The great Victorian beard craze

[Labarum]

Good article here from the BBC
The great Victorian beard craze
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30037914

[jww]

From the mark of heroism to the mark of age. Interesting. I can't imagine growing facial hair in such excess, but if shaving brought the danger of death, I would figure out a way to live without it for sure.

[TheMonk]

The bears have made a comeback in recent years... Certainly hope it won't come to that!

[jww]

Our oldest was a mid-length beard lad up until recently, when he moved to a new company, where the culture is a bit older than the milleniums he was working with at the previous job. As a result, he started dressing a bit more up-market (but no less hip) and cut the beard down to a closely trimmed stubble. He's a blondie, and it doesn't look unprofessional or untidy at all to me. He told me when I commented that he knew when he accepted the job that the more "mature" environment would dictate something of a change in demeanor, decorum, dress and grooming.

He knows that there is a DE razor sitting on the shelf waiting for him when he goes to wet shaving.

[Squire]

That's allright, he'll look in a mirror one day and realize he's the age he was rebelling against.

[ShadowsDad]

Hmmm, scissors to trim the filthy beards? One can't get lockjaw from cutting dead strands of hair. Was the Crimean war (1854-56 according to the article) before the germ theory of disease? (I bet it was) I don't have the time to look deeper.

I can't imagine being in combat, or even just the field, with a beard, heck, any long hair. But it wasn't many years ago that far more troops died of disease while "fighting" than they did in the actual fighting.

[Squire]

I believe Tetanus infection usually starts with a puncture or cut from an infected source and a dirty old rusty razor could certainly do it.

[brothers]

It's clear that our facial hair, the growing, grooming and the removal thereof, when , applicable, is and has been a significant factor throughout the history of humans. Especially women.

[Squire]

Thanks for that historical reference Wendell. So the local lads wanted to impress the girls by sporting military whiskers which isn't surprising.

[jww]

Thanks for that historical reference Wendell. So the local lads wanted to impress the girls by sporting military whiskers which isn't surprising.

Canada's military are not allowed to sport whiskers --- a misunderstanding which has gotten this lad into a lot of hot water here. And rightly so, I might add.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/remembr ... -1.2833025

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/alleged-mi ... -1.2105268

[ShadowsDad]

Stolen honor is the pits. We have those folks in the US also, but to my knowledge we have no laws against it. We have laws against everything else, but not that.

[jww]

Stolen honor is the pits. We have those folks in the US also, but to my knowledge we have no laws against it. We have laws against everything else, but not that.

Seriously? Unbelievable!

[brothers]

The terms "stolen honor" might be interpreted as less than specific. I would suggest that the US does have voluminous laws (local, state, federal) against obtaining goods, awards, funds, or services through fraud. Or lying on a job application, etc. For someone to merely show up somewhere and present themselves as worthy of honor for any given accomplishment they actually do not own, that would be a different question. There may be laws in certain jurisdictions dealing with such an issue. I'd think the act that would lead to prosecution would have to be fairly serious to draw the attention of authorities. Can folks march in parades alongside veterans, for example? The answer is: it depends.

[Squire]

False impersonation is illegal in every jurisdiction in this Country with additional charges levied depending on the underlying purposes of the deception.

[ShadowsDad]

Gary, I've never heard of the authorities tracking these people down, but vets definitely do, routinely. If someone presents themselves as something they aren't and attracts limelight they get checked. Especially if they claim to be of the more elite units. It doesn't take too long for them to not ring true. The more they talk or write, the more chance that they give themselves away. Then it's fairly easy to look up service records and check with others in the unit.

[brothers]

Good! I'm glad to know that.

[jww]

Had Mr. Gervais not gotten himself on camera during our Remebrance Day ceremonies only a couple of weeks after the fatal shooting at the Cenotaph, perhaps he would have continued to fly below the radar. What he did was disrespectful and dishonest, not just plain bad form. For that reason, the local authorities are not going to let this pass readily. As our nation's capital, we have a very strong military presence both nationally and internationally -- this will not just go away readily, and for that I as well as many, many others are grateful.

[Squire]

Apparently he's been practicing this ruse for some time, telling his co-workers about military service and even wearing that fake uniform at his wedding.

[jww]

Apparently he's been practicing this ruse for some time, telling his co-workers about military service and even wearing that fake uniform at his wedding.

A piece of work, that's for sure.