CIVIL DRESS AT LOUISBOURG: 1713 - 1758
CHILDREN'S DRESS

BY

MONIQUE LA GRENADE

OCTOBER 1973

Report H F 16B E

Fortress of Louisbourg

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IV. ACCESSORIES 

A. GLOVES

To keep their hands warm, the adults wore gloves and mitts. [90] As for the children, they began very early to dress their hands, as the layette of the newly-born included, among other things, thread mittens. [91] It is therefore probable that the children, like their parents, wore mittens. Yet, the Louisbourg documentation does not refer to the existence of mittens for children. On the other hand, we note that in 1738 a merchant had twenty-nine pairs of gloves for children, made of wool and chamois. [92] The former were worth 7 sols per pair, and the latter, 10 sols, or 6 sols per pair.
The use of gloves for children is therefore known and quite common at Louisbourg, as so many can be found among the goods to be sold. According to the examples known, their value is equal regardless of whether they are made of wool or chamois.

B. SWORD

The wearing of a sword was certainly not common among children. In fact, it is not more common among the whole society of Louisbourg. [93] A few rich individuals, ships' captains or high officials could afford that luxury, but it was limited to them. There is reason to believe that this usage is even rarer among children. In 1740, a "small child's sword" which was worth 4 livres is found in a "boutique". [94] It was probably intended for a child from a rich family, to whom the parents wanted to give very early the education which would make a gentleman of him later.

C . RATTLE

Practically no toys are mentioned in the Louisbourg documents. Perhaps we should presume that the children amused themselves with domestic articles transformed into toys for the circumstance, or, they may have improvised games among themselves.

Nevertheless, the youngest had rattles. As early as the end of the 17th century, there were very beautiful silver ones in Montreal. However, the "silver rattle (remained) a luxury reserved for wealthy families. [95] The same certainly applies to a "child's crystal rattle" which a Louisbourg merchant had in 1756. [96] The same year, "three bone rattles" [97] were also sold. The latter were more common as ordinarily the parents did not give their children toys as costly as silver rattles. They limited themselves to bone rattles. [98]

D. BEDDING

With regard to the dress of children, bedding can be considered as part of their clothing, as, particularly for the youngest, it is used to cover the body in the same way as the other garments.

In the making up of the layette, great importance was given to the cradle and to its trimmings which had to contain, besides the matress and the paillasse, several sheets, blankets, pillows and pillow slips. A good number of swaddling clothes, in wool, in cloth and even in muslin, which were considered as "body linens" for the infant were provided. [99]

Of course, all. the women were not in a position to acquire such a trousseau when they were expecting a child. It is difficult to imagine that they had swaddling clothes "quilted with white satin", when we think of the extreme poverty which several inventories make us suspect. Most often, we note that the people owned a strict minimum.

Certain of them, however, had articles of bedding specially designed for their children. This was the case for an engineer who had "a small child's mattress covered with toile rousse." [100] Elsewhere, blankets for children [101] are sold. The latter, five in number, are made of goatskin and are worth 3 livres each. Finally, there are the swaddling clothes with which the body of the newly-born is wrapped. "Four sets of swaddling clothes for infants" were sold for 5 livres and 5 sols in 1755. [102] The following year, we find two others "in flannel" among the assets of a merchant. [103]

The bedding items for children, particularly when they were in common usage, had the form of simple pieces of material. It is therefore plausible that they are not mentioned very frequently. Nevertheless, if there had been, at Louisbourg, elegant cradle trimmings, in satin or lace, they would not have been missed. The fact that they are not mentioned leads one to believe that such items were very simple and not luxurious.

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