Sergeant Major, Royal Horse Artillery, 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 sergeant major is pictured in full dress uniform. Three chevrons and a crown on his upper right sleeve denote his rank, and the field gun his regiment. His cap (busby) made of black fur, inspired by Hungarian Hussar uniforms. A red cloth bag covers the top of the cap and extends down its right side, with a tall white plume made of horsehair. The cap is held on with a chin chain of black leather and gold cord caplines loop round onto the breast.

The highly decorative Hussar-style full dress tunic is dark blue with red facing and gold lace on the collar. The tunic has several buttons with double gold cord braids going across the front with a loop at each end.

He wears dark blue pantaloons with a broad red stripe down the outside seam, tucked into black riding boots with spurs attached. He wears a pair of white gloves. His horse has standard leather military tack including a horseshoe case and a black lambskin saddle cover.

One of a collection of 280 glass negatives, associated with W Gregory and Company, London, and F G O Stuart, 1892 (c)-1900.