Guidon c1800

Traditionally the regiments of Horse carried Standards, which were square cut, and the dragoons carried Guidons, which were swallow-tailed like this one. However, in 1788 the 4th Horse became the 7th Dragoon Guards and were classed as dragoons. This meant that they were supposed to carry Guidons instead of Standards, but as had already been sorted out when the first 3 regiments of Horse converted in 1746, there was a compromise; there was to be one Standard per regiment and the remaining squadron Standards were to change to Guidons.
The 1751 Regulations had authorised 3 Standards for each regiment of Horse. The King's or First Standard to be of crimson damask and carried by the Colonel's Troop (right of the line). The other two Standards were to be in the colour of the regimental facings, so the 7th had back damask for their two squadron Standards, carried by the Lieutenant-Colonel's Troop (left of the line) and the Major's Troop (in the centre). These last two black Standards therefore were officially changed to Guidons in 1788.
The black damask Guidon, here, has the regimental title in the middle on a crimson ground, surrounded by a Union wreath of roses, thistles and shamrocks. The Hanoverian white horse features in two corners, also on crimson. The fringe around the edge appears to be all gold but in 1751 the Standards and Colours all had gold and silver fringes. There is no crown or royal cypher to indicate in which reign this Guidon was introduced, and no indication of which squadron this belonged to. It must date somewhere between 1788 and 1837, in which year Guidons were discontinued in Dragoon Guard Regiments.

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