Timbrell Cockburn Cunha - The Blog

One of the most neglected and notoriously incorrect pieces of winter clothing, is also one of the easiest to correct, that of the wool mitten. Whether it be finger-less men’s gloves, mittens knit using the wrong method, or modern leather and fabric gloves, this accessory is often ignored, or inappropriately compensated for with modern equipment. Thankfully, this need not be the case, owing to period images and patterns that still exist, inclusive of commercially available historically accurate patterns (such as those worn here, by Trisha da Cunha of Timbrell Cockburn Cunha, who thankfully offers this pattern for a very reasonable price of $5, as to make them accessible).

The “Canada Cap”, also known as the “Canadian Cap”, one of the most well-known pieces of clothing unique to the Northern regions of the North America continent and one renown for not only its beautiful appearance, but also its practical use in withstanding harsh weather. When one thinks of the Province of Quebec in the 18th century (which included modern day Ontario), outside of the capote, this is possibly the second most recognizable item.

While we have discussed clothing within the context of the winter and the Army in the North, to this point we have yet to discuss equipment. One of the most essential pieces of equipment when operating in deep snow and one rarely seen at recreated events, is that of the snowshoe. Most often in the region of lake Ontario, the most common style of snow shoe to be used would be that of the “St Lawrence, or Huron” shoe, a long teardrop shaped set, bound to the foot using ties. The ties would go below the snow shoe and over the foot of the wearer, crossing over and then across the ankle and lower calf, leaving the back of the foot loose for movement.

Blanket coats, one of the most well-known pieces of winter equipment and often one of the most badly reproduced owing to the sheer extensiveness of their usage over a three hundred year period. Being made often, though not exclusively out of a blue striped trade blanket, bound with similar wool tape, these garments were widely made use of not only in the Province of Quebec, or New France, but extensively by British regular and Provincial units and as far flung as Virginia.