Reply To: Sennit hats in the Royal Navy

[Anonymous]

At the Naval and Maritime Libraries and Archives Group conference yesterday we saw a photograph of a naval burial at the former hospital burial ground at No Place Field, Plymouth, taken about 1910.
All of the ratings were in old No1 uniform with caps, apart from two in the foreground who were wearing sennit hats. From their bearing and separate position we agreed that these men were part of the bearer party. If so, it shows that sennit hats were part of formal uniform and also that it is probable that some commanders thought they enhanced the rig. There are many images of pulling crews wearing sennit hats with long ribbons.
Justin Reay