Abstract

The nineteenth-century student gown in the collection of the Hunterian is rare and of considerable importance. Although it had been on display in the museum in the past, the gown was kept in storage for many years until its significance was recognized by Dr Neil K. Dickson, FBS, a former member of the Academic Dress Committee at the University of Glasgow, and an expert in this area. He describes the gown thus: ‘It is a red gown of very coarse cloth. It is short, and has three buttons at the top of the front. The sleeves are capelike and shorter than the gown. It has a collar, rather like a modern shirt collar, but underneath it a broader collar that extends over the shoulders (which gives it a very monastic appearance). The broader collar is scalloped with two points to the front and several to the back. Ribs run to the points. It has two inside pockets near the top. This gown is similar to the illustration “A Glasgow Student. About the year 1844” that forms the frontispiece to David Murray, Memories of the Old College of Glasgow, except that the shirt-like collar looks smaller than that in the illustration’.” [Excerpt].

Keywords: Academical dress, Origins of university costume, History of academic dress, Academic cap and gown

How to Cite:

Thompson, K., Coupar, S. & Benner, J., (2012) “‘Most I saw were very dirty, some very ragged and all of very coarse cloth’: The Conservation of the Nineteenth-Century Student Gown in the Hunterian, University of Glasgow”, Transactions of the Burgon Society 12(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/2475-7799.1098