Private, 1st Battalion, Scots 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 private is pictured wearing a scarlet single breasted tunic. The buttons of the tunic, grouped in threes, identify the regiment as the Scots Guards. The cuffs are round with a three buttoned slash. The collar, cuffs, and shoulder straps are piped white. On each side of his collar is the regimental badge (Order of the Thistle). Two chevrons on his lower left sleeve denote 6 years good conduct, and there is a skill at arms badge (probably for musketry) above them. He also has the Egypt Medal (1882) and the Khedive's Star (1882-1891) on his left breast.

The blue cloth trousers have a scarlet stripe down the outside seams, and are worn over black boots. The private is wearing a bearskin cap and whitened Slade-Wallace equipment with pouches and water bottle, and a black valise on his back. He holds his rifle and stands in front of a cannon.

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