Bandsmen, The Coldstream Guards, 1895 (c)

Glass negative, W Gregory and Company, 51 Strand, London, 1895 (c).

This image comes from a collection of glass plate negatives associated with William Gregory and Company. The negatives depict the British Army, including some members of the colonial forces, 'at home' in Britain during the 1890s.

As well as being intimate portraits of soldiers from this era, the images provide detailed illustrations of uniforms worn during the high point of military tailoring.

The drummer and bugler in this image are pictured wearing bearskin caps and holding a drum and bugle respectively. The scarlet jackets have band wings on the shoulders, and are elaborately laced with white and blue braid on the sleeves and across the chest. The blue decorations on the braids are fleur-de-lys, a design feature that recalls Britain's ancient claim to France. The buttons of the tunics, grouped in pairs, identify the regiment as the Coldstream Guards. The collar is decorated with the badge of the garter star. The cuffs of the tunic are round with a four buttoned slash. The blue cloth trousers have scarlet side-stripes two inches wide.

The drum major is wearing a scarlet tunic, with band wings on the shoulders. The tunic has elaborate gold lace loops down the chest and the buttons, grouped in pairs, identify the regiment as the Coldstream Guards. The shoulder belt is dark blue and edged with gold lace. The devices that appear on it include the Sphinx for Egypt. The blue cloth trousers have scarlet side-stripes two inches wide. He carries a drum-major's staff or mace.