Sergeant, 17th Lancers, 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 sergeant wears a dark blue undress service frock coat with black piping and fastenings. He has a pillbox forage cap with a band and cross braid over the top made of gold lace. The three rank chevrons and motto badge (skull and cross bones) are visible on the right sleeve of the tunic. His dark blue overalls have a double white stripe down the outside seam and are worn over black wellington boots. He wears a white leather pouch belt and carries a cane and a pair of gloves.

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