Musicians uniform pre-war

[davidbohl]

This is the father of my casualty Pte Alec Manley Hudson 242550 KLR

The father Henry (b.1863) looks like he is in his teens when it was taken in Market Drayton, Salop.

Is it military or civilian please?

thanks

Dave

 

image from public member tree on Ancestry

Edited 21 June , 2023 by davidbohl

[Gunner 87]

1 hour ago, davidbohl said:

This is the father of my casualty Pte Alec Manley Hudson 242550 KLR

The father Henry (b.1863) looks like he is in his teens when it was taken in Market Drayton, Salop.

Is it military or civilian please?

thanks

Dave

 

image from public member tree on Ancestry

Hi Dave.

I just searched Find My Past newspapers and found that the Market Drayton Rifle Volunteers had a band. This photograph is captioned: 'Market Drayton Rifle Volunteers, 2nd Vol. Bn KSLI – Band and Company parading in High St, Market Drayton to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in 1897'

The uniform appears very similar to the one in your image, light grey with black facings, and as such I wonder if that is where the local band got their colours from as I dont think the father of your casualty is in a military band here. I maybe wrong but the cap does not not appear military. I will tag @FROGSMILE in the hope he can confirm one way or another.

kind regards

Gunner

image courtesy of the Shropshire Star. 

 

[FROGSMILE]

Yes the OP’s photo definitely shows a musician of a Volunteer Rifle Corps band.  Such men were usually enlisted purely as musicians and did not receive the musketry training, etc. of the other volunteers.  His headdress is a kepi, a type of undress forage cap that was popular in the 1870s.   I agree that the Shropshire unit that you have identified is the most likely.

Edited 21 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[davidbohl]

Thanks Gunner, what a cracker of a photo in the market sq.

Once again many thanks to Frogsmile for the finer points of the uniform

[Gunner 87]

22 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

Thanks Gunner, what a cracker of a photo in the market sq.

Once again many thanks to Frogsmile for the finer points of the uniform

You're welcome Dave. This is the second photograph of he parade the same day. Again you can clearly see the uniform of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, as they had been renamed

Image courtesy of the Shropshire Star. 

 

Edited 21 June , 2023 by Gunner 87

[FROGSMILE]

On 21/06/2023 at 13:03, davidbohl said:

Thanks Gunner, what a cracker of a photo in the market sq.

Once again many thanks to Frogsmile for the finer points of the uniform

I’m glad to help David.  You might find this feature on the Shropshire Rifle Volunteers and their 1st (scarlet clad) and 2nd (grey clad) VB successors of interest:

 https://suburbanmilitarism.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/citizen-soldiers-of-salop-day-trip-13-part-2-volunteers-and-militia/

Edited 24 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Gunner 87]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yes the OP’s photo definitely shows a musician of a Volunteer Rifle Corps band.  Such men were usually enlisted purely as musicians and did not receive the musketry training, etc. of the other volunteers.  His headdress is a kepi, a type of undress forage cap that was popular in the 1870s.   I agree that the Shropshire unit that you have identified is the most likely.

My apologies Frogsmile. I meant to thank you when I shared the last photograph. I appreciate you taking the time to respond and advise both Dave and I.

Gunner....

[FROGSMILE]

3 minutes ago, Gunner 87 said:

My apologies Frogsmile. I meant to thank you when I shared the last photograph. I appreciate you taking the time to respond and advise both Dave and I.

Gunner....

No need to apologise Gunner, I’m always glad to help and very interested to see the photographs that you sought out too.  Thank you for drawing it to my attention.

Edited 21 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[davidbohl]

Looking at his photo and being born 1863 does it look 1880-90'ish ?

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

Looking at his photo and being born 1863 does it look 1880-90'ish ?

Yes I’d say around 1880 David.  The following year the Childers Reforms took effect and simultaneously the style of kepi in your photo began to be replaced by a new pattern of cap.  The VRC generally became VB from around 1887-1888.

Edited 21 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Gunner 87]

18 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

Looking at his photo and being born 1863 does it look 1880-90'ish ?

Adding to what Frogsmile has said, this photograph, shared from an Ancestry family tree, is Henry circa 1893-1894 where his appears is far more mature than in the Volunteer Battalion shot. 

Gunner  

 

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Here is an undated photograph of Market Drayton Brass Band.

I am not sure if the chap with the Euphonium (third left from the Bass Drum) is the same man.

Dave

[davidbohl]

4 hours ago, HERITAGE PLUS said:

Market Drayton Brass Band.

Nice photie Dave, I prefer the small youngish lad right next to the drummer

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Quote

Nice photie Dave, I prefer the small youngish lad right next to the drummer

I was going with the fact that in the first photo the lad has a Euphonium the same model as the man in my pic. The chap next to the Bass Drummer is holding a Tenor Horn.

That is not to say that you aren't right.

Just surmising here.

 

Dave