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Story: Clothes

Labourers' clothes, 1903

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Labourers' clothes, 1903

These road construction workers in Taranaki are wearing clothes typical of labourers in the early 1900s – band collars with a placket halfway up the front, thick woollen trousers held up by belts, sturdy boots and a range of hats, such as flat caps and 'wide awake' hats. 

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, James McAllister Collection (PAColl-3054)

Reference: 1/1-009471-G

by James McAllister

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Fiona McKergow, Clothes – Men’s clothes, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/41142/labourers-clothes-1903 (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Fiona McKergow, published 18 March 2013.