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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: fillupe on Saturday 16 August 08 22:31 BST (UK)

Title: Class of Uniform
Post by: fillupe on Saturday 16 August 08 22:31 BST (UK)

I need assistance identifying the class of uniform worn by my Great Uncle John O'Sullivan. I believe the photograph dates to 1870-1880. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Regards
Philip

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: John Young on Tuesday 19 August 08 19:52 BST (UK)

Philip,

Hard to tell from the reproduction, can you get a close-up on the buttons?

Isandlwana

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: fillupe on Wednesday 20 August 08 02:07 BST (UK)

Isandlwana - The original is only 2 1/2 X 1 7/8. I've magged it up on the scanner to 1200 dpi, more looks like less! The photo was printed at a studio in Limerick, so one might guess he may have been with the police department? The lanyard going between the two buttons is curious.

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: Christopher on Friday 22 August 08 06:47 BST (UK)

Would it be a Royal Irish Constabulary uniform ???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Irish_Constabulary

Does anyone have a copy of Ripley Howard's book ...

"Police Forces of Great Britain and Ireland - Their Amalgamations and Their Buttons."

It was published in 1983 by R. Hazell, Henley-on-Thames.

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: fillupe on Friday 22 August 08 17:56 BST (UK)

Christopher - Thanks for the suggestion, hopefully some reader will have the book and be able to make the identification. I've done a search for the book, it's not readably available . . .

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: beady on Friday 22 August 08 19:04 BST (UK)

The lanyard could be for the whistle the plods carried

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: Christopher on Friday 22 August 08 19:37 BST (UK)

Quote from: beady on Friday 22 August 08 19:04 BST (UK)

The lanyard could be for the whistle the plods carried

I wondered about that but would a whistle fit through a button hole ???

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: beady on Saturday 23 August 08 14:46 BST (UK)

I wondered about that but would a whistle fit through a button hole ???

Quote

Perhaps the button has to be undone to get to the whistle, and the lanyard is looped though the two button holes then through itself so it cannot be dropped.
Later when they had breast pockets the lanyard was was looped across and the whistle placed in the breast pocket.

Title: Re: Class of Uniform
Post by: fillupe on Wednesday 03 September 08 05:23 BST (UK)

I just found this photo posted on 'Flickr'. It's of one Jason Price (c.1870) in his Royal Irish Constabulary's uniform. The buttons are probably very similar in design to the R.I.C.'s attached emblem. So Christopher I believe your correct, the uniforms look very similar. Thanks for your keen eye . . .