identify old uniform

[jim1]

Agree it's 1860's but to have any chance we need to know where in the world it was taken.

[joemc]

I have asked poster for more information, if they have any, it's from an old photo album and they don't have a name, that much I do know

Thanks for all input, hopefully I will get more information

[SiGr]

For what it is worth, if this proves to be (a) a military person and (b) the unit can be identified (from the number on the cap) and (c) given the senior rank of the person, and finally (d) a bracket for the date, then it would limit the number of possible people to a pretty narrow field. If it is an army person then the Army List of the time would name all people who held that rank in that unit over time. If this is a police officer or other government official, then I am afraid I am clueless.

[jim1]

The 96th. Regt. of Foot spent most of the 1860's overseas.
The uniform looks more pseudo-military, the felt cap doesn't
look British Army to me.
Possibly Militia but who's.

[joemc]

Hi all. I persuaded the person who was asking about photo to remove from album
.."I got it out without damaging it thankfully.It was photographed by hospital -sergeant W.N. Woodmansee, 96th Regiment. A name to google!"

Haven't checked the name yet.but should be straight forward from here hopefully

[joemc]

Found this then in old forum from 2000:

my great grandfather william newton woodmansee was a hospital sergeant in the 96th regiment of foot in the garrison of kieskama hoek in south africa in 1864 married to emma jane where I think my grandfather arthur ernest was born but I cannot find any more info,perhaps somebody out there in the U.S. who has tried to make links with the U.K.can help as you must know the name is derived from the village of woodmansee in the east riding of yorkshire and has recorded links with the earl of essex when a james woodmansee one of his supporters fled to america for his life,
so I beleive somewhere there must be a link to a woodmansee doing research in the U.S. I hope this is so, and would very much like to hear from them,
looking foreward to a reply
best regards, David Woodmansee

So that seem difnitive as regards identify, thanks all for help

[Treetotal]

Thanks for the update Joe, great news.
Carol

[SiGr]

The Wodmansee detail is very helpful. If you go to Wikipedia and look for '96th Regiment of Foot' this states that they "deployed to the Cape of Good Hope in 1863 and then travelled to India in 1865". This was the period of the 'Second Ashanti War'. So, presumably this dates your photo to that location and time span. Also, Hart's Army List of 1865 provides detail on the officers at that time. If you go to: https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/104600846 this should take you to page 424 - the page for the '96th Regiment of Foot'. Note in the top right it records them being based in the Cape of Good Hope (with their home depot being Belfast). Assuming we have things correct, it is likely your photo is of one of the Colonels/Lieutenant-Colonels or Majors recorded at the top of the page. I am uncertain of the rank because I believe in Victorian times officers ranks were not consistent in the way that a crown and 'pip' today are specifically the insignia of a Lieutenant-Colonel. If you ask on the Armed Forces board what the rank insignia of a crown and 'pip' meant in 1865 that would narrow it to one of the Col/Lt-Col/Maj options so making an identification easier.

[SiGr]

One last point: if you go to: http://www.victorianstrollers.co.uk/stevesuniforms/ranks.html
this illustrates officers' rank insignia in the period 1856-1867. Assuming it is correct, a crown and 'pip' on the collar could mean either a Captain or a Colonel depending on the amount of braid on the cuff. Talk about confusing !  So, maybe modify my earlier post to narrow the options to a Colonel or a Captain.