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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Donkey Jacket
Here's some nostalgia for the Brits, a little education for the rest of the world: ===== It can be bought over the counter for about twenty pounds in almost any market town of England. It is a jacket of dark-blue cloth. There are two patch pockets on the front (very good for putting your hands in to draw the jacket around you against the cold) and a collar that will turn up against the weather as, somehow, a scarf worn with a donkey jacket looks faintly incongruous. The yoke across the shoulders is double-thickness and is interlined with something waterproof like waxed paper or polythene which rustles as you put the jacket on. <http://www.bffthing.demon.co.uk/html/t9/donkeyjacket.html> ===== Pictures here: <http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=donkey+jacket>  SignatureSimon R. Hughes > Here's some nostalgia for the Brits, a little education for the > rest of the world: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > <http://www.bffthing.demon.co.uk/html/t9/donkeyjacket.html> > ===== I used to wear them every winter day, from 1972 to 1994, when I left the employment of the CEGB/National Power. Donkey Jackets were issued free to all employees. There is nothing to compare with a donkey jacket. The fabric is thick matted wool, which has a name that I cannot remember (can anybody supply the name for this type of cheap woollen fabric?). It had no lining. Unexpectedly, so much the better for that. Although cheap, the donkey jacket without a lining is the most effective garment available for keeping the cold winds out when you are working outdoors at a power station or substation. Guaranteed to be cosy. When I left National Power, I tried to buy a replacement in the local shops, but could not find anything quite like what I used to wear in the Electricity Supply Industry. As an independent consultant, I have subsequently worked in a variety of substations, including one at an oil refinery. At the refinery, the safety rules required everybody to be dressed (upper half of the body) in luminous yellow. (In the event of a fire, this would enable the rescuers to locate trapped workers more quickly). For this reason, some people were wearing luminous yellow donkey jackets. It was spring, so I thought a donkey jacket would be too hot, and wore a luminous yellow waistcoat instead. So I never got round to wearing a yellow donkey jacket, now commonly used by many professions (police, road repairers, fire fighters, etc). Richard Chambers Leeds UK. >> Here's some nostalgia for the Brits, a little education for the >> rest of the world: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >employment of the CEGB/National Power. Donkey Jackets were issued free to >all employees. I used to wear one at work too, when I worked for my local council as a gardener, 1978-1979. We were given free donkey jackets, blue overalls and boots with protective toe-caps. I found the waterproof lining in the yoke was rather like wearing a plastic bag, it just used to make me sweaty, so I cut it out. The jacket was still wonderfully warm and protective without it. SignatureLouisa Essex, England, Europe How do you recognise an Irish lawyer? He's wearing a pin-striped donkey jacket. Peter P > There is nothing to compare with a donkey jacket. The fabric is > thick matted wool, which has a name that I cannot remember (can > anybody supply the name for this type of cheap woollen fabric?). Duffel? SignatureRay Heindl (remove the Xs to reply) >The fabric is thick matted partially felted >wool, which has a name that I cannot remember (can anybody supply the name >for this type of cheap woollen fabric?). I don't know a cheap version, but the good stuff is Melton. If it's pure wool, it's also fireproof enough to make welder's or fireman's jackets. I pay about £6 / metre for it, and that's from the really cheap shop. No discussion of donkey jackets can possibly be complete without mentioning Michael Foot MP and his wearing of a "donkey jacket" on Rememberance Sunday. Andy Dingley spake thus: > >The fabric is thick matted > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > mentioning Michael Foot MP and his wearing of a "donkey jacket" on > Rememberance Sunday. Far be it from me to rush to the aid of socialist politicians, but it wasn't. Oh, perhaps that's what you meant by the quotes. SignatureDavid ===== > Andy Dingley spake thus: > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Far be it from me to rush to the aid of socialist politicians, but it > wasn't. Oh, perhaps that's what you meant by the quotes. That was what his wife claimed. The queen, on the other hand, thought him rather sensible for wrapping up like that. SignatureSimon R. Hughes >> Andy Dingley spake thus: >>> No discussion of donkey jackets can possibly be complete without >>> mentioning Michael Foot MP and his wearing of a "donkey jacket" on >>> Rememberance Sunday. >> Far be it from me to rush to the aid of socialist politicians, but it >> wasn't. Oh, perhaps that's what you meant by the quotes. >That was what his wife claimed. The queen, on the other hand, >thought him rather sensible for wrapping up like that. It wasn't a donkey jacket or a "donkey jacket". Describing his coat in those terms was part of the vilification of Foot the Tory press were indulging in at that time. -- Chris Malcolm cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205 IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK [http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/] > Andy Dingley spake thus: > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Far be it from me to rush to the aid of socialist politicians, but it > wasn't. Oh, perhaps that's what you meant by the quotes. Vraiment raiment daiment required: http://www.tribweb.co.uk/michaelfoot/press/ferguson04032001.htm << 'It wasn't a donkey jacket.' His one good eye twinkles. He can laugh about it now. Almost. It was a dark green coat, 'a perfectly good jacket', which sat over his Sunday-best black suit, bought from Herbie Frogg in Jermyn Street, and was worn to keep himself warm at the Cenotaph that day in 1982. He's still got it, and offers to fetch it from his Hampstead hallway ... >> http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/archive/politics/fashion_leaders.shtml << The famous jacket made its first outing during a visit to the Cenotaph in 1981. He was criticised for appearing disrespectful for wearing the jacket during a formal ceremony, although the Queen Mother commended him for his good sense. His wife Jill was rather cross, claiming it wasn't a 'donkey jacket' at all. Michael Foot has now agreed to donate this garment to the People's History Museum in Manchester (formerly known as the Museum of Labour History). >> SignatureJohn Dean Oxford |
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