Trooper, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, 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 trooper in this image wears undress uniform. This comprises a scarlet stable jacket, with collar and cuffs of regimental colour (yellow). He wears a white leather pouch belt and a dark blue pillbox cap which has a yellow band and button on top. His dark blue pantaloons have a broad yellow stripe down the outside seam, and are worn tucked into black riding boots with spurs attached. He is mounted on a horse with standard pattern military horse furniture, including a steel chain which is looped around the neck, which could be used to tether the horse when not in barracks. A pair of leather wallets are fitted to the front of the saddle. These were used to contain a small quantity of items for the personal use of the rider, including items such as spare socks. The trooper is equipped with a Martini-Henry cavalry carbine, carried in a leather bucket attached to the saddle.

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