Where I live (Denmark) the bowler hat is traditionally associated with butchers, and not bankers. In fact, when a butcher completes his/her apprenticeship, they get a bowler hat :)

@censusgary

5 жыл бұрын

In the United States, the bowler hat was associated with working men in general. In addition to butchers, brewers, teamsters, boatmen, barkeepers, bricklayers, and the like used to wear bowlers. This was true until probably the 1930s or 1940s. Now, the same class of people tend to wear baseball caps or their cheaper variant, “gimme” caps (except when wearing safety gear like “hard hats” on the job). In my grandparents’ time, only baseball players and children wore baseball caps.

@RalphBellairs

5 жыл бұрын

That's interesting as, in the UK, butchers were associated with the straw boater.

@richmcgee434

5 жыл бұрын

They seem to be associated with many different things depending on locale/culture, as witnessed by their adoption as women's wear in Bolivia.

@bjornenbjorn1369

5 жыл бұрын

lukkachi I’m getting one when i finish my apprenticeship : )

@tloller52

5 жыл бұрын

@@censusgary don't forget the newsboy type cloth cap.

The only weaponized bowler hat in the history of popular culture belongs to Oddjob from Goldfinger.

@theMemo-1

5 жыл бұрын

Did you forget about the Adam West Batman villain Mad Hatter!

@mrskitkatlady

5 жыл бұрын

I forgot about Oddjob.

@obelic71

5 жыл бұрын

packed full with Amatol, RDX and /or TNT they become a shaped charge !

@theMemo-1

5 жыл бұрын

@@obelic71 LoL!

@LostShipMate

5 жыл бұрын

H.H. Holmes

Thanks for the "mad as a hatter"-explanation.

@rosyclaire

5 жыл бұрын

It refers to the glue which was used in many stages of hat and shoe making.

@jimfeldman4035

5 жыл бұрын

@@rosyclaire Actually it's a mercury compound that's used to treat the fibers before felting (don't ask what they used to use). Early photographers using the Daguerreotype process also suffered from mercury poisoning. The image is "developed" with mercury fumes over a heated pan of the metal.

@censusgary

5 жыл бұрын

Dentists and their assistants also used to get mercury poisoning, from the fumes of the material for amalgam (“silver”) fillings, which are composed largely of mercury. I had a discussion about this with my dentist just the other day. Interestingly, pure elemental mercury is not absorbed by the body, but mercury compounds are and are toxic.

@ronfullerton3162

5 жыл бұрын

The people back then not having knowledge of chemicals and their compounds really left them open to so many problems. Saw a show where they interviewed a musician who played an instrument named a glass armonica for Linda Ronstadt. He doesn't play it often, and has periodic blood tests for lead poisoning. The instrument was invented in the middle ages, but was eventually banned because people began to believe that the sound it created was driving people crazy. The discs are made of crystal glass, and the people playing it we're getting lead poisoning from their fingers being in contact with the glass discs. Makes one wonder how many other stories like this is out there! Maybe that would be a good subject for the History Guy!

I recently bought a bowler as a winter hat. Been wearing it every day. Really really underrated hat that goes hard with a good jacket and boots.

Some guy during the darkest hour of a certain island nation country led his people in a bowler.

@waynevreeland3141

5 жыл бұрын

And an ever present cigar...

@douglasgreen437

5 жыл бұрын

WINSTON FAVOURED A HOMBURG HAT..

@jimsonbrown9768

5 жыл бұрын

And a fifth of scotch.

@justicespeaks3270

4 жыл бұрын

And a bumbershoot.

@atadata6870

4 жыл бұрын

Really? I hope he got a statue. .

John Henry Bonham, the drummer for the UK rock band Led Zeppelin, wore a bowler hat. When Led Zeppelin was honored at the Kennedy Center, the band (including John's son Jason on drums) allvwore bowlers, including the choir. The mark of an English gentleman. Thank you HG.

