A photograph of the Mayor of Stockton, Thomas Wilkinson, the Town Clerk and two other dignitaries as they arrive outside Stockton Parish Church for the Unveiling Ceremony of the War Memorial. 31st May, 1923.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Picture Stockton Archive 
Looks as if Mr Mayor was wearing spats. I wonder when their use died out, any suggestions?
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Spats are still worn as part of Highland dress and Kilted Regimental dress has spats as part of that.
My Uncle Cecil a natty dresser wore spats up to the start of WW2 and you can still get spats. Women as well as men wore them during the high fashion years of the 20-30’s the Mashers mentioned in one of the posts wore them and I could name some of them who wore them well into the late 40’s.
Zoot suits and very wide trouser bottoms that came into fashion late 40’s early fifties killed off most pre-war fashions.
They are not to be mixed up with Gaiters the Forces wore which enclosed the bottom of the trousers. That caused chaos with some fashion conscious soldiers who got their trousers widened only to be caught out when we had to wear best uniform boots and gaiters, the Sergeant Major had no trouble picking them out and sending them on tin cleaning duties in the cook house.
The spat was to keep the shoes and socks clean, some modern boot fashions mimic the spat with a white upper, they could be coming back.
Frank.
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My g/father Jackson Walker who was a market gardener wore leggings up to the time he died in 1964. Main reason when walking through crops when they were wet is that he didn’t get his trouser legs soaked.
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