Uniform help

[jigben]

Hello all!  I'm hoping someone out there might be able to help me identify the uniform in this picture of my Great Grandad George Reed.  The picture should be around WW1 or earlier.  Its in colour but the detail is hidden so I can't help with badges so need to go with style and colour and work from there.

All help much appreciated!

Jenny

[tisgrannie]

Hi I wondered if the photo restoration section could take some of the colour off if you posted it on there. Its worth a try. they should be able to tell you one way or the other.
regards
tisgrannie

[Wendi]

Hi jigben and welcome to rootschat

Good idea tisgrannie, but sadly I fear without more info in the photo I don't know that there is much to tell.

I would guess that on the seat to the left hand side may hold a clue, but Jenny my instinct is this photo has been computer enhanced and the original may hold more detail   

Wendi 

[jigben]

The original is a sepia photograph thats been painted from what I remember - this picture is a copy of a copy so the detail is pretty shot but if anyone can help me narrow down even branches of the Armed services I would be grateful.  For example, all the uniform pictures I can find on the web show black cuffs and collars not white or more ornate details and I don't know if all ranks would have swords or if the lack of detail suggests a rank and so on so any help even ruling out things would be great.

I know he lived in Kensington so I am looking for probably a London/Middlesex regiment operating sometime before or during WW1. 

[tisgrannie]

Hi Like you said maybe some experts on here will recognize maybe the white collar (if its not been changed from original) Also the riding crop Horse Regt maybe. I wish I could help more.
best of luck
tisgrannie

[scrimnet]

The picture shows a chap in Scarlets, with what are known as "Jam Pot" cuffs and shoulder titles

The Buff facings (the collar and cuffs) are peculiar to the Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Lincolnshires and Devons of the period...which is around 1880-1900. The cuffs became pointed around 1902ish

He is holding a cane, an other ranks "walking out" type. No well dressed soldier of the period would be seen without one!!

It is a well known fact that people didn't always join the "local" Regt....My great uncle, altough born on the Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire border joined the Somerset Light Infantry in 1892! We still don't know why!!!

[scrimnet]

These two pics may help with my explanation above....



The Northamptons from 1890ish



And from 1913....Note the change in shape of the cuffs...

[tisgrannie]

Hi I noticed the top picture showed the same amount of buttons as the original request one (6)
maybe thats going to help identify your man.
Do you have any details on him age, census info. medals etc. Anything to help find him.
tisgrannie

[scrimnet]

Hi I noticed the top picture showed the same amount of buttons as the original request one (6)
maybe thats going to help identify your man.
Do you have any details on him age, census info. medals etc. Anything to help find him.
tisgrannie

Yes!! You are correct!!! 

That is because it was a standardised pattern across the army....And yes...any of the above details would be most useful!!