~ c1905 "Rough Riders" City Of London Yeomanry O/R Lancers Uniform ~
The known owner set comprises of the Lancers chapska helmet, tunic and trousers.
~ Chapska ~
The chapska’s skull is made of a ribbed blue wool upper, yellow wool piping and black leather. The front badge is made of gilt brass and bears the regimental badge with the upper banner title "Rough Riders", lower banner title "The City Of London Imperial Yeomanry" and battle honours "South Africa 1900-1902" under the Kings crown.
It comes with its removable horse tail plume above in a gilt brass support.
The chin scale bosses are shaped as lion heads. The chin scales are backed with black leather.
There are four oak gilt brass oak leaf fittings to the upper flat and a hook for the chinscales to the rear.
The interior has a black leather head band and brown silk lining.
No stamps are present.
~ Tunic ~
The mid blue tunic has darker blue cuffs each with two “Rough Riders” buttons.
The collar & shoulders are also dark blue with regimental “RR” collar badges and chain link epaulettes.
The chest is also dark blue with the seven regiment buttons going down either side. Below are a pair of "Fife & McGill London" buttons.
The tail has similar dark blue piping and four "Rough Riders" buttons either side. The inner silk lining is grey and has a label that is stitched onto the collar that reads “27.Maiden Lane, Bedford St, Pipe & McGill Strand W.C.”
~ Trousers~
The navy blue trousers have two dark blue stripes down each leg. The label stitched into the lining reads “W.J.Stannard CLY(R.Rs.) D” being the owners named.
~ Rough Riders ~
The City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders) was a yeomanry regiment of the British Territorial Army, formed in 1901 and amalgamated in 1961.
The City of London Yeomanry had originally been formed in 1900 as the 20th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, and designated for service in the Second Boer War. The battalion's adopted nickname of the "Rough Riders" was taken from the US cavalry regiment that fought in the Spanish-American War. An additional battalion, the 22nd Rough Riders, was then formed in 1901, when the 20th Battalion was disbanded and the new regiment was formed from Boer War veterans. This regiment was retitled the City of London Imperial Yeomanry (Rough Riders), with its headquarters at the Guildhall. The HQ later transferred to Finsbury Square, and the regiment, upon joining the newly established Territorial Force in 1908, was again retitled as the 1st City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders).
~ Dimensions ~
The helmet has a height of 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) without its plume. The plume height itself is 17 inches (43.2 cm). The square sides of the shako top have a length of 7 inches (17.8 cm) and its inner diameter is 9.5 inches (24.1 cm).
The overall length of the tunic is 26.5 inches (67.3 cm) - from the collar to the bottom line of the jacket. The tunic, from armpit to armpit, measures 15 inches (38 cm). The outside sleeve length is 23.5 inches (59.6 cm). The collar diameter is 4 inches (10.1 cm).
The trousers have a waist measuring 17 inches (43.2 cm) across with the legs measuring 41.5 inches (105.4 cm) long on the outside. The inside leg is 31.5 inches (80 cm).
The set weighs 3.255 kg: The Schapka helmet weighs 820 g, the tunic weighs 1.56 kg, the trousers weigh 875 g.
~ Condition ~
The schapka is in very good condition for its age. The woollen part has light moth damage and is lightly faded. The leather parts have general crackling and some light bubbling, all with good stitching. The inner leather band and chin scale backing are tidy. The silk lining is good with three holes. The chin scale rings are complete. The gilding is generally very good with light wear.
The tunic shows no sign of tearing but has some small moth holes.
The trousers are in a similar condition, the button on the upper side of the left leg is a replacement.
An excellent set.
PQAI00