@diatplay

3 жыл бұрын

I didn't know that! Very cool

Hard rock miners digging the tunnels for the transcontinental railroad dipped bowler hats in tar and then put a larger one over it to form rock proof hard hats

Some of those 'city gents' were government employees. Like the Minister of Silly Walks.

@aussiedonaldduck2854

5 жыл бұрын

You will have to do better than a forward aerial half turn every alternative step if you want a government grant!

@jamespicklehead5610

5 жыл бұрын

Aussie Donald Duck I think with government backing I can make it very silly.

@aussiedonaldduck2854

5 жыл бұрын

@@jamespicklehead5610 Very well the Ministry shall offer you a research fellowship on the Anglo/French silly walk.

@CaptRich-bi3gp

5 жыл бұрын

(sigh) As a young man I had always hoped for a chance to visit the institute.

@shibolinemress8913

4 жыл бұрын

Answerphone: "Oh, 'ello! You have reached the Monty Python Silly Voices Preservation Society. If you have a silly voice, you may make your donation after the beep!" 😀

So happy to see a reference to John Steed/Patrick Macnee in The Avengers here. His hid a metal interior by the way!

@stevethomas5849

5 жыл бұрын

As was I. "always keep your bowler on in times of stress and keep a watch out for those diabolical masterminds" said by Mrs Emma Peel as she was leaving Steed to be with her husband who had returned after he was missing from an adventure.

@williamkaiser8067

5 жыл бұрын

Do you suppose THG has a collection of umbrellas?

@wizardofahhhs759

3 жыл бұрын

I always think of Odd Job in the James Bond movie.

As someone who owns three Bowler hats i cant help but approve :)

@adamtarbaux7769

5 жыл бұрын

I two own a bowler.

@the_original_Bilb_Ono

5 жыл бұрын

@@adamtarbaux7769 *too

@adamtarbaux7769

5 жыл бұрын

@@the_original_Bilb_Ono whoops my bad.

@mckayterry658

5 жыл бұрын

I own three as well, and I love them. I plan to buy several more. Have two blacks and a brown; want at least a blue, a green and a red.

@CaptRich-bi3gp

5 жыл бұрын

1 Stetson here!

Sees title: "That's silly, what could I possibly want to know about Bowler hats?" *Buys Bowler hat* Wearing Bowler hat: "I hope he does more fashion hat videos!"

As you are no doubt aware THG, we Englishmen who live south of Watford wear our Bowlers at all times when outdoors. Those who live north of Watford wear a flat cap at all times, regardless of weather inside or out.

Pierce Brosnans remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair” had a big play on the Bowler hat around the theme of an art theft

Aha! I spotted Isenbard Kingdom Brunel, sporting his sporty tophat!

@jameshaury2716

5 жыл бұрын

I hear he engineered things very well!

Your presentations are so Fantastic that a video of a hat holds my attention for 10 minutes! All history is important! Thank you!

@preshisify

5 жыл бұрын

🤗☕

@JTA1961

5 жыл бұрын

Well put.

@lemmdus2119

5 жыл бұрын

Very true.

Aircrew members of the 492 Fighter Squadron (US Air Force, based at RAF Lakenheath UK) have been called “Bowlers” since the squadron moved to England in the 1960s. Pilots and Weapon Systems Officers (WSOs) proudly wear the traditional British head-ware to Squadron events and gatherings. I’ve treasured mine since 1986, when I purchased it at a tag sale. Judging from the folded newspaper I found under the sweat band, it was made sometime prior to 1936.

One of my favorite scenes is from a Three Stooges short...in a courtroom a bailiff instructs Curly to "take off that hat!", when he is on the witness stand. Curly replies..."its not a hat, its a derby!"

@angrypredator2704

Жыл бұрын

Actually, the scene is where Curly is asked to give a testimony but starts rambling on in slang and uncouth jargon. The Bailiff then tells to “drop the vernacular!” THEN Curly retorts, “It’s a Derby!”

@tomh6183

Жыл бұрын

Correct or should I say “soiently”

Don't forget the surreal artist Rene Magritte made several iconic paintings that featured the bowler hat, such as his famous "Son of Man".

