Item 2016.072 - British GPO Telegram Boy's Raincoat

Invisible Men exhibition label:

POSTMAN’S WATERPROOF RAINCOAT
Maker unknown
1960-1969
PVC – polyvinyl chloride – was first discovered in the 1800s but it was not until the 1950s that production rapidly increased. It was commonly used for waterproofing and by the 1960s it was one of the synthetics that was popularised by the fashion industry.

PVC
Archive no. 2016.072

From Inside the Westminster Menswear Archive:

TELEGRAM BOY’S RAINCOAT
Maker unknown
1968
In 1870, the General Post Office began telegram delivery within the UK. In 1933, telegram boys were permitted to use motorcycles for their duties, which increased the demand for waterproof outerwear. This PVC raincoat is from the late 1960s, when telegram boys rode bicycles or BSA Bantam motorcycles. Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, was patented in 1913, but its production increased dramatically in the 1950s. It was frequently used for waterproofing, and by the 1960s it had become one of the most widely used synthetic materials in the fashion industry. All the garment’s seams have been welded using heat and pressure to produce a textured finish, rendering it completely waterproof. The collar has a wind-resistant shield with a rubber button closure.
PVC
Archive no. 2016.072