Help to identification (Volunteer Rifles?)

[Odulf]

Gentlemen,

Recenly I added this CdV to my collection (Photographer W.Housley in Bakewell, ca. 1880).

The shako badge looks like a Light Infantry Bugle below a Victorian Crown with a "6" between the cords of the bugle.

Can any of you identify the Regiment/Battalion?

Edited November 14, 2010 by Odulf

[Graham Stewart]

If the location is Bakewell, Derbyshire(?), then you have to be looking at a Rifle Volunteer Corps located in that region. Had I been at home I could have assisted but I don't get back for another couple of days to get to my reference books. However the interesting thing about the photo is that the Corps to which he belongs is dresses in scarlet with a white lace knot on his cuff and collar, whereas among RVC's the most common uniform colour was infact grey(various shades) or dark green, so this does infact narrow the Corps down even more.

[Odulf]

Thanks for your help Graham, I can wait, and indeed, most of he photos of Rifle Volunters show greyish uniforms.

I'm looking forward to your further clues.

[Graham Stewart]

From what I've managed to glean from Ray Westlakes "Directory of Rifle Volunteers", the unit in question appears to be the 6th Buxton Rifle Volunteer Corps, which was absorbed into the 3rd Administrative Battalion, Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers, whose H.Q. was located in Bakewell, Derby. The 3rd Admin Bn, was made up of the following Corps in 1860;-

3rd Chesterfield

6th Buxton

7th Chapel-en-le-Frith

9th Bakewell

11th Matlock

17th Clay Cross

18th Whaley Bridge

21st Hartington

22nd Staveley

The following were added in 1869;-

8th Ashbourne

10th Wirksworth

[Stuart Bates]

According to the 1883 Army List the 1st Derby Volunteer battalion of the Derbyshire Regiment wore a scarlet tunic with white facings. The 2nd Bakewell Volunteer battalion wore scarlet with blue facings.

Stuart

[Odulf]

Thanx a lot gents!

Considering your much valued information, is it correct to conclude that the private in the photo belonges to the 6th Buxton Bn. Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers) and the photo was taken between 1861 and 1880? Or are, regarding the uniform, other dates applicable?

[Stuart Bates]

The facings for the 2nd (Bakewell) Volunteer battalion of the Derbyshire changed to white by 1887 (I don't have the 1886 list).

Stuart

[Stuart Bates]

This is an interesting site and gives a short bio of William Housley http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brett/photos/whousley.html

He may have started photography as early as 1861 but was listed as a photographer in the trade directory of 1870.

Stuart

[Graham Stewart]

Thanx a lot gents!

Considering your much valued information, is it correct to conclude that the private in the photo belonges to the 6th Buxton Bn. Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers) and the photo was taken between 1861 and 1880? Or are, regarding the uniform, other dates applicable?

Not Battalions, but individual Corps, which varied in size. When they were brought together as Administrative Battalions, then County titles were used. So you have the 6th Buxton RVC, 3rd Admin Bn, Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers.

It's not until 1880 that you get the indivdual RVC's becoming companies in the new Volunteer Battalions;-

3rd Admin Bn, Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers becomes 2nd Admin Bn, Derbyshire R.V. in 1880 with 10 companies;-

H.Q. - Bakwell

'A' Coy - Chesterfield

'B' Coy - Chapel-en-le-Frith

'C' Coy - Ashbourne

'D' Coy - Bakewell

'E' Coy - Wirksworth

'F' Coy - Matlock

'G' Coy - Clay Cross

'H' Coy - Whaley Bridge

'I' Coy - Hartington

'K' Coy - Staveley

You'll notice that no Buxton Company is to be found and thats because the 6th Buxton RVC was last seen in 1861, so your photo date's 1860/61.

In 1887 designated as the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Derbyshire Regt.

1889 H.Q moved to Chesterfield

Edited November 19, 2010 by Graham Stewart

[Stuart Bates]

Graham,

you have just cleared up some confusion and contradictions for me as in the 1863 list there is no mention of the 6th Buxton RVC in any Admin Battalion. That list is the earliest applicable that I have.

I have the book Riflemen Form by Ian Beckett and he doesn't mention the 6th Buxton at all. He does however mention the 6th High Peak Rifles, formed 1860, for Derbyshire.

Stuart

[Graham Stewart]

Hi Stuart - You aren't the only one as our Rifle Volunteer phase within the enclave of British Army history is probably one of the most confusing you'll ever come across. I had a similar problem with one of my Northumberland R.V. units as this particular Corps was called one name in one source and another name in a different source.

Not being familiar with Derbyshire's geographical layout, it's more than likely the the 6th High Peaks R.V.C. and the 6th Buxton R.V.C. are one and the same, as if my memory is correct Buxton is the Spa town located in the High Peaks, Derbyshire.