Henri Strzelecki was a Polish veteran who settled in Manchester after World War Two and went on to study textiles and design before partnering up with Angus Lloyd to create the Henri-Lloyd clothing brand in 1963.

Better known for their range of clothing for the marine/yachting fraternity, Henri-Lloyd used the very similar designs for the outdoor world with many innovative ideas such as a heavy duty plastic zip which didn’t rust and actually worked.

These cagoules appeared in the late 1960s, i.e. before the Gore-tex era and the bri-nylon fabric was waterproof though very sweaty; the lack of a frontal zip not helping much with ventilation.

The company moved very quickly with the times, branching out into the fashion market, keeping outdoor clothing – now with Gore-tex – though still focussing on the world of sailing.

Once belonging to our founder, Mick Tighe, this interesting old cagoule is a very small part of the tale.