Corporals, 1st Life Guards, 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.

Both of the corporals are pictured wearing mounted review order dress. This comprises the Albert Pattern full dress helmet that was adopted by the Household Cavalry in 1842. The helmet has a brass body and was richly decorated with a laurel and oak leaf spray and a garter star with a cross in the centre. Above this was a large gilt Victoria crown. The horse hair plume is white.

The tunic is scarlet with dark blue facings and gold lace on the collar. Over the top of the tunic, they are wearing the cuirass, which consisted of a front and back polished steel plate shaped to fit the body. Their tunics have plaited gold shoulder cords and an aiguillette on the left shoulder which loops down and has gold 'needles' hanging from it. They have white leather buckskin breeches and black jack boots.

White leather gauntlets are worn, and a white pouch belt with a red flask cord along the centre. Attached are highly polished black leather pouches, with gilt fittings and backed with Morocco leather. Their scabbards are attached to their sword belt with the slings and their swords are held up resting on their right shoulders.

One of a collection of 278 glass negatives, associated with W Gregory and Company, London, and F G O Stuart, 1895 (c)-1900.