Plait of human hair : Boxer uprising

Black/brown human hair three-strand plait, with some grey hairs. The hair at the top of the plait is turned over and bound with scarlet cotton twine. A double length of the same twine is threaded through the bottom of the plait and secures the end of the hair. The free end of the twine hangs below the line of the hair. The entire plait is is threaded through with black/brown cotton twine which enables at least two lengths of additional hair to be incorporated into the plait, increasing its length.

This pigtail, traditionally worn by Chinese men, was brought back to Australia as a souvenir by a member of one of the Australian colonial contingents sent to help quell the Boxer uprising in China in 1900. The plait has been artifically lengthened and its appearance suggests that it was pinned or tied to the headdress of a man who had little hair of his own.

It is possible that the pigtail was brought back to Australia by Sergeant Major Bert Blyth, of B Company of the NSW Marine Detachment who served in China with the New South Wales Contingent as part of a complete Manchu official's costume. The jacket from the costume can be seen at REL15637. A photograph of Blyth wearing the complete costume is held by the State Library of New South Wales. Blyth, who was born at Christchurch, New Zealand, was 32 when he served in China and described himself as a soldier 'adventurer'. He embarked on SS Salamis on 8 August 1900 and returned to Australia aboard SS Chingtuon on 25 April 1901.