Drummer, Piper and Bandsmen, 1st Scots Guards, 1895 (c)

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

Drummers, Pipers and other Bandsmen were important members of regiments. As well as fulfilling a ceremonial role, during battles they were relied upon by commanders to communicate orders to their troops.

This image provides a good illustration of the uniforms worn by Scots Guards musicians in the last years of the nineteenth century.

The drummer is pictured wearing a bearskin cap and carrying a drum. The scarlet jacket has band wings on the shoulders, and is 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 blue cloth trousers have scarlet side-stripes two inches wide.

The piper is pictured wearing a dark blue glengarry (Scots cap) with a silver badge and black feathers. He is wearing a blue doublet, with buttons grouped in threes, to denote the Scottish origin of the regiment. It is decorated with silver lace.

The bandsmen are wearing scarlet tunics, with gold and blue band wings on the shoulders. The tunics have elaborate gold lace loops in threes down the chest.