Book illustrations depicting school uniforms
School stories became increasingly popular from the mid-19th century onwards and many of the pictures in the books
and magazines depict contemporary school uniform. The illustrators were usually highly accomplished and although
many of the stories may now seem rather dated the beautifully drawn pictures accompanying them remain a delight.
The selection of pictures here include illustrations by two of the finest artists working in this genre, H M Brock
and Harold Copping.
Please click on the thumbnail to see the fullsized picture.
Three pastel
drawings by Lewis Baumer from 'The Lighter Side of School Life' by Ian Hay (1914)
Two illustrations by Harold Copping for different editions
of 'The Priory School' by Florence Coombe
Illustration by unknown artist from the first issue of 'The
Magnet' (1908)
Coming to school: illustration by unknown artist from 'Frank's First
Term' by Harold Avery (early 1900s)
Three charming pictures by Harold Copping feature in 'Young Barbarians' by Ian McLaren (1901) set in a Scottish school
Three Eton-suited schoolboys and a perambulator, exquisitely drawn by
H M Brock for a 1920s children's annual
Pictures by Lucien Davis from 'Teddy Lester's Chums' by J
Finneman (1910)
A sea of schoolboy faces drawn by Harold Copping for 'Quills' by Walter
Rhoades (early 1900s)
A headmaster, two schoolboys and the school page feature in this picture
by H M Brock (Little Folks annual 1919)
An amusing Thomas Henry picture from 'Jack O' Langsett' by R A H Goodyear
(1920s)
Two colourful pictures from a 1950s edition of Thomas Hughes' classic
'Tom Brown's Schooldays'
Bluecoat Schools..........The Eton Suit..........Military Foundations
The Traditional English Schoolboy
School Cadet Detachments.........School Scout Troops
School Uniforms Miscellany.....Uniforms in Close-up