Gray and Brown Stripe Manchester Velvet WCN 101

100% cotton, 51" wide

Manchester velvets first appear in runaway descriptions starting in the late 1760s but they really don’t become common until the late 1780s. From the late 1780s and into the early 19th century Manchester velvets were commonly used for working class men’s waistcoats and breeches. In the 1770 Virginia Gazette, an ad included “RUN away . . .  an English convict servant man . . .  had on when he went away a . . .  black Manchester velvet waistcoat”. Black 60/2 linen thread for hand sewing will match this fabric.

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