BLIGH'S UNIFORM - A TOUCH OF MOVIE TRIVIA

The 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty film starred Clark Gable and Charles Laughton. Laughton, always one for authenticity, learned that an English tailoring firm made Bligh's uniform. The firm, Gieves of Bond Street, was still in existance, so Laughton found the shop. He spoke with the shop attendand, and asked if he knew if the firm made the uniform water-resistant. The attendant asked what year that was, was told 1787, and disappeared into the basement of the firm.

About 20 minutes later, the attendant returned with details of the material used, Bligh's measurements, what he paid for the uniform, and the day and week of the order. He indicated that the uniform was made at the Portsmouth workrooms, 73 The High Street, which was then the sole base for the tailoring business.

At the beginning of World War II, the firm moved to London with all the old records, occupying a building with a massive underground reinforced vault. Unfortunately, it did no good. A direct hit by a Nazi bomb destroyed the shop including the vault and all the records. Gieves and Hawkes, No. 1 Saville Row, London, is still in the tailoring business.