Help Needed with Hampshire Regt Ceremonial Uniform Please

[Daveyboy]

Hi

I’m not sure if this is the right Forum for asking about this as it’s slightly later than Great War period, but hopefully someone can help me anyway!

I’ve had this Lt Col’s Hampshire Regiment ceremonial uniform for a number of years but don’t really know anything about it. It’s pre-“Royal” Hampshire period so isn’t post-WW2. The “Jennens & Co” buttons date to 1912-24 and, as it’s a ceremonial uniform it must be interwar period. There’s loops for between 3 & 8 medals, so presumably it’s owner had a certain amount of Great War experience.

That’s about all I know. There’s no owner details with it and the only maker’s marking are in the boots, which are by Moss Bros. The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum has been very helpful but so far haven’t been able to shed any more light on it.

I would love to be able to narrow down the date for the uniform, if not identify it’s original owner. I don’t suppose anyone has any suggestions, do they?

Thanks.

[keithmroberts]

You migth try contacting the regimental museum.

Keith

[Daveyboy]

Hi Keith, thanks for the reply.

I've been in contact with the museum and they've been very helpful. Unfortunately, without a name, there's very little they can actually add.

I'm wandering if I can date the uniform by it's style but, as I can't find any information on ceremonial uniform evolution, I don't know how long this pattern was used for. I've also approached Moss Bros to see if they have archived recordsof customers that I could match the numbers in the boots too; I haven't heard back from them yet though.

Dave

[FROGSMILE]

It's the final pattern of officers' full dress tunic for Line Infantry that came into use in 1881 and was then modified in 1902 to standardise the cuff lace for all ranks of regimental officer from subaltern to lieutenant colonel. Prior to that the cuff lace had differed between ranks.

The facings (collar and cuffs) were initially white, but returned to the earlier colour of yellow in 1904. Buttons bearing a crown also changed in 1902, but that did not apply to the Hampshires.

The uniform was finally withdrawn for regimental parade wear in 1914, but remained optional for special occasions such as levees and jamborees. It was finally removed from the Army List in 1947.

You can therefore date your uniform to between 1904 and 1947, although it was little worn after 1914. It would be extremely unusual for there to not be a name label somewhere on the tunic, sometimes inside a pocket.

[Daveyboy]

Many thanks for the information on full dress uniforms Frogsmile, that's more than I managed to find out about them in the last 20 years!

I've rechecked but cannot find any other markings, neither in the inside breast nor outside waistband pockets. The trousers and sash are equally anonymous! I'm not an expert by any means, but it doesn't have the "feel" of a WW1 period uniform; I am more inclined to say 1920s or 30s.

[FROGSMILE]

Many thanks for the information on full dress uniforms Frogsmile, that's more than I managed to find out about them in the last 20 years!

I've rechecked but cannot find any other markings, neither in the inside breast nor outside waistband pockets. The trousers and sash are equally anonymous! I'm not an expert by any means, but it doesn't have the "feel" of a WW1 period uniform; I am more inclined to say 1920s or 30s.

I am glad to help Daveyboy. It is possible that the uniform was made in the 1920s, as there were still officers who purchased their own full dress for levees and special regimental occasions, even after it was no longer (since 1914) a form of dress for full regimental parades. In such circumstances it was not unusual for the uniform to be worn for no more than half a dozen times, usually commencing with a post commissioning photograph, before it was hung in a wardrobe and rarely seen again.