Did anybody else notice his Union Jack bowtie?

@genericdave8420

5 жыл бұрын

@Gary Daniel Regardless of nationality, How on earth is it disrespectful? I'm sure most thought it was a nice touch.

@ianmacfarlane1241

5 жыл бұрын

@Gary Daniel Why on Earth is it "disrespectful", and to whom?

@ianmacfarlane1241

5 жыл бұрын

@Gary Daniel You still haven't said why. You've merely repeated your assertion that it's "disrespectful" with no explanation as to why. As you've noted some flags do get used in all manner of ways, particularly for clothing, and including underwear. I can possibly understand that some people might find flag prints on underwear disrespectful, but beyond that I don't see any issue.

@mushypeasplease8872

5 жыл бұрын

@Gary Daniel - I'm British and it's fine. Nowt wrong with it. The union Jack is not a precious thing to any other British people I know. More like a brand kind of thing. The bow tie is good.

@ianmacfarlane1241

5 жыл бұрын

@@mushypeasplease8872 Seems Gary has no idea what he thinks. Maybe he's under the influence, or perhaps he's just not particularly bright. He doesn't seem to have any idea about what "respect" actually means, and he's very easily triggered - ask him a simple question and he responds with an insult - a huge loss to the Diplomatic Corps.

I am now 67. One of my earliest memories ((c) 1955) was visiting London, by train, which i did periodically, as that was where my grandparents lived. My three burning memories of arriving in London are: (i) the enormous banks of pay phones in the station entrance; (ii) that all of these phones were in use, by men , not women; (iii) that all of these men carried umbrellas and wore bowlers. I recall that continued well into the 1960's or 70's.

"Vernacular!? That's a derby!" -Curly Howard And of course his machine gun impression.

@macswanton9622

5 жыл бұрын

Doiby

@keysersoze1296

4 жыл бұрын

I'm glad someone pointed out this oversight! To have mentioned Stan & Ollie, Bud & Lou, & not Curly Howard is a travesty! No one could make me belly laugh like Curly and his DOYbee!

BTW, true fact, just like the word "clerk" is pronounced "Clark" in the UK, the word "derby" is pronounced "Darby" on the other side of the pond. Something I've been told all my life. In fact my ancestry proves it. They changed the spelling to match the pronunciation when we came to America in the early 1800's.

@chachadodds5860

4 жыл бұрын

True of many an immigrant coming over, especially thru Ellis Island, that the spelling was changed to reflect the pronunciation. With all the different languages the documenters were faced with, you can imagine it was much quicker to just write the name phonetically. Some immigrants even changed their own names, in order to fit in better, or because their names were just too complicated for an English speaking society. Makes sense for those from countries who didn't speak English, but seems odd that it would also happen with English names, when they simply could've asked for the original spelling. That happened with my mother's British maiden name, and my father's Scottish last name as well. (Not shared for security reasons.) Although not all who bear those sir names had the spelling altered, and some names from the same origin wound up with a number of different spellings. This is true of even the simplest sir names. Many Americans don't even realize they are related because the spelling of their sir name is so varied from the original. It never occured to me that Derby, and Darby would be the same name, but now that you mention it, that makes sense. Thanks for sharing that interesting fact. You'll have to make a Derby, part of your wardrobe now. How fun!

Well, someone has to say it - I was bowled over by this episode:)

My wife bought me a bowler hat a couple of Christmasses ago, out of desperation! I loved it from the get-go.

THANKS for finally explaining why Loyalists in Northern Ireland wear bowlers. It's puzzled me for years. Learned something new today!

It is currently 11pm in Brisbane, Australia. But apparently it isn’t too late for me to be interested in bowler hats. Thanks History Guy

I snorted iced tea across the table when you perched that hat on your head! Thankfully no one was in the line of fire.

Thank you for an excellent history of the Bowler hat. Truly fascinating because I love hats. How about the history of the fedora too? I still enjoy wearing my fedora almost daily.

