Thread: Need Help: UK - vintage ahaving mores and items - 1914-1920

Hi all,

I need help regarding the shaving habits, items and particulars back in 1914 to 1920 in Great Britain, particularly the Northern regions (Blackpool - Accrington - Preston) and London and greater London on the other hand (if geography plays any role there). I'm not very knowledgeable in this regard, so I would value everyone's input. I'll ask my questions with detail, but please answer from whatever angle you have knowledge there:

1. What sort of shaving item would a young man of 16-18 years age have started shaving with (a shopkeeper's assistant, so lower middle-class, if that's important)?
2. Would he have taken these items along as a soldier (other ranks) or would the army have provided him with something standard? I'm aware of the fact that uniform rules still made the mustache obligatory, yet a lot of soldiers went clean-shaven. Does anyone know whether these were all volunteers?
3. What brands and kinds of shaving soap and aftershave were available in the UK in 1914? During the war in the army? In 1918? How did they smell like, how act as substances?
4. How did these items all look like? I'd be overjoyed to be pointed at photos.
5. How expensive were they? Where from would a man buy them in a city or in a rural area?
6. What were the shaving norms in civilian life at the time? By that I wonder whether e.g. a 5-o'clock shadow would have to come off in general before dinner or only for certain occasions. Also how much the loss of the ability to grow a beard or a mustache would be a hardship or mortification for a young man.
7. Who would have taught him to shave? Father? Elder brother? A visit to a barber?

I know, curious questions I really hope for a few answers though. Thank you everyone who tries to wrap their brains around this!

Cheers

B.

Well, i am no expert but i did stumble upon a book written in 1905 that came out here in the states that is aimed at teaching men how to get the best shave without having to go to the barber. I guess you could see it as the days SRP forum haha. but from what i picked up in the few pages i read it seemed at that time (1905) it was becoming more common for people to shave themselves, as opposed to going to the barber for every shave. So due to this fact, younger men would probably not have as reliable of a source in their father/brother etc seeing as they were probably brought up going to the barber for a shave.
As far as any of your other questions, perhaps the book goes into that (remember though, it was written in 1905, a little before your span of dates in question) so here is the link to the PDF http://ia700406.us.archive.org/7/ite...asyw0020th.pdf

And again, im no expert so if anyone wants to come in and say im full of crap, i would take no offense to that haha. And would love to hear some more accurate info.

-Tyler

Another note, the table of contents is on page 7, so that might help you stumble around in it as its about 100 pages long

Thank you, Tyler, I will look into this

Cheers

B.

Keep in mind this site is dedicated to use and care of razors and related. Scholarly treatment of the subject is really out in left field. Unless you get someone personally interested in shaving history and lore you probably won't get much of the type of information you are looking for.

Hi TheBigSpendur,

oh - I am not looking for a "scholarly treatment"

I simply hope there will be a few members among the big number here who happen to have come across such information or maybe even collect such items and info. I'm not hunting for a scientific tract or anything

Cheers,

B

Shoot puck now Coach? Oh wait, your'e talking about a different kind of puck...

Originally Posted by Scookum

Shoot puck now Coach? Oh wait, your'e talking about a different kind of puck...

HEY!!! I was a 25 goal-scorer one year...one year...

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

HEY!!! I was a 25 goal-scorer one year...one year...

Hey, me too!

OK, my 25 came in about 1986 while playing for Roblin Park Raiders in Winnipeg's Tier III rec league, two of them deflected in off defencemens' helmets, and another two were empty-netters, but I'm claiming it just the same!

Originally Posted by Cangooner

Hey, me too!

OK, my 25 came in about 1986 while playing for Roblin Park Raiders in Winnipeg's Tier III rec league, two of them deflected in off defencemens' helmets, and another two were empty-netters, but I'm claiming it just the same!

Off of brain buckets?!?! I gotta hear about those!
Couldn't anybody skate? Or were you the goalie?
Box hockey or floor hockey?