Top hat : Chaplain V A S Little, RAN

Black silk covered top hat over a frame of heavy cardboard lined with linen fabric strips. The hat bears a fine black cloth band and the brim is bound with black silk grosgrain ribbon. The interior is lined with white silk, which has large sections missing from the sides, but is intact inside the crown. A large printed stamp inside the crown shows three medals and the words 'EXTRA QUALITY/ LONDON 1851/ LONDON 1874/ INTERNATIONAL 1885', and 'WEST END STYLE'. The cardboard sweatband is covered with cream leather and marked in black ink with the owner's initials 'V.A.S.L.'. A drawstring is threaded through slots cut in the back half of the sweatband to allow the size of the hat to be adjusted.

Worn by Chaplain Vivian Agincourt Spence Little, RAN. Chaplain Little joined the navy as a chaplain in 1913 and was initially posted to HMAS Encounter. A Methodist, he became the first non-Anglican Protestant chaplain to be appointed to the navy. Chaplain Little travelled to England aboard the Encounter to become part of the complement of the newly commissioned light cruiser HMAS Sydney on her maiden voyage to Australia, and remained with the ship until 1917, when he resigned from the RAN. He was serving with the Sydney during its fight with SMS Emden off the Cocos Keeling Islands on 9 November 1914. Chaplains wore either a black clerical hat or a top hat when on shore with officers who were wearing uniform.