Sporran tassels: the long and short of it

[Bigkahuna]

All your lads in the picture appear to be wearing their full dress/levee dress sporrans. These are not necessarily the same as would be worn with daily uniform.

[Lachlan09]

The gauntlet cuffs were introduced in 1868. The facing-coloured slashed panel cuffs in the photo were initially worn with the double-breasted “Crimea” doublet with Inverness flaps in 1855, which also had diamond-shaped buttons (all very Highland-Gothic). That mirrored the double-breasted tunic introduced for British infantry at the same time, which had slashed panel cuffs similar to what the Guards wear today on their No1 Dress ceremonial uniforms. The DB doublet was shortly after replaced by a single-breasted version with round buttons (as per the photo), which lasted until 1868. That year facing-colour gauntlet cuffs were introduced, plus a red collar with 2 facing-colour patches at the throat. Collar badges were discretionary, according to regiment. The rest of the army wore a new tunic with red collar and facing-coloured patches, facing-coloured pointed cuffs with white trefoil braid decoration (as per the film Zulu Dawn). Red was replaced by scarlet in 1872 for rank and file (stands out better for being massacred in, don't y' know old chap, what what !)

[OC Richard]

All your lads in the picture appear to be wearing their full dress/levee dress sporrans. These are not necessarily the same as would be worn with daily uniform.

At that time the Highland soldiers were only issued one sporran, the type pictured. It WAS their daily uniform. They did sometimes wear no sporran at all with the kilt, for work details etc. The modern categories of regimental dress such as No1 Dress, No2 Dress, etc did not exist at that time.

Only officers maintained a seperate levee dress, with its own sporran, like these officers of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders c1890:

[Lachlan09]

I always thought it a curious thing that the Argylls' officers sporrans had the normal 6 tassels whilst their levee sporrans had only 5.

Do you recall the feather bonnets situation ? According to various books on the British Army, officers of the Black Watch had 4 fox-tails, the Gordons, Seaforths and Camerons had 5, whilst the Argylls had no less than 6 !

[OC Richard]

Here's another old photo showing the 1856 pattern doublet.

I believe these are members of the 78th Highlanders because of the white sporrans with six black tassels for Other Ranks, Sergeants having white tassels.

[Lachlan09]

Excellent photo !

I think it was taken not too long after the Crimean War, as the double breasted doublet has been replaced by single breasted, but they still have the Crimean beards !

[OC Richard]

Excellent photo !

I think it was taken not too long after the Crimean War, as the double breasted doublet has been replaced by single breasted, but they still have the Crimean beards !

Yes in 1855 the coatee was replaced, in the Highland regiments, by a double-breasted doublet with square buttons like this:



It only lasted a year and was replaced in 1856 by a single-breasted doublet as seen in the photos of the 78th Highlanders above.

That original cuff style was later replaced by the familiar gauntlet cuffs, as seen in the photo of the Argyll officers above.

[Lachlan09]

Great photo ! I recognise him - that's Piper Muir of the 42nd ! Did you notice his doublet is made of 42nd tartan cut on the cross ?

He was one of a number of Crimean War veterans from various regiments, invited after cessation of hostilities to Osborne House, Isle of Wight on Queen Victoria’s invitation and were photographed. Piper Muir was photographed on his own and with 3 comrades, including Colour Serjeant Gardiner, who went on to win the VC during the Indian Mutiny. Another regiment photographed as a group included the 72nd Duke of Albany’s Highlanders (including Serjeant Harper) in their feather bonnets and Prince Charles Edward Stuart trews.

I’ve never seen the 93rd’s photos of the event.