watchcoat
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: watchcoats
form: watch-coat
Etymology: From watch + coat; named for use while standing watch as a sailor, soldier, or police officer.
Senses: examples: text: In the middle of this I had my tent always standing, being a piece of a sail spread over poles, set up for that purpose, and which never wanted any repair or renewing; and under this I had made me a squab or couch, with the skins of the creatures I had killed, and with other soft things; and a blanket laid on them, such as belonged to our sea-bedding, which I had saved, and a great watch-coat to cover me; and here, whenever I had occasion to be absent from my chief seat, I took up my country habitation. […] I resolved, the next morning, to set out with the first of the tide, and reposing myself for the night in my canoe, under the great watch-coat I mentioned, I launched out. I first made a little out to sea, full north, till I began to feel the benefit of the current, which set eastward, and which carried me at a great rate; […]
ref: 1864 [1719], Daniel Defoe, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner, Knight and Son:
text: MÜNSTER, December 31, 1758. […] The watchcoats given out to be distributed to the sentries, particularly to those most exposed to the weather, […] total 60. Each sentry, when relieved, shall hang up the watchcoat in the sentry box, and the corporal, who relieves him, carefully to examine the coat, and if he finds it spoiled, the sentry will be obliged to make it good, and the corporal is to relieve that sentry, where a watchcoat is found damaged, till he has reported it to the officer of the guard. If those orders are not strictly complied with, the officer commanding the guard will be made answerable for the watchcoat. If it so happens at any of the ports that there are more watchcoats than sentries, the overplus to be laid up in the guardrooms, as each port guard will be made answerable for the number delivered to them.
ref: 1913 [1758], unknown British Army officer, quotee, “Manuscripts of M.L.S. Clements, Esq., preserved at Ashfield Lodge, Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland. Section: III. MILITARY ORDER BOOKS, 1758-1759, of British force campaigning in North Germany. § 2. MILITARY ORDER BOOK, No. 2. Dec. 12, 1758–April 30, 1759”, in Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, editor, Report on Manuscripts in Various Collections, volume VIII, London, England: HM Stationery Office, page 530:
text: XXII. And be it further enacted, That the said non-commissioned officers and privates shall be furnished with necessary arms, ammunition and accoutrements at the expence of the state, which arms and accoutrements shall be delivered to the inspectors of the said prison at the expiration of their several terms of service, and shall wear such uniform as the person administering the government for the time being shall direct, and shall also annually receive the following articles of uniform cloathing, to wit: One hat, one coat, one watchcoat, one vest, two pair of woolen and two pair of linen overalls, four pair of shoes, four shirts, four pair of socks, one blanket, one sock and clasp and one pair of buckles.
ref: 1802, “Twenty-fourth session”, in Laws of the State of New-York, volume 1, Albany, New York, page 419:
text: In addition, a watchcoat for sergeants and night watchmen costing £1-6-7d was issued every second year. A peculiar feature of the watchcoat was that a breastplate with the watchman's number engraved was affixed at a cost of 10/-. The watchcoat was also blue in colour with a red collar matching the cap. The uniform and watchcoats were issued along with beat lamps, batons and 'rattles' that could be used to summon assistance. Again on the advice of Robert Nimmo, the General Commissioners adopted 'oil lamps properly trimmed' as being preferable to candle lamps. The practice of the General Commissioners was to place the requirement for uniforms and oil for tender each year. The adoption of the Police uniform is yet another example of the exchange of ideas and pragmatism of early nineteenth century Police development in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
ref: 2012, John McGowan, Policing the Metropolis of Scotland: A History of the Police and Systems of Police in Edinburgh and Edinburghshire, 1770-1833, 2nd revised edition, Turlough, →ISBN, page 116:
glosses: Synonym of greatcoat.
synonyms: word: greatcoat