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Author Topic: Guards bearskin plumes  (Read 895 times)

Offline Sonia Gardener

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Guards bearskin plumes
« on: Friday 03 June 22 09:04 BST (UK) »
Watching the trooping of the colour yesterday I noted that some guards had plumes.  Looking on the internet I understand the different colours refer to different regiments but could not find out why only some had plumes & not others. Please could someone clear this little mystery for me.
Many thanks

Offline Kiltaglassan

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #1 on: Friday 03 June 22 09:31 BST (UK) »

Google is your friend!
Type in 'plumes hackles on bearskins which guards' (without quotes).

Scots Guards have NONE.

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Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

Online KGarrad

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #2 on: Friday 03 June 22 09:43 BST (UK) »
The side the plume is worn on apparently relates to past days and the position a regiment was deployed in corresponding to if they were right, left or centre of the line. The Scots Guards were centre hence no plume.
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)

Offline Sonia Gardener

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #3 on: Friday 03 June 22 09:54 BST (UK) »
I'm so sorry but I do not seem to have asked the question properly.  I understand the plumes significance of the different regiments but not why only a few in each regiment had a plume. Did it signify only a particular rank within the regiment was allowed to where a plume?  Hope this makes it clearer.

Online KGarrad

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #4 on: Friday 03 June 22 10:22 BST (UK) »
The Grenadier Guards and the Welsh Guards wear plumes on the left side.
The Coldstream Guards and the Irish Guards wear plumes on the right side.

Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)

Offline Sonia Gardener

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 04 June 22 12:03 BST (UK) »
Apologies for delay in replying but internet has been down. Thank you for your replies - I've learnt something new & hope it comes up in a pub quiz sometime!
Best wishes
Sonia

Offline suey

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 04 June 22 18:23 BST (UK) »

Jumping in here just to say that they also have different configurations of buttons on their tunics.
Grenadiers single buttons
Coldstream pairs
Scots, three in a row
Irish, four and
Welsh have 5.

All census lookups are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Sussex - Knapp. Nailard. Potten. Coleman. Pomfrey. Carter. Picknell
Greenwich/Woolwich. - Clowting. Davis. Kitts. Ferguson. Lowther. Carvalho. Pressman. Redknap. Argent.
Hertfordshire - Sturgeon. Bird. Rule. Claxton. Taylor. Braggins

Offline Erato

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 04 June 22 18:40 BST (UK) »
"different configurations of buttons"

Isn't it amazing what men will do to signify their status and to make themselves feel special?
Wiltshire:  Banks, Taylor
Somerset:  Duddridge, Richards, Barnard, Pillinger
Gloucestershire:  Barnard, Marsh, Crossman
Bristol:  Banks, Duddridge, Barnard
Down:  Ennis, McGee
Wicklow:  Chapman, Pepper
Wigtownshire:  Logan, Conning
Wisconsin:  Ennis, Chapman, Logan, Ware
Maine:  Ware, Mitchell, Tarr, Davis

Offline jane harrison

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Re: Guards bearskin plumes
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 04 June 22 19:17 BST (UK) »
Back a long time ago the Scots guards had plumes but when the Coldstream Guards won the battle they took the plumes & dipped it into the scots blood hence why the coldstream have red plumes
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