Sergeants, 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 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.

Both soldiers are farrier sergeants, as can be seen from the three chevrons on their right sleeve with the horseshoe above. The regimental motto of a skull and cross bones sits on top of the chevrons. Both are wearing review order, although only the sergeant on the left is wearing the lancer cap (czapka). This has a black leather skull and plain black patent leather peak with ribbed cloth on all four sides and topped with white leather. The drooping plume is made of white horse hair. The regimental plate is fixed on the lower part of the cap, with lion's head bosses on each side, to which the chin chains are attached. The sergeant on the right wears the undress blue pillbox forage cap, with gold band and cross braid.

Their tunics are blue with a white front (plastron) collar and cuffs. They have white leather pouch belts. Worsted cap lines cross the breast of the jacket. Their swords are attached to their sword belts which hang from underneath their tunics. The sergeant on the left wears white leather gauntlets and has blue overalls with a double white stripe, worn over wellington boots.

The sergeant on the right wear blue pantaloons with a double white stripe, worn tucked into riding boots. You can also clearly see the skill-at-arms badges on his left sleeve, consisting of crossed rifles (qualified marksman) and the crossed lances with a crown above indicate that he is the best lancer in the regiment.

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