My British Headdress Collection **RECOMMENDED**

[nesredep]

Hi!

Very nice Collection You showing.:jumping:

Morten.

[Adrob]

SPEACHLESS !!!

Fantastic collection! Thank you for posting close ups!

[JimZ]

Some really breathtaking stuff Stuart and such a lovely display.

I however have a question for you as it does not appear your shelves have glass doors.

How do you keep the feathery, furry and felt ones dust-free?

[Stuart Bates]

Jim,

I certainly regret not having glass doors fitted but fortunately I don't seem to suffer moths, silverfish etc. here. Dust can be a problem and I have both an air-purifier and a dehumidifier to combat those aspects.

I bought a clothes brush from a gentleman's outfitters and give them a light dust every 3 months or so.

Stuart

Edited June 3, 2011 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

Further to my post #107 of the ADC's Wolseley I have finally received the brass name plate for the transit/storage tin. It reads Capt. R.W.L. Lindsay, Grenadier Guards.

I have tracked him in the army but could find nothing on his being an ADC. I will contact the Western Australian Government on Monday. But here is what I have found to date.

• Promoted Lt 29^th January 1931 Grenadier Guards

• London Gazette 9^th June 1931 granted local rank of Captain whilst employed in the Trans-Jordon Frontier Force 27^th April 1931.

• London Gazette 12^th June 1931 seconded for service under the Colonial office 27^th April 1931

• Relinquishes local rank of Captain in the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force 27^th April 1934

• Restored to the Regular Army Establishment 27^th April 1934.

• Promoted Captain 22^nd February 1936, 3^rd Battalion Grenadier Guards

• Retires with a gratuity 3^rd July 1937

• The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879-1954) Tuesday 17 May 1938 p 13 Article - PASSENGERS BY OTRANTO. The following passengers Joined the Orient mailboat Otranto. which sailed from Fremantle for London via ports, yesterday evening:—Dr. J . Hammond; Captain R. W. L. Lindsay;

• Promoted Bt. Maj. 22^nd December 1944.

• Having attained the age limit of liability to recall ceases to belong to the Reserve of Officers 18^th August 1955

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

I spoke to the fellow who actually removed the name plate and the paper label to the interior of the helmet and came up with some additional information on R.W.L. Lindsay as follows -

Major Robert William Ludovic Lindsay (18 August 1905 – 6 September 2000) was educated at Eton College, Eton, Berkshire, England. He was educated at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. He gained the rank of Captain between 1931 and 1934 in the service of the Trans-Jordan Expeditionary Force. He gained the rank of Major in the service of the Grenadier Guards. He fought in the Second World War. He held the office of Member of the House of Representatives (M.H.R.) [Australia] between 1954 and 1966, for Flinders. He was invested as a Officer, Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in 1971.

I was told that he was the ADC to a Western Australian Governor but have yet to establish which one. To that end I have written to Government House in W.A. I was also told that he was Minister of Defence in the Menzies government but have not been able to establish that - maybe he was a Parliamentary Secretary.

I trust that there is more to come.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

I am having trouble locating suitable brass rivets to re-affix the name plate to the tin but in the interim have used brass split pins as below.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

One of my latest additions. A Blue Cloth to the North Staffordshire Regiment. It comes with matching storage/transit tin and the helmet also contains a paper label with the corresponding officer's name.

It belonged to Lt. R.N.K. Colville 4th Battalion of the North Staffords. He was commissioned between 1906 and 1910 as he was promoted to Lieutenant on 15th August 1910 and held that rank in 1917. He does not appear in the 1918 Army List.

Stuart

Edited July 8, 2011 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

The helmet plate showing the King's Crown and the Prince of Wales' plumes.

Stuart

Edited July 8, 2011 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

I also received this week a Royal Artillery Volunteers blue cloth with spike rather than cup and ball. The spike was worn from 1878 to 1881.

Neither the tin nor the helmet have a name attributed.

Stuart

Edited July 8, 2011 by Stuart Bates

[Stuart Bates]

The helmet plate which is of the General Pattern and has a laurel spray in place of UBIQUE on the scroll above the cannon.

Stuart

Edited July 8, 2011 by Stuart Bates

[Cathey]

Hi Stuart

Two very nice looking bluecloths glad they arrived in one piece.Must be almost time to build a new display case to house them.

cheers rex

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Stuart,

You must be "over the moon" about now with the addition of thses great specimens to your collection.

Regards

Brian

[peter monahan]

Hello Stuart,

You must be "over the moon" about now with the addition of thses great specimens to your collection.

Regards

Brian

Wow! what a lovely collection, indeed. Every time I see one of your posts I remember why I once thought nothing of spending the rent money on a 'tatty old hat'.

Kidding, actually but on occasion I do have to remind myself that envy is one of the Seven Deadlies. I hope they give you as much pleasure owning them as they do some of the rest of us viewing them. I'm with Brian: thanks for sharing.

Peter

[servicepub]

Stuart,

I don't know why you bother with these old hats when there are a thousand shops willing to sell you new hats at a fraction of the price. Do yourself a favour and pack up these dirty old things and send them to me. I'll cover the postage.

:whistle:

[pjac]

Just bumping this back up the listings, because it's far too good a collection to get lost in the bowels of the forum!

Patrick

[15THPACAV]

Wow! I used to believe that a late close friend of mine had a great headgear collection, primarily British, with some Imperial German, but it pales in comparison to this oustanding display.

To say that I am extremely impressed ( and more than a bit envious!) is an understatement. My congratulations.

[Stuart Bates]

Here is a pillbox cap to the 11th Hussars of the Charge of the Light Brigade fame.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

And a lovely forage cap to a volunteer battalion of the South Wales Borderers.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

Here is a rather nice "cheesecutter" style forage cap to the Staffordshire Yeomanry. It is the first of this style that I have been able to get. I do not know from where the term "cheesecutter" is derived but would be interested if anyone can shed some light.

This cap is unusual in that it has gold lace/braid rather than silver but has been verified by the Regimental Museum. The figuring to the top is that of the 14th Hussars.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

The Staffordshire Yeomanry top figuring.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

Here is the latest addition. A Colonial Pattern foreign service helmet to the Victorian Military Forces c1893. Actually, it can't be called a foreign service helmet because it was worn on home service. This officer's helmet is covered in very fine Melton cloth, sometimes referred to as doeskin.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

A pillbox cap to the Royal Berkshire Yeomanry complete with storage/transit tin. The figuring to the top is that of the 15th Hussars.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

The latest - a forage cap to a Volunteer battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. It is unusual in being of blue cloth rather than the regulation L.I. green but since two are (were) on the market I decided to go for it. The other one is described as being of a lighter blue than normal and, although cheaper, is not as good a quality as this one.

I also wondered about the white braid above the oak-leaf lace and the white button but concluded that it was OK.

These forage caps were discontinued for Light Infantry sometime between 1894 and 1900.

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

Another forage cap. This one to the Royal Fusiliers. The badge features the Imperial Crown of Queen Victoria.

Stuart