The uniform introduced after 1884 is well shown in this photo of 2nd Lieutenant Henry Albert Barclay who was commissioned into the Hampshire Carabiniers on 8 June 1889. He wears the first pattern of the dragoon helmet which is of silver metal and has a gilt spike. There was no plume on the helmet until the mid 1890s.
As he is in parade order he wears the first pattern tunic worn until c1897 when the tunic with white facings replaced it. It is all blue with silver lace and braid. The fact that he has two rows of lace on his cuff shows that there was no difference between the tunics of subalterns and captains. Field officers had more elaborate braiding and broad lace. The lace pattern is hard to discern but is more distinct on the right sleeve. A single line of braid traces the top and bottom, with a small loop on the lower braid and a trefoil on the upper.
The back of the tunic had white piping following the seams and the back of the sleeves. Just visible behind his left arm is a four-inch vent on the hip which is lined with white as are the hem and front edge of the tunic. The five buttons down the front fasten the tunic to the waist, and hooks and eyes fasten the stand collar. This is laced all around, and the blue space in between is concealed by silver braid. The shoulder straps are also edged in silver lace with a device in the middle. Up until 1902 second lieutenants did not have a rank badge, so although this looks like a rank star, it is probably not.
The pouch-belt is made of buff morocco leather and covered with gold lace that has a white silk train in the middle. The chains, pickers and plates are silver, as is the pouch cover on the back. His sword is slung from a hidden webbing waist-belt, but the slings are of similar pattern to the pouch-belt although narrower. The sword knot is gold and crimson. The breeches are blue with a double silver lace stripe down the outside. The boots are hussar-style Hessian knee boots with a notch in the front.
We are grateful to Humphrey Barclay (relative of Henry Albert) for supplying the photo.
