Trooper, 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays), 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 jacket. The cuffs and collar are of regimental colour (white). He wears a white leather pouch belt over the jacket, and the black leather ammunition pouch is visible at the back. Pantaloons with a broad stripe of regimental colour (white) down the outside seam are tucked into black leather boots with a 'V' shaped notch at the top. The trooper wears a dark blue pillbox cap which has a band of white worsted, and a white worsted button on top.

The trooper 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. The trooper's 1885 pattern sword is attached to a horse shoe case on the side of the saddle. 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.

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