Scouting, 8th (King's Royal Irish Hussars), 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 scouts are likely troopers, but at the front resting his sword on his right shoulder is a sergeant rough rider (or riding instructor) as can be seen by the spur and chevron badges worn on the right arm of his dark blue field service frock. They are all wearing the field service frock and full dress caps (busbies) made of black beaver fur. The caplines, bag lace and front boss are of yellow worsted cord, with the bag itself being scarlet and the plume white. They have white pouch belts and black pouches.

All are wearing dark blue pantaloons with a double yellow stripe down the outside seam, tucked into black riding boots with spurs attached. The horses have standard military leather tack with a pair of leather wallets and folded blanket and leather carbine bucket. Apart from the sergeant who holds his sword, the rest are holding their carbines in their right hands.

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