Surgeon Major William Hunter

Surgeon Major William Hunter This portrait from artuk.org hanging in the Hunterian Museum, shows Dr William Hunter who was born in Ayrshire on 21 May 1794, the son of William Hunter, a merchant in Glasgow. He was related to the famous anatomist brothers John and William Hunter. He joined the Coldstream Guards on 10 Feb 1814 as Assistant Surgeon and was present at the battle of Waterloo. In 1838 he was promoted to Surgeon Major of the 2nd Battalion. The painting shows him in a very unusual uniform, although of regimental pattern it differs from the dress uniforms of the other officers. It was probably painted in the mid to late 1820s before his promotion. This would explain his youthful appearance. The shako he holds was discontinued in the Coldstream Guards in 1831, replaced by a bearskin. The plume is black instead of the white one worn by the other battalion company officers. At that time he would have had only one gold epaulette on his right shoulder. The other epaulette has been added to the portrait after 1838 when he was promoted, and the crown badge added to the right shoulder. The scarlet coatee is edged with gold lace and has the buttons placed in pairs. The lines extending from the button-holes are twists of red thread, not to be seen on other officers’ coats.
He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, appointed on 11 Dec 1843, and in 1844 he married Helen Wilkie in London. She was the sister of the artist Sir David Wilkie. Dr William retired in 1845 and they lived in Largs, Ayrshire also having a place in London, at 86 Mount Street. He died on 28 June 1871 and was buried in Largs. I am grateful to the author of the Hunters of Scotland Blog

Soldiers | Regimental details