Sergeant and Privates, South Staffordshire Rifle Volunteers, 1895 (c)

Glass negative, William 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 (on the left) and two privates in this image wear full dress uniform with collar and cuffs of white facing colour, and white piping down the central seam. The sergeant's rank is indicated by the three chevrons on his right arm. They have blue cloth Home Service pattern helmets and white pouch belts. Musketry trade badges can be seen on their left sleeves, and the Staffordshire knot on their collars.

The soldiers in the central and right hand position in the photograph also wear medals on their left shoulder - they are probably prize medals, perhaps in shooting. The sergeant on the left also has some stars on his right arm - one above and two below his rank chevrons. The top star is the Proficiency Star (for passing various competency tests), and the bottom two are Efficiency Stars indicating several years of efficient volunteer service.

One of a collection of 280 glass negatives, associated with William Gregory and Company, London, and Francis Godolphin Osborne Stuart (1843-1923), 1892 (c)-1900.