Beards: officially protecting against cold weather since the Crimean War
Beard Liberation Front
12th December
contact Keith Flett 07803 167266
Highland Regiment soldiers in the Crimea
The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that with much of Britain facing freezing cold weather conditions this week, one of the best protections, where appropriate, is a full organic beard.
The beard has been officially recognised as offering protection against extreme cold since the Crimean War of 1854-6 when the authorities allowed soldiers to grow a full set of facial hair.
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, of course not everyone can avail themselves of a full organic beard but fortunately in 2022 false beards made from organic fibres are easily available as an alternative.
BBC Website statement
In Britain the return of the beard (the full beard had last been in vogue in Tudor times) was thanks to the Crimean War of 1854-56. Beards had been banned in the British army until this time, but the freezing temperatures of Crimean winters, and the impossibility of getting shaving soap, led to a necessary change.
By the time the last troops returned home, beards were the mark of a hero. Men who had never seen any military action began to grow beards. Within a few years, it was almost impossible to see a beard-free male face in Victorian Britain – except in Buckingham Palace, as Prince Albert refused to conform to the fashion.
Leave a Reply