Any help to identify this uniform would be appreciated- thanks

[E Buckingham]

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. Looking at the sporran badge, it looks like Seaforth Highlanders. I can’t make out the badge on his Glengarry. 

[E Buckingham]

Thank you - my ancestor was born in England to a Scottish father- but the age of the photo would seem to suggest it’s more likely to be the son- so WW1

[Michelle Young]

@FROGSMILEand @CorporalPunishment are more likely to be able to date the photo and give a positive ID than me. Hopefully, they will see this as I’ve tagged them. 

[FROGSMILE]

He’s a piper from one of the old Seaforth Highlander battalion’s, 1st Battalion (72nd (Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders) Regiment of Foot) and 2nd Battalion 78th (Highlanders) (Ross-shire Buffs) Regiment of Foot), each of which had different tartans.

The 72nd had favoured Royal Stuart trews and the 78th had favoured Mackenzie kilts.  After the two amalgamated in July 1881 the new regiment as a whole adopted the Mackenzie kilt, while some regimental pipers wore Royal Stuart as is seen in your photograph, possibly from one of the militia or volunteer battalions newly assigned to the regiment.

 

Edited 27 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[E Buckingham]

3 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

He’s a piper from one of the old Seaforth Highlander battalion’s, 1st Battalion (72nd (Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders) Regiment of Foot) and 2nd Battalion 78th (Highlanders) (Ross-shire Buffs) Regiment of Foot), each of which had different tartans.

Thank you- a piper- we had no idea, I am hungry for more detail- the epaulettes I cannot find images of - are they significant? 

[Michelle Young]

Does he have a name? 

[E Buckingham]

13 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

@FROGSMILEand @CorporalPunishment are more likely to be able to date the photo and give a positive ID than me. Hopefully, they will see this as I’ve tagged them. 

Amazing thank you

Just now, Michelle Young said:

Does he have a name? 

James Murphy or Murphie we think

[FROGSMILE]

47 minutes ago, E Buckingham said:

Thank you- a piper- we had no idea, I am hungry for more detail- the epaulettes I cannot find images of - are they significant? 

I will find some illustrations, the pipers doublet (a Scottish style tunic originally completely contrived) was dark green, and the squared shoulder trim a 2nd Battalion regimental feature for pipers before the war.

Below is the Royal Stuart sett.

Edited 27 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[CorporalPunishment]

A piper posing without his pipes, unusual to say the least. I personally think he's a civilian playing dress-up by the look of it.    Pete.

[E Buckingham]

1 minute ago, CorporalPunishment said:

A piper posing without his pipes, unusual to say the least. I personally think he's a civilian playing dress-up by the look of it.    Pete.

Oh no I hope not- although I did wonder- that’s why I was hesitant about using this site - I didn’t want to offend

[FROGSMILE]

37 minutes ago, CorporalPunishment said:

A piper posing without his pipes, unusual to say the least. I personally think he's a civilian playing dress-up by the look of it.    Pete.

I agree that it’s odd and that was indeed my first thought too, but he has a Seaforth sporran cantle and that swayed me.  However, you might well be right, as I can see no collar insignia and the regular battalion pipers wore Mackenzie kilts.  He could be a dresser-up as we’ve seen in some other threads, but in this case he’s done a much better job of it, if that is so.  I’ll be interested to see what @TullochArd and @Ron Abbott and @gordon92 makes of it.

Edited 27 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[E Buckingham]

I appreciate the feedback but I would be very surprised if he dressed up- my ancestors were on the breadline with large families- I doubt they could afford to do something so frivolous- but again I’m grateful for your time

[FROGSMILE]

12 minutes ago, E Buckingham said:

I appreciate the feedback but I would be very surprised if he dressed up- my ancestors were on the breadline with large families- I doubt they could afford to do something so frivolous- but again I’m grateful for your time

He’s quite well turned out in a way that suggests the familiarity of a soldier with quite complex uniform, but it’s extremely unusual to be without his pipes.  There’ll be some Scots experts along later who will offer further views.  The Royal Stuart tartan suggests to me that he is not a regular but perhaps from one of the auxiliary battalions made up from part-time citizen soldiers.

Edited 27 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[E Buckingham]

Thanks I appreciate your replies 

[TullochArd]

35 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I’ll be interested to see what @TullochArd and @Ron Abbott and @gordon92 makes of it.

I'd say this is almost certainly another example of photographer's props. The "Call of the Highlands" is a not uncommon and very popular subject for a studio portrait. 

The uniform is not military as it is totally devoid of all regimental insignia........less a Seaforth sporran which appears to be an OR leather cantled sporran that has grown brass bells instead of matching leather bells shown by Frogsmile.  The cap badge is a civilian raised stone brooch and the presence of Menzies hose rather than tartan hose precludes this as being a military piper - which the doublet, crossbelt and waist belt suggest this is the intention.  Notice how the plain civilian dirk has lost either the fork or the knife.

My ancestral family tended to gravitate towards studio photos sitting on motorcycles - and none of them ever had a motorcycle. 

 

[gordon92]

I would agree with TullochArd's assessment..... a studio dress up outfit.  A further observation is the OP wears no hose flashes. Here is a photo of a 72nd piper circa 1860. The only resemblance  to the OP is the Royal Stuart tartan kilt and scarf plaid.

[FROGSMILE]

Many thanks to @CorporalPunishment @TullochArd and @gordon92for leading the way on this initial conundrum now cleared up.

[E Buckingham]

Thanks everyone  - I’m on to the next task- researching my aunty’s photo  in the Land Army and I know that’s not dressing up! In my defence, my ancestor was from the Scottish Highlands, living in Yorkshire so I had to give him the benefit of the doubt!

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, E Buckingham said:

Thanks everyone  - I’m on to the next task- researching my aunty’s photo  in the Land Army and I know that’s not dressing up! In my defence, my ancestor was from the Scottish Highlands, living in Yorkshire so I had to give him the benefit of the doubt!

Whoever he was he was in good company and made a better job of his dressing up than many others, as you’ll see here (although the girl’s was pretty good too): 

 

Edited 27 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE