Drummer in Guard Order 1853


This figure is one of four in a print by B Clayton, an artist who seemed to specialise in the Grenadier Guards. He produced a series of 12 prints showing the history of the uniforms of the regiment up to his own time, 1853. This one is particularly good because it is contemporary and there are few detailed depictions of drummers of the period. The coat agrees in detail with Drummers Coatee 1848 which shows that the date 1848 is wrong. The wings on this drummer differ from the crescent shaped white tufts in the 1851/2 drawings. They are blue with lace placed diagonally across them and blue and white fringes along the edge. The belt plate with its grenade badge is very clearly defined. The drum belt has loops to hold his drumsticks which are black with silver ends. The white leather leg guard straps behind the knee and hangs from the hidden sword belt. His drum looks rather blue but should be more black either side of the royal coat-of-arms. The drum hoops are usually depicted as blue with a white 'worm' and red edges, but the hoops here agree with the drum in Corps of Drums 1851 He has white summer trousers and appears to be carrying his greatcoat on his back. The bearskin is very high for this period, it should be 8 inches.


Band | Regimental details


Armed Forces | Art and Culture | Articles | Biographies | Colonies | Discussion | Glossary | Home | Library | Links | Map Room | Sources and Media | Science and Technology | Search | Student Zone | Timelines | TV & Film | Wargames


by Stephen Luscombe