Help with dating and Assembling Nurses Hat

[ValTur]

I have aquired some UK Nurses Hats. They have a label from 'P M S Harrogate with a 6 digit telphone number so I think they must have been made around 1950??
I would like to be able to date them accurately. Also I would like advice about exactly how to fold / assemble them. I can see that the brim would be folded back on itself and that the two wings would be folded together at the back to form a triangle with the back flap. The back flap has a buttonhole so presumably a button needs to be attached. But they also have an internal casing which looks as if there should be a ribbon or band threaded through - but not sure how this would work or in fact if there were originally ribbons attached to the wings of the hat but have been cut off. I am also surprised that it is so lacy - seems impractical??? Any thoughts would be welcome

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

I think these were likely used for a maid or maybe a waitress uniform not for a nurse.
Likely there would have been the need for some sort of ribbon band.
Let's see what others here think.

 

[ValTur]

I think these were likely used for a maid or maybe a waitress uniform not for a nurse.
Likely there would have been the need for some sort of ribbon band.
Let's see what others here think.

I wondered about that too - there were also half aprons with broiderie anglaise edging which definitely looked more 'waitress' than 'nurse' but I was told they were found in a hospice which is why I thought they were for nurses. I wondered if perhaps a 'private' hospice or similar might have had 'fancier' uniforms..

 

[Hattysattic]

Do you have a close up of that label? That may help as I can’t zoom in to see the phone number.

At a glance they look a bit more modern to me than 1950s, as from the photo it looks like synthetic lace, although I could be wrong. Do you think they are nylon? If they were 1950s I’d expect cotton, for nurses uniforms in particular as I’ve had quite a few.

You could well be right about private rather than NHS uniform - if not private nurse maybe they are housekeepers uniforms?

 

[ValTur]

Do you have a close up of that label? That may help as I can’t zoom in to see the phone number.

At a glance they look a bit more modern to me than 1950s, as from the photo it looks like synthetic lace, although I could be wrong. Do you think they are nylon? If they were 1950s I’d expect cotton, for nurses uniforms in particular as I’ve had quite a few.

You could well be right about private rather than NHS uniform - if not private nurse maybe they are housekeepers uniforms?

Yes - I think you are right that the lace is synthetic. Some of the binding definitely is not cotton - and the 6 digit tel number on the label also probably indictaes 1960s(at least) rather than 1950s. The Front of the label says ' P M S Harrogate Tel: 502186' and the back reads Hand Wash Seperately. Iron whilst damp. Insert band carefully.

 

[The Vintage Vendeuse]

Granted I'm in the USA, not the UK, but no nurses (private duty or otherwise) would have worn caps such at these with the lace overlay fabric and the lace frills. They also don't appear to assemble into a finished product that would look anything like a nurse's cap. Definitely looks more maid/waitress. Perhaps used by the food workers/servers in the facility?

 

[ValTur]

Granted I'm in the USA, not the UK, but no nurses (private duty or otherwise) would have worn caps such at these with the lace overlay fabric and the lace frills. They also don't appear to assemble into a finished product that would look anything like a nurse's cap. Definitely looks more maid/waitress. Perhaps used by the food workers/servers in the facility?

Hi - I would agree with you although yesterday I was watching a UK TV drama set in 1960's with a hospital scene and the 'sister' was wearing a hat that was very definitely lace and frills. She was though wearing it like a pork pie perched on top of her head in a most impractical way so I don't really have any faith in the production values. But whether Waitress or Nurse I was hoping that somene on this forum could explain to me exactly how the hat would be assembled.

 

[anothertimevintageapparel]

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this should give you an idea.

 

[NylonNostalgia]

A Matron's (head nurse) item, I think. Could easily be NHS. Matron used to rule the wards by fear alone, lol. Could also be a domestic maid too, I suppose.

Here is Hattie Jacques in one of the Carry On films. Okay, I know it was a comedy film, but that's what they used to wear apparently. Oooo, er, Matron!

.

 

[The Vintage Vendeuse]

Hi - I would agree with you although yesterday I was watching a UK TV drama set in 1960's with a hospital scene and the 'sister' was wearing a hat that was very definitely lace and frills. She was though wearing it like a pork pie perched on top of her head in a most impractical way so I don't really have any faith in the production values. But whether Waitress or Nurse I was hoping that somene on this forum could explain to me exactly how the hat would be assembled.

I'm happy to be proven wrong.