Pipe Major, 1st Battalion The 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.

This piper is pictured wearing a dark blue glengarry (Scots cap) with a silver badge and black feathers. He is wearing a blue doublet, with distinctive castellated shoulder shells. The jacket is decorated with silver lace, and has buttons grouped in threes, to denote the Scottish origin of the regiment. He wears a kilt in red regimental tartan, and a fly plaid of the same pattern is cast over his shoulder and fastened with a plaid brooch. His sporran is of white and black horse hair, and his socks are diced green and red. He carries bagpipes, with a crimson banner attached.

One of a collection of 278 glass negatives, Gregory and Company, London, 1895 (c)-1900.