post-1868 use of Black Watch band/music tartan

[OC Richard]

Richard,
Based on the campaign medals, I’d say the photo was taken sometime after 1882. The star shaped medal looks to me like the Khedives Star, awarded from 1882 to 1891, and always accompanies the Egypt Campaign Medal (the round medal). This makes sense since the 1st BN Black Watch was in Egypt from 1882 to 1886.

Thanks! That introduces another angle: whether this is the 2nd Battalion Black Watch, which until the Childers reforms of 1881 was the 73rd (Highland) Regiment of Foot.

What I can't find out is whether or not the 73rd Foot, which lost their Highland status in 1809 but had their "Highland" title restored in 1845, had pipers. (I've also seen the date given as 1862.)

If so they probably would have worn Black Watch kilts and plaids, that being the tartan worn by the 73rd from their raising in 1780 till their loss of Highland status in 1809.

We sometimes see photos showing hybrid pipers' uniforms in period immediately following the 1881 amalgamations, as the non-kilted battalion transitioned to the kit of the kilted battalion. Perhaps this is what we're seeing here.

(BTW unlike some of the other 1809 de-kilted regiments which later acquired tartan trews, the rank-and-file of the 73rd appeared to wear ordinary black trousers. I did see one painting which shows an officer wearing tartan trews, but numerous photos show officers wearing plain dark trousers.)