The Crimean War marked the beginning of the most prolific age of facial hair that Britain had seen for centuries. The War, which began for Britain in 1854, was fought in a climate that was often bitterly cold, meaning that many of the soldiers craved as much facial hair as possible to keep their faces from freezing. Even when the season grew warmer, many of the soldiers were unable to shave because of the difficulty and expense of getting hold of razors and shaving soap. Until this time, military regulation had been very strict about shaving, but during the Crimean War, the rules were relaxed. As a result, many British soldiers grew facial hair that was quite extraordinary in length – so much so that they must have been unrecognisable to their families on their return home.
Source: Moustaches, Whiskers & Beards, Lucinda Hawksley