Bandsmen in Undress 1853

These musicians are in dismounted stable dress which was a waist-length blue shell jacket with white collar and cuffs, and closely placed brass buttons down the front. The front edge and the hem were lined with white piping, which also decorated the back seams and the back of the sleeves. The band and trumpeters had white forage caps with a red band. Sergeants and ranks above that had gold cap-bands and a gold button on top. They also had gold lace edges to their jackets. The band corporal has the same style of jacket as the bandsmen but has gold rank chevrons. They all have double white stripes on their trousers, but the officer on the right of the picture has double gold stripes. He is the bandmaster, Herr Henry Schallehn, who was actually a civilian, wearing officer’s uniform. His cap is blue like the rest of the regiment, with a peak and a gold cap-band. He also has gold braid crossed on the top of his cap as was the style for lancers. He has a sword slung from a waist-belt. Herr Schallehn later became the first Director of Music of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, in 1857. The illustration is a copy of a painted sketch by Ebsworth from his observation of the regiment at Hounslow in 1853.

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