Troopers, 19th (Princess of Wales's Own) Hussars, 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 on the right in this image wears full dress uniform, with the Egyptian War Medal and the Khedive's Star on his left breast. This was awarded for service when the regiment served in Egypt and the Sudan in 1882 and 1885. The tunic is made of blue cloth and is highly decorated with yellow worsted looping cord and brass ball buttons. He has a white leather pouch belt and another cross strap which possibly carries a haversack.

The full dress cap (busby) was inspired by Hungarian uniforms and made of black beaver fur; a type of fur that was highly desirable in Eastern Europe. The caplines, bag lace and front boss are of yellow worsted cord, with the bag itself and the plume being white. He wears dark blue pantaloons with a double yellow stripe down the outside seam tucked into black riding boots with spurs attached. He also wears white gloves and his white leather sword belt (but no sword).

The trooper on the left wears stable dress. This comprises a blue stable jacket and a pillbox cap which has a yellow band around it and a yellow lace design and button on top. He wears the same dark blue pantaloons, riding boots and white gloves. Both men are holding a carbine.

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