Photo from Co. Down in Northern Ireland - Unidentified Uniform

[Christopher]

Hiya Prue,

I have looked at a driving whip site. I tend to agree with your theory. The guy is holding a whip.
www.usg-reitsport.de/start/index.php?lang=en&sysub=1.2.23.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0&CAT_ID=86 -

All the Best,

Chris

[PrueM]

you're getting much too technical with your file names Prue 

unknown-soldier-pointy-hat.jpg

Yes, I know   

There comes a point where one can't be bothered giving clever coded and indexed file names anymore - and I've reached that point well and truly!!

[PrueM]

Hiya Prue,

I have looked at a driving whip site. I tend to agree with your theory. The guy is holding a whip.
www.usg-reitsport.de/start/index.php?lang=en&sysub=1.2.23.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0&CAT_ID=86

CHeers Chris - maybe it's just for show, and he was in a regiment/unit/whatever the technical name is that involved riding, but he didn't have a whip.  The photographer thought he should have one as a prop for the picture, but didn't have a riding one, so gave him a driving one??  Who knows!

As far as being in a mounted regiment, he is wearing spurs and I would have thought that was significant...

Cheers
Prue

[OzKat]

I have looked at a driving whip site. I tend to agree with your theory. The guy is holding a whip.
www.usg-reitsport.de/start/index.php?lang=en&sysub=1.2.23.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0&CAT_ID=86 -

More and more intriguing. I had a look at the site that Chris suggested and to me it looks more like a schooling whip with the short kink at the end. I'd love to be able to work out what the crest on the thick end is though.

It's all mysterious as I don't have any record of anyone in that family having anything to do with the military. Not that I know very much about the family at all. He does bear a bit of a resemblance to my great grandfather Hugh Morrison but as far as I know he was a shoemaker.  But there were two brothers - one of whom I thought may have died in infancy and another who had a nervous breakdown of sorts and ended up in an asylum.

Is it just vaguely possible that it is a complete dressup and the person had nothing to do with the military at all just wanted to look like he did - or didn't things like that happen? If you were going to be formally photographed wouldn't you have worn a dress uniform?

If he is a corporal in the army or in some cavalry unit, were there any based in Cty Down or drawing personnel from Cty Down as I am not aware of any of my lot stirring far from Dromore except for my grandmother and her uncle - the one I mentioned above who ended up in an asylum.

Kath

[glesgaguy2]

Hate to put a dampener on this, but it does look like a "setup" photograph, there's no military insignia showing whatsoever (collar badges/ shoulder badges or helmet badge)

Any military man would be sure that his helmet faced front on for a photo, it's just not right to have it facing backwards.

Just my opinion though.

[harribobs]

the helmet is facing forward, any detail of the badge has been 'burnt out' in the photo

[atom12]

It does not look like a set-up photo at all.  For a start the uniform fits him properly.  The soldier  is wearing  a blue patrol jacket which could be termed as 'undress' uniform, ie, for walking out, it would not have any embellishments, other than a badge of rank.   He looks like a cavalryman, probably serving in India or some other sunny clime.  He is carrying a cavalryman's whip.

Pity about the badge being burnt out on the photo. 

[atom12]

The Date?

So I would look at 1895-1905. What does everyone else think?

Agree with Rod on the dating of the photo; the stripe down his trouser appears to be either white or pale yellow.  Could well be in the Dragoons, thus still a cavalryman, possibly Irish Dragoons!