6-466: The bluecoat is a style of dress code, traditionally worn in bluecoat schools ( English private schools deriving from charity schools ). The main element of the bluecoat is a long (dark blue or black) coat, belted at the waist, with white neck decoration . Underneath a white shirt and grey shorts are worn, with knee-length socks and smart shoes. The uniform has its origin in the 16th-century dress of foundlings housed at Christ's Hospital , then in
12-486: A blue drugget gown, or body, with ample coats to it; a yellow vest underneath in winter-time; small-clothes of Russia duck; worsted yellow stockings; a leathern girdle; and a little black worsted cap, usually carried in the hand. I believe it was the ordinary dress of children in humble life, during the reign of the Tudors. We used to flatter ourselves that it was taken from the monks..." Most bluecoat schools have abandoned
18-516: The City of London . Bluecoat schools based on the model of Christ's Hospital were set up in emulation in other urban centres. The last bluecoat school to be founded was that in Wigan in 1773. The essayist Leigh Hunt (educated at Christ's Hospital from 1791 to 1799) described the bluecoat uniform: "Our dress was of the coarsest and quaintest kind, but was respected out of doors, and is so. It consisted of
24-406: The original buildings have been adapted for other purposes. They are known as " bluecoat schools" because of the distinctive blue uniform originally worn by their pupils. The colour blue was traditionally the colour of charity and was a common colour for clothing at the time. The uniform included a blue frock coat and yellow stockings with white bands. The first bluecoat school to be established
30-547: The uniform and replaced it with more modern styles. There are a few schools however that still retain the uniform, but use it for special occasions only. Only one school in England, Christ's Hospital , still uses bluecoat uniform as normal day wear. Bluecoat school A bluecoat school is a type of charity school in England, the first of which was founded in the 16th century. Most of them have closed; some remain open as schools, often on different sites, and some of
36-652: Was Christ's Hospital . This was founded by Edward VI in Newgate Street, London, in 1552, as a foundling hospital to care for and educate poor children. Between the 16th and late 18th centuries about 60 similar institutions were established in different parts of England. These were not connected with Christ's Hospital, but if their pupils wore the blue uniform, they were known as bluecoat schools. The original Christ's Hospital, while retaining its name, has moved its site to West Sussex and developed into an independent school, with much of its costs being met by
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