It is difficult to give a precise date to this early photo of a Hampshire Yeoman as this pattern of uniform was worn 24 years from c1860 to 1884. Previously the uniform was more hussar style but this is light dragoon uniform. The blue jacket is waist length with the same colour for the facings, and white lace and frogging across the chest. The front is fastened with hooks and eyes but there are olivet buttons to link the five rows of white cord. The drops on the end of the cords do not have caps as on the hussar tunic, but later versions of the jacket do have caps. My dating of the picture is early rather than late because of the small figure 8 in the middle of each cord row and because of the lack of caps. The figure 8 became larger later on. The pointed cuffs are decorated with white lace traced with white braid. The collar is edged all around with white lace leaving a narrow strip of blue, which is covered by the cap lines.
The shako is the main distinction of the Hampshire Yeomanry uniform of this period. It is styled in a similar way to the infantry shako or kepi that was worn from 1861 to 1878. It is four inches high at the front but 5.5 inches high at the back. There is no badge on the front, presumably because the white drooping plume covers the front, and a badge would not be seen. White cap-lines fall down at the back and loop around the neck.
The sword is slung from a white waist-belt and has a white leather sword knot. The private has short white gloves and his trousers are blue with a white double stripe. Leathered ankles and inside leg were not worn as in the regular cavalry at this time. He has a white leather pouch-belt that supports a black leather pouch for ammunition on his back.
