Concerning Beards: Facial Hair, Health and Practice in England, 1650–1900

This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Providing a new understanding of the meanings and motivations behind the wearing of beards, moustaches and whiskers, and their associated practices and practitioners, this book provides an important new long-term perspective on health and the male body in British society. It argues that the male face has long been an important site for the articulation of bodily health and vigour, as well as masculinity. Through an exploration of the history of male facial hair in England, Alun Withey underscores its complex meanings, medical implications and socio-cultural significance from the mid-17th to the early 20th century. Herein, he charts the gradual shift in concepts of facial hair and shaving - away from ‘formal’ medicine and practice - towards new concepts of hygiene and personal grooming. This book is part of the Facialities series, which explores the social, cultural and political significance of the face in human history. This Open Access book provides a new understanding of the meanings and motivations behind the wearing of beards, moustaches and whiskers, and their associated practices and practitioners. Concerning Beards offers an important new long-term perspective on health and the male body in British society. It argues that the male face has long been an important site for the articulation of bodily health and vigour, as well as masculinity. Through an exploration of the history of male facial hair in England, Alun Withey underscores its complex meanings, medical implications and socio-cultural significance from the mid-17th to the early 20th century. Herein, he charts the gradual shift in concepts of facial hair and shaving - away from 'formal' medicine and practice - towards new concepts of hygiene and personal grooming. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Wellcome Trust. This book is part of the Facialities series, which explores the social, cultural and political significance of the face in human history. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Illustrations 10 Abbreviations 12 Acknowledgements 14 1 Introduction 16 Part One Contexts 32 2 Facial hair, health and the body, c. 1650–1750 34 3 The faces of politeness: Facial hair, masculinity and culture in the long eighteenth century 48 4 The dominion of the beard, c. 1850–1900 70 Part Two The Practice and Practitioners of Facial Hair 94 5 The medical practices and practitioners of shaving in early-modern Britain 96 6 Economies of shaving, c. 1650–1750 122 7 Refining the face: Auto-pogonotomy and self-styling, 1750–1900 138 8 Hairs and graces: Barbers, hairdressers and shaving, c. 1750–1900 156 Part Three Fashion and Class 176 9 The bearded classes: Facial hair and social status, 1700–1900 178 10 Cleanse, cut and control: The institutional history of facial hair 202 Part Four Commodification, Consumption and Personal Grooming 222 11 The commodification of shaving, 1650–1850 224 12 Selling shaving in the age of the beard: The market for shaving products, c. 1850–90 252 Conclusion 276 Bibliography 282 Index 324 Introduction -- Facial hair, health and the body, c.1650-1750 -- The faces of politeness : facial hair, masculinity and culture in the long eighteenth century -- The dominion of the beard, c.1850-1900 -- The medical practices and practitioners of shaving in early modern Britain -- Economies of shaving, c.1650-1750 -- Refining the face : auto- pogonotomy and self-styling, 1750-1900 -- Hairs and graces : barbers, hairdressers and shaving, c.1750-1900 -- The bearded classes : facial hair and social status, 1700-1900 -- Cleanse, cut and control : the institutional history of facial Hair -- The commodification of shaving, 1650-1850 -- Selling shaving in the age of the beard : the market for shaving products, c.1850-1890 -- Conclusion "Through an exploration of the history of male facial hair in England, Alun Withey underscores its complex meanings, medical implications and socio-cultural significance from the mid-17th to the early 20th century. Withey charts the gradual shift in concepts of facial hair, and shaving - away from 'formal' medicine and practice - towards new concepts of hygiene and personal grooming"-- Provided by publisher