Corporal, 11th (Prince Albert'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 lance corporal in this image wears full dress uniform. 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 with black pouch, and wears white gloves.

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 being crimson and the plume white. Unlike other hussar regiments, the caplines ended in a plaited loop from the collar. The single chevron on his right arm indicates that he is a lance/corporal.

He wears crimson pantaloons with a double yellow stripe down the outside seam, tucked into black riding boots with spurs attached. He holds his carbine up, resting on his right thigh. The horse has standard leather military tack including leather wallets, folded blanket and black lambskin saddle cover. The leather bucket can be seen by his right thigh.

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