Trumpeter, 1st Life 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 trumpeter is pictured wearing the Albert Pattern full dress helmet that was adopted by the Household Cavalry in 1842. This other ranks helmet was almost identical to those worn by officers except that the decoration was of brass or gilding metal, instead of gilt. The helmet plate includes a laurel and oak leaf spray and a white metal garter star, with a large Victoria crown above. In this image the trumpeter does not wear the plume on his helmet, which as a bandsman would have been red.

The tunic is scarlet with dark blue facings, and gold lace on the collar, cuffs, shoulder straps and edging around the tunic itself. He has two good conduct chevrons on his lower left sleeve, indicating at least six years good conduct. He has blue overalls with a broad red stripe down the seam, and black wellington boots. He wears a pair of white gloves.

The trumpeter has a white pouch belt with a red flask cord along the centre to delineate regimental affiliation. The sword belt with slings are also whitened buff leather.

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