Military Foot Police, Aldershot, 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 lance/corporal wears undress uniform including a pillbox forage cap with red lace banding. His tunic is dark blue with red facings on the collar and cuffs, and he wears a leather belt. The dark blue trousers have a broad red stripe down the outside seams, and are worn over black boots. He has two good conduct stripes on one sleeve, indicating 6 years good service, and his 'MFP' band on the other. He wears white gloves and holds.

In 1882, a sister Corps to the Military Mounted Police was formed for service in the Egyptian Campaign: the Military Foot Police (MFP). The end of the century saw the Military Police with a strength of just over 300, with detachments at major garrison towns. The policeman is in Aldershot - the clock tower of the Cambridge Military Hospital can be seen in the background.

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