Portrait of an illustrious officer

[artlover123]

I am at rather a loose end and hoped whether you or a colleague of your might point me in the right direction.

I have a portrait by George Henry RA RSA RSW (1858-1943). I have attached images to this email. The subject is an army officer and I wondered whether you might tell or help me work out who it is please. It would be such a delight to put a name to clearly quite an illustrious face.

 I am no expert on army insignia but this is what I can work out, he wears a monocle, is shown wearing service dress and probably dates from 1935 or shortly afterwards as the last but one medal ribbon he wears is for the Jubilee of King George V & Queen Mary in 1935? The sitter wears medal ribbons for: Order of the Bath, Order of the Indian Empire, Queen’s South Africa Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Delhi Durbar or Coronation 1911 [both used the same ribbon], Jubilee 1935, Territorial Decoration. The collar badges are not clear but the general shape suggests they could be the Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry which would fit well with the artists area of work.

Please, any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Joshua

[artlover123]

Close up

[ShaunJ]

1938 Army List:

[Andy J2022]

He has three overseas service chevrons https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/tips-for-interpreting-photographs-of-men-in-uniform/whats-that-on-his-sleeve-an-overseas-service-chevron/

[SiGr]

I see in the London Gazette of 13 Jan 1939 a reference to Hon. Col. T. L. Galloway, T.D. so it could be either of the two senior officers named in the 1938 London Gazette. That said, given neither is named with any post-nominals relating to the Order of the Bath nor the Order of the Indian Empire, that suggests it is neither Lt. Col Galloway nor Lt Col Millar.

It might be that the Glasgow Yeomanry connection is incorrect.

That said, happy to be proven wrong.

Good luck with your research.

Simon

[SiGr]

One other thing.

Though you did not ask about the date, you rightly mention the 1911 Coronation/Durbar and 1935 Jubilee medals. The absence of the King George VI Coronation medal (established on 12 May 1937) suggests this portrait might date to around 1935-1936.

Of course it could be that the sitter did not receive the KGVI Coronation medal and/or he died before the date of that award.

Just a thought.

Simon

[jwhitemangardner]

Thank you all for the help. Yes I think I was perhaps wrong on the regiment. From his dress he was a colonel, so having going through CB and TD recipients who match age and locality, I believe I may have found our man. Please look and see, thoughts welcome!

Anderson, Col. Thomas Alexander Harvie (1872-1953). Only son of Harvie Anderson (1841-1921) of Quarter, and his wife Jessie, daughter of James Carmichael of Sandyford House, Glasgow, born 17 April 1872. Educated at Glasgow Academy and Glasgow University (MA 1893; BL 1896; LLB 1898).  Served with the Glasgow Highlanders from 1889-1907 (Capt., 1902; Hon. Colonel of 1st and 2nd Bttns, 1938-46); Secretary, Territorial and Auxiliary Air Force Assoc., Glasgow, 1907-37 and of Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers, 1916-53. Partner in firm of Anderson, Fyfe, Littlejohn & Co. of Glasgow, solicitors. County Councillor for Stirlingshire, 1940-43, JP and DL for Glasgow; appointed CB and TD 1919.  He married, 29 November 1905, Nessie Wilson (d. 1938), daughter of Sir John Shearer, and had issue:
(1) Margaret Betty Harvie Anderson OBE MP (1913-79) (q.v.).
He inherited the Quarter estate from his father in 1921.
He died 1 May 1953.  His wife died 2 July 1938.

[Andy J2022]

Sadly no other picture of Thomas Alexander Harvie Anderson found online including, perhaps surprisingly, anything in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, to compare with the portrait. However there are a few other biographical details online

Thomas Alexander Harvie Anderson was born in Hillhead, Glasgow on 17 April 1872. His father Harvie was a merchant. He was educated at Glasgow Academy , Glasgow, Scotland, and began studying at the University of Glasgow in 1888. In his first two years he studied Greek, Latin and Mathematics, followed in his third year by Logic, English Literature and Natural and Moral Philosophy in his fourth year. After receiving his MA in 1893 he returned to the University of Glasgow this time as a student in the Law Faculty, studying Scots Law. He went on to study Conveyancing and Public Law, Civil Law and Mercantile Law graduating BL in 1896. While studying, he enlisted in the Glasgow Highlanders Volunteers and was promoted to captain in 1902. When the volunteers were reorganised by Lord Haldane into the Territorial Army in 1908 he was appointed secretary to the Glasgow Territorial Force Association and shared the credit for the high efficiency of the Glasgow battalions in 1914. In 1917 he was awarded the TD and CB, and in 1937 he retired from the secretaryship of the Glasgow Territorial Army and Air Force Association.

In 1939-1940 he was a member of the University Reception Unit for the placing of officers for the Second World War. After the First World War Colonel Harvie Anderson was closely associated with the Erskine Hospital for disabled sailors and soldiers, and he was secretary and treasurer of the hospital until his death. In 1932 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant for the County of the City of Glasgow, and from 1940 to 1943 he was a member of Stirling County Council. For many years he was session clerk of Hillhead Parish Church, Glasgow. he became a senior partner in Anderson, Fyfe, Littlejohn & Co, solicitors, Glasgow, and, at the time of his death, he was the oldest practising member of the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow. He died on 1 May 1953.

Source: Scottish Biographies 1938 (Thurston & Jackson) and The College Courant , Martinmas 1953.

Unfortunately his old law firm Anderson, Fyfe, Littlejohn & Co is no more, otherwise I would have suggested contacting them to see if they had a portrait of him to compare with yours, just as confirmation of your theory.

[SiGr]

Assuming the second medal ribbon is correctly identified as the C.I.E. then it is unlikely to be Colonel Anderson. As late as his entry in Who's Who of 1950 he is not recorded as having the C.I.E.