Everyone of your episodes are great. Plus, the way you deliver these snipts, you could make the history of paint drying awesome.

Hats are awesome! Each one has a 'message' and 'attitude' to it. Friendly, hostile, daring, brave, in your face, etc. I have a substantial number of hats to wear on the days I feel like the hat!

Dear HG....As it goes, I am not a clothes horse, HOWEVER....I cannot describe the feeling I had when appearing on-deck at my first formal night aboard ship, in my own tuxedo....As I walked around the deck, I could see in the eyes of the men around me, dressed in their own suits, or some less-than-committed attempt at formality, a look I had often had, but never realized I had....Envy! Then, the piece-de-resistance....(pardon my French)....I purchased and wore a formal “Morning Suit” ala “My Fair Lady”, complete with Top Hat 🎩, at a function....Fun, fun, fun....Hats....a piece of clothing that has degraded to the “ball cap” and all of the conformity that it implies....This was a “fun” presentation, very historically informative and entertaining at the same time....Makes me glad I’m a patron.....Bless you and Mrs. HG

I had a bowler exactly the same as that, unfortunately while on leave in Biloxi beach, MS I was hit from behind with a board in an aggressive debate and forgot to look for the hat afterwards before going to get my jaw reassembled.

@b1laxson

5 жыл бұрын

Note that you survived. Praise be the bowler. It probably went off looking to Avengers for you.

@Nipplator99999999999

5 жыл бұрын

@@b1laxson through surprise practice and experience, I have figured out that I can take a catastrophic injury and if still conscious and mobile-ish, I have 5-15 minutes before WTFDone sets in. Besides 2 crackheads brought a stick to rob a uniformed Army Ranger, at that point, openly carrying a. 45 auto. I didn't kill them motionless and drove into the closest Government owned object I could find while passing out.

Very cool! This is the kind of stuff I love this channel for. Little things that tie together so many big things and hearing all the fun facts about it and the people involved. Thank you!

i have a bowler and i love it i where it everywhere. it is literally my biggest conversation starter, and now i have more info to share in those conversations. thank you Mr. H. Guy .

@vmitchinson

3 ай бұрын

Wear

Brilliant! How wonderfuly fun! I've been trying to get the hubby to change from a fedora to a bowler for years. He does love hats. Thank you for sharing a part of your day with us!

My grandfather was a model for Stetson hats. Somewhere there is a photo of him modeling a top hat in a mirror. Love your videos.

I woke up a few minutes ago and you made my day already.

@tomservo5007

5 жыл бұрын

after 12 hours, did you have a good day?

@The105ODST

5 жыл бұрын

@@tomservo5007 No, it was hot.

@tomservo5007

5 жыл бұрын

@@The105ODST well, there's always tomorrow.

I really appreciated this episode! I more deeply appreciate my grandfather's old Stetson bowler and the labels inside it!

Another excellent presentation of history that deserves to be remembered. My hats off to you!

You do a great Laurel impersonation the way your bowler fit lol. When I was a kid my grandfather called bowler's "city hats" & every time we went into the city from the ranch he wore, you guessed it, his clean & recently brushed bowler hat.

When my husband and I saw the hat we both said: It's a Derby!" Disorder in the Court episode of the 3 Stooges... Attorney says to Curly Howard: Would you drop the vernacular. Curly replies: A vernacular! This is a Derby! Ah, we really enjoyed this episode.

@nathangreer8219

5 жыл бұрын

HAHAHAHAHA I had precisely the same thought. The best Stooges episode

It’s a true classic design , ageless , I have one in perfect condition made for Brooks Brothers still in its original box ... and yes it fits !

@chachadodds5860

4 жыл бұрын

WoW! Lucky dog.

@bnsfrailfanr24csx16

2 жыл бұрын

I have a brooks brothers hat to

I sometimes joke that there are people who can make reading the back of a cereal box interesting...The History Guy could make the history of the cereal box interesting...

@gregfroehlich4442

5 жыл бұрын

William Byrd hear hear

I was looking at historical photographs of Last Chance Gulch, Helena, Montana in the late 1890s. I was hard pressed to find a wide brim hat on the many men loading wagons, standing in front of bars and stores and walking down thee street of the mining district. Pretty much everyone on the street had a bowler on. Thanks for the story, have a good day.

As usual, a fascinating story about a hat! I truly enjoy your channel, and look forward to new videos (as I continue to watch old ones). Thank you for keeping history alive, and helping us to remember...

A fascinating story- the bowler is still widely worn in London. 👌👏👏👏👏

I have a vintage Bowler made by Tomson & Hubbard of Boston that I wear at black powder cartridge rifle compitions. It cool to learn how popular this hat was. Thank you for producing such addicting content.

If for no other reason the etymology is great. AND yes , mad and angry are two separate words with separate meanings. Thank you, Sir.

Thank you for illustrating something that was in common view and never noticed. I like vintage photos and movies since it is like a time machine. Now you have given me something to look for in them.

I have a great love of early cinema, especially the comedians, and watching silent films with Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy not only filled my funny bone for years to come but also gave me a great appreciation of the bowler or derby as I knew it then. Thank you for another wonderful episode and don’t forget a gentleman always keeps his head covered.

When I think of a bowler hat, the first thing that springs to mind is Mr. Thompson and Thomson from the Tintin comics. Quite smashing!

Hats off to you, History Guy, for another stellar presentation.

Fascinating history that I never thought I’d actually care about however now really do. Thank you.

Pa Kettle had a hat like that Derby ;0)

@zaphoidbeeblebrox1809

5 жыл бұрын

@Stephen Morton When I was a Kid my Parents were called Ma and Pa Kettle We were the Kettle Kids. Grew up on a farm 15 Kids and then there were The Grand Kids. It was a Horse Stud My Dad was a Trainer. Lots Of Fun. Dad was Just Like Pa and Mum Was Just Like Ma. ;0) He even wore a Hat a Fedora worn out at The Top because he allways said Morning Or Evening and Tiped his hat.

@ronfullerton3162

5 жыл бұрын

@@zaphoidbeeblebrox1809 That was a very good series.

You forgot, if thrown properly, they can cut the heads off of statues and spies. The work much better in that roll than a shoe. 🤣🤣🤣

Was buying a hat box at Lock's in London the day before yesterday. Still selling them.

Lol! When you put that too-small hat on your head, for a second there I thought I saw Stan Laurel!

@rogerwhittle2078

5 жыл бұрын

Thomas Darby. (Your name makes Americans say Derby, properly!) That's another fine mess you got HG into!

PG Wodehouse character Jeeves is well know for wearing his Bowler hat.

That was really awesome and entertaining. Thank you for providing it to us.

The Bowler hat is also part of the official uniform of the Kings Guard of Norway

This was a fun episode! Thanks, History Guy.

My only complaint is that you didn't include a pic of the adorable Liza Minnelli from Cabaret.

@orangelion03

5 жыл бұрын

Or the minister for Silly Walks...

@harrychung433

5 жыл бұрын

So true. So true. She made that hat look sexy. She gave it such a vampy look.

@practicaloccultist231

5 жыл бұрын

After searching that up I can agree

Thanks History Guy, that was a comprehensive and thoroughly interesting hat story. The photo of the top hats was a beauty too - you probably knew, but it included the brilliant engineer, I.K. Brunel.

@sitaspell4384

Жыл бұрын

I'snt their a difference in brim styles between the Bowler and Derby. It seems that the Derby brim is flatter, less curled than the Bowler.

Excellent program. Be ordering my bowler hat in just a few minutes. Thank you, Sir.

Thank you for your efforts preserving History sir.

That was great. I have been looking for a hat that would work for me. Casual yet timeless. Thanks for the great suggestion.

If you don't want history to be forgotten then I have a piece of history to talk about that is dear to my heart.

@justinhill1432

5 жыл бұрын

The history that i know was not just forgotten it was covered up. As one of the worst lost of life in ww2. If you want to know about this history you have to look at Britain and the USA. My family probably didn't even know of there lost love one my uncle for six months. I do believe this is history that needs to be told.

Fascinating - thanks. I live fairly close to a village called Modbury near Plymouth, England. Modbury is the village from which Robert Stetson and his wife emigrated to Plymouth county, Massachusetts in 1640. The Stetson family has helped to support the church in Modbury and so have maintained their connection with the village.

Hey History Guy...you rock. Fun and informative. Thanks!

I'm amazed I just came across this channel. I love it.

Was just discussing how I'd look in a bowler and whether I should buy one in the last few days. The other party thought I should. Now this vid comes along and further stokes my interest, lol! Subbed.

What a fun and informative video! Loved it! Love you!

Thank you! Gives me a new appreciation of the bowler hat. (Mrs Peel, we're needed.)

Very interesting.. This is one of my favorite videos on this channel so far.

A fond mention of the bowler's cranium saving from actual lead pipe muggings was stumbled across in a police report cited in a history article of New York City. The bowlers of that time, 1890 or so were akin to construction helmets in protection. The felt was thick, about a 1/4 of an inch, 6mm, thick and stiff. The lead pipe used in mugging was of actual lead, soft and malleable, and noiseless, not stiff and ridgid and clanky as is steel and galvanized steel pipe. My mother's father played marbles with Calvin Coolidge as a grown man on convention visiting the White House and Calvin as President residing in on the ground outside the White House. But they were probably wearing boaters, not bowlers, by then. Thank you History Guy.

Had no idea of the "derby" connection. Love this channel!

Thank you for providing this content to the poor riff-raff that can't afford to give you money.

Only you could make the history of a hat really interesting. Well done!

I did enjoy this snippet, HG!

I own a Stetson made fedora, wear it daily and have for last 30 years or so. Goo story, thanks from Oregon.

I never realized the Bowler was as old as 170 years! Thanks for this unique piece of history.

My grandfather wore bowlers. He was always immaculately dressed. I remember my uncles all saying it was one of the few things they always wanted to inherit from him.

Never thought I was going to like this video when I clicked on it. Pleasant surprise. Had no idea there was that much to the subject. It really was a big deal in it's time.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Fascinating!

Excellent coverage of this hat! I’d like to add that, in use by women of Bolivia, it is most customary in the department of La Paz. Other departments had different customary hats more or less imposed...

What a great story. Fascinating and thanks.

I love the Union Jack bow tie, goes well with the bowler hat

Great post HG! And to think I only knew them as Derby's but I guess for good reason. Interesting to find out that they were originally made for a more rugged life rather than style. Nice! By the way old chap I really liked the tie also. Cheerio!

In one of R. Austin Freeman's Dr. Thorndyke stories we are told that high-quality bowler hats are made from the underfur of hares or rabbits, held together and hardened by shellac. Hats made of sheep's wool stuck together with animal fat must have been for the proles.

Interesting and informative as always. Thanks.

It is amazing how the history behind a well known hat, can make a day a great one :)

Surprised and delighted me with the "Clockwork Orange" mention.

An interesting and educational story of a hat. Great, as usual.

Another fascinating episode! I wore a bowler hat when I showed my horses - English, not Western. But now I’ve learned from this video historically , I could have worn a bowler in Western show. Ha!

I feel like there should be a quick moment about Magritte. That’s super iconic.

Enjoyed it thoroughly!..thank you!

Hi history guy this one popped up right after I watch the one this morning on soap had to watch it again as I've told you before it is my favorite hat the antique one I had gotten didn't fit me either as soon as my life gets better well-adjusted I have got to get me one thanks for the awesome history🦅🇺🇸⚓🤜🤛

Really great episode!

I greatly enjoyed this history on the bowler hat video. Could you do more history topics related to other types of hats or clothing such as the baseball cap or the tie? Thank you for your content.

Happy to see History Guy's subscriber numbers booming.