Corporal Major and Trooper, 2nd 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.

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 corporal major and trooper are pictured wearing mounted review order. This comprises the Albert Pattern full dress helmet that was adopted by the Household Cavalry in 1842. The decoration is of brass or gilding metal, and the helmet plate includes a laurel and oak leaf spray. In the centre is a white metal garter star with a brass cross, and a large Victoria crown above. The horse hair plumes are white.

Their tunics are scarlet with dark blue facings, and gold lace on the collars. The edges of the collars and front tunic skirts are slightly rounded. This is to differentiate the 2nd Life Guards from the 1st Life Guards and the Royal Horse Guards. Over the top of the tunic, they wear a cuirass, which consisted of a front and back polished steel plate shaped to fit the body. They have white leather buckskin breeches, white leather gauntlets and black jack boots.

The corporal major (on the right) has plaited gold shoulder cords and an aiguillette on the left shoulder which loops down and has gold 'needles' hanging from it. Their white pouch belts have a blue flask cord along the centre. Attached and worn at the back are highly polished black leather pouches, with gilt fittings and backed with Morocco leather. Their 1882 pattern swords hang from the slings of white sword belts.

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