Drummer 1839

In the 1830s drummers were dressed in a similar way to the men except that the lace was a special pattern. It is not clear in this detail from the 8th Regiment print Officers, Drummer & Other Ranks 1839 what pattern is on the lace, but up until 1866 the white lace had a repeated pattern of blue fleurs-de-lys (after 1866 drummers had a red crown pattern). Drummers of Royal regiments had always worn red coats with blue facings, while some regiments had reverse facings or white coats. But an order of 1831 directed that all regiments had to clothe their drummers in red. The lace chevrons all the way up the sleeves had been discontinued in the 8th King’s Regiment; the single chevron seen here is a rank stripe as he is a lance corporal drummer. The round cuff has a slash flap, although the same print shows that the rank-and-file men did not have this. On his shoulder are thick woollen crescents in the same blue and white colours as the lace.
By the 1830s the fur cap for dress parades had been discontinued and he wears a bell-top shako with a white ball tuft and regimental badge. He has a valise and rolled greatcoat on his back which appears to have been required for normal parades. The plain white leather belts on his shoulders are the drum carriage on the right shoulder and a pouch-belt on the left. The pouch is white, as can be seen in the companion print Officers & ORs, Marching Order 1839 while the rank-and-file had a black leather pouch for ammunition.

Regimental Details | Drummers & Musicians