In a world of pertex, gore-tex, polartec and various other forms of breathable materials, few will have heard of AQUASCUTUM, even though it’s been around since 1853 when John Emary patented the first waterproof wool. Aquascutum (latin for watershield) went on to produce trench coats for the military in both world wars and famously provided the outer clothing for Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tensing when they conquered Everest in 1953. The material used for these garments is a very finely woven mixture of 72% cotton and 28% nylon, bearing the trade name Wyncol 711, though post Everest it became known as Everest cloth. In the 1950’s the only mill making this material was John Southworth’s down in England though quite what has happened to them we are not sure since Aquascutum went into receivership in 2012. The Aquascutum trousers that we have here in the collection post date the 1953 Everest Expedition, and we suspect late 1950’s for their manufacture, when they seems to have been bought by The Moray Outward Bound Sea School which operated from 1952 to 1977 when it (and the trousers) transferred to Loch Eil near Fort William. Destined for the skip in the 1990’s our pal, Martin Jackson, rescued them and subsequently passed them on to us. Still in remarkably good condition for their age, one cannot help but wonder why Wyncol 711 hasn’t made a greater impression in the outdoor clothing market. The attached photo by George Smith seems to show Moray Outward Bound students in action in March 1967 and there may well be Aquascutum trousers in there somewhere.