The word 'mac' for a waterproof coat comes, of course, from their inventor, Thomas Macintosh, who was involved in developing the process of rubberising fabrics to make them waterproof. His company merged in 1830 with Thomas Hancock of Manchester. That company still makes vulcanised rubber-bonded coats in Scotland, continuing a long heritage of waterproof clothing manufacture.
The Hampton Mackintosh, made by Thomas Hancock, is a gem of a coat. I feel I'm wearing a very stylish piece of menswear history when I put it on. It's quite stiff, with a gentle aroma of latex; so has all the quirks of a classic. The sulphur yellow inner surface give tantalising splashes of colour as you walk (see image below). Internal straps attach to riding boots and the long vent can be unbuttoned to protect the horse's back in the rain. Altogether it's a rather fine raincoat for town or country; something to hand on to your son and heir when you're gone.
It's totally waterproof, of course, and it needs looking after, as does anything that's unusual and interesting. It's rather tucked away on the Cordings website, so, like any treasure, has to be hunted down.
See Cordings website for their range of country wear. The Hampton Mackintosh can be found (at the time of writing) here. It comes in fawn (as here, and surely the only colour to buy), black and khaki. A classic and historical piece of menswear for £595.
The coat was supplied to me for the purposes of this review. I received no financial compensation. All views expressed here are my own. Images (C) Tommy Martin Photography.
