tartan of the Royal Glasgow Volunteers

[OC Richard]

Easily the most well-known bagpipe maker is Peter Henderson (1851-1902).

I've only seen one image of him- this painting.

His uniform is curious, with its Hodden Grey doublet with Royal Blue facings, and russet leather belts, much like those worn by The London Scottish but with tartan kilt and plaid.

He's said to have been the Pipe Major of the "83rd Royal Glasgow Volunteers" but Googling hasn't turned up such a unit.

The well-known Glasgow Highlanders, a Volunteer Battalion, wore uniforms similar to The Black Watch.

Does anyone know what tartan this might have been?

[figheadair]

Easily the most well-known bagpipe maker is Peter Henderson (1851-1902).

I've only seen one image of him- this painting.

His uniform is curious, with its Hodden Grey doublet with Royal Blue facings, and russet leather belts, much like those worn by The London Scottish but with tartan kilt and plaid.

He's said to have been the Pipe Major of the "83rd Royal Glasgow Volunteers" but Googling hasn't turned up such a unit.

The well-known Glasgow Highlanders, a Volunteer Battalion, wore uniforms similar to The Black Watch.

Does anyone know what tartan this might have been?

Richard,

Someone has conflated the 83rd, Glasgow Volunteers and Peter Henderson.

As with many British Infantry Regiments, the regimental number was reused, several times in the case of the 83rd.

• 83rd Regiment of Foot 1758–1763
  
• 83rd (Royal Glasgow Volunteers) Regiment of Foot 1778–1783
  
• 83rd (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) Regiment of Foot 1793–1794
  Raised as 83rd Foot in 1793, renumbered 81st in same year of disbandment of existing 81st and 82nd Regiments.
  
• 83rd Regiment of Foot 1794–1859
  
• 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot 1859–1881

Is the artist of date of this painting known?

Peter Henderson was not ever born by the time that the 83rd (Royal Glasgow Volunteers) was disbanded. There were a number of so-called Glasgow Volunteer Battalions c1860-1908, several of which were later renumbered. The 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers Battalion are a possible contender. They became the 5th Bn Cameronians who wore Douglas. That would be my guess as the tartan.

[Highland Logan]

http://schoolofpiping.com/photo_albu...ars/index.html

[OC Richard]

http://schoolofpiping.com/photo_albu...ars/index.html

Hah! There's a photo I took there.

[OC Richard]

Richard,

Someone has conflated the 83rd, Glasgow Volunteers and Peter Henderson.

...83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot 1859–1881...

The 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers Battalion are a possible contender. They became the 5th Bn Cameronians who wore Douglas. That would be my guess as the tartan.

Thanks so much!

It's one of those things where somebody puts something in print and it's endlessly repeated by people who haven't checked the facts.

Pretty much every article or mention of Peter