Pea Coat with Shoulder Patches

[jaydubs]

I apologize if this is common knowledge for all of you here, but I have been searching everywhere for this information and cannot find it anywhere!

My father has a picture of himself as a young man when he was working on the docks in New York City. He is wearing a short pea coat with shoulder patches of a different material (possibly leather?) and has commented on how much he loved that coat numerous times. I would love to get him one for his 65th birthday coming up.

I have seen this kind of pea coat on longshoremen and others since, but have not been able to find mention of them online. I have also been searching high and low in stores and people just shake their heads.

Does anyone know what kind of pea coat this is or where I might find one?

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

Jay

 

[Peacoat]

Hello Jay and welcome to the Lounge. I don't have any idea what the coat was. Probably not an issue coat, though, as I haven't heard of any with patches, leather or otherwise, on the shoulders. Fortunately he is still alive and you could get some idea of what type of coat it was from him.

 

[Tomasso]

Could the patches you're referring to possibly be epaulets?

 

[Seb Lucas]

I think you're referring to a Donkey Jacket, a British labouring jacket, much like an Australian Bluey or a Peacoat. They are navy, black or dark grey and a wool blend. The leather covers the shoulders and part of the back so a labourer/dock worker can slug around sacks of cement, etc without wear on the wool. They are usually unlined and single breasted but 3/4 length.

They still make them in the UK but the leather is now usually a PVC or vinyl type material.

Hope that helps.

 

[Dave E]

I think Seb is spot on with the Donkey Jacket.

 

[jaydubs]

Thanks, Seb. That was spot on.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Glad to help.