Collections Online

Red flannel body belt worn by R.M. Howells, a blacksmith and farrier, at Old Bridge Forge, Haverfordwest. Worn as back-support whilst shoe-ing horses and for warmth, about 1930-60.

Stiffened with an interlining of six thick, vertical strips of undyed linen canvas fabric which are sandwiched between two layers of flannel. Overstitched (=quilted?) with diagonal rows of white machine-sewn lockstitch. Part of lower edges are slightly curved and are bound with red cotton bias binding (allowing for free movement of hips). Fastened with three straps of cotton webbing tape (unbalanced tabby weave with thick warps and thin wefts, centre has a blue yarn in the warp direction) which fasten onto three metal buckles which each have two movable prongs. The buckles are held in place with tabs of brown cotton twill webbing tape. In addition to the buckles, there is a metal hook and eye fastener at the lower edge. Eight short sections of white cotton tape have been machine stitched to the front of the belt. The cotton tape comes in two different widths: 13mm and 22mm. Three sections of the narrower tape are stitched to the same side as the white webbing fastening and five sections of the wider tape are stitched to the side of the buckles. There is a vertical line of hand-stitched running stitches down the centre of the belt using cellulosic, blue Z-twist thread. Fibre ID carried out using transmitting microscope on bias tape, fastening tape and linen interlining.