 68-type garments, but again I've only seen trousers....."Dashmoor Clothing" are similar...... "Beaver of Bolton" are another....but generally of early 70s smocks........ Slightly more common from the same period are "Clayton St.Mill", "Norsel Textiles" and "F Fryer"........but few beat the volume of "James Smith" and "Cookson & Clegg" garments encountered today......:-) Quote
wdbikemad Posted May 2, 2012 Author Posted May 2, 2012 Nice Harry !! Late (post 77) production by one of the smaller manufacturers and in one of the nicest "light" variations of DPM print with the "dots" and the very light khaki base colour, harking in some ways back to the original DPM prints of the early 70s..........I suspect all these items actually date in manufacture from around 1980-81...? Similar print could be found on some James Smith-manufactured smocks of the same era........delightful, and brings back memories of my time in the mob during the early 80s...... It seems that even then I was "spotting" kit........:laugh: Quote
Eaglehurst Posted November 20, 2012 Posted November 20, 2012 And another lesser known manufacturer...super condition and decent size: Quote
boots dms Posted November 20, 2012 Posted November 20, 2012 And another lesser known manufacturer...super condition and decent size: [ATTACH=CONFIG]69661[/ATTACH] Nice smock. I obtained a size 5 Beavers of Bolton which I posted on here a little while ago.Then blow me a couple of weeks later I came across another by this manafacturer also size 5 in good condition,and just had to buy it ( for a tenner:laugh:).My wife thinks I,m mad,and shes probably right.lol. Quote
Eaglehurst Posted November 20, 2012 Posted November 20, 2012 (edited) Nice smock. I obtained a size 5 Beavers of Bolton which I posted on here a little while ago.Then blow me a couple of weeks later I came across another by this manafacturer also size 5 in good condition,and just had to buy it ( for a tenner:laugh:).My wife thinks I,m mad,and shes probably right.lol. Best not to show the wife...mine is now numb to the whole milsurp malarky! She has, in fact, gotten quite good at opening the mail and describing the recently arrived items when I am away travelling... I remember your post of the size 5 smock you mention...two size 5s in good nick for £15 is a steal. From what I can tell - Beaver of Bolton only had one contract run of 68 smocks. I have never seen trousers by this manufacturer. Edited November 20, 2012 by Eaglehurst Quote
wdbikemad Posted November 20, 2012 Author Posted November 20, 2012 I have a couple of "Beaver" smocks, all early manufacture.........seemingly, the company name is still trading today (along with "Windsmoor" of 60 pattern suit manufacture) although both are no doubt today simply a "name" rather than the original manufacturing concern......... I think there were probably fewer manufacturers of 68 pattern gear than there were of the earlier 1950's Korean-era garments.......I am hoping to put a list together of all known manufacturers of the various patterns in the book......... Quote
boots dms Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Best not to show the wife...mine is now numb to the whole milsurp malarky! She has, in fact, gotten quite good at opening the mail and describing the recently arrived items when I am away travelling... I remember your post of the size 5 smock you mention...two size 5s in good nick for £15 is a steal. From what I can tell - Beaver of Bolton only had one contract run of 68 smocks. I have never seen trousers by this manufacturer. Nope, nor me, though I,m pretty sure I have a hood stashed away with some others that was Beavers, I,ll have to check some rainy afternoon.( which is probably quite soon). Quote
boots dms Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 I have a couple of "Beaver" smocks, all early manufacture.........seemingly, the company name is still trading today (along with "Windsmoor" of 60 pattern suit manufacture) although both are no doubt today simply a "name" rather than the original manufacturing concern......... I think there were probably fewer manufacturers of 68 pattern gear than there were of the earlier 1950's Korean-era garments.......I am hoping to put a list together of all known manufacturers of the various patterns in the book......... I remember not too long ago seeing an outdoor civilian field or shooting jacket on e- bay that was described as made by Beavers of Bolton,bought as new but too large,hence sale. So as you say it seems ( unlike lots of other mod contractors) they are still going in some form,albeit probably not the original concern. Quote
Scotch Harry Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 No idea why as am already drowning in 68 Patt smocks but just bought another,this time a Jeltek,different to all my others in that it has a nylon? backed zip. Quote
Eaglehurst Posted August 7, 2013 Posted August 7, 2013 No idea why as am already drowning in 68 Patt smocks but just bought another,this time a Jeltek,different to all my others in that it has a nylon? backed zip. LOL! Ditto....picked up a NOS example recently with, as you say, the nylon backed zip.... Quote
boots dms Posted August 8, 2013 Posted August 8, 2013 Lovely example and in a good size too.I too can,t resist a 68 pattern,its almost a compulsion to buy one if I see it.I try though to restrict it to the earliest patterns which have the most interesting colours and features. Quote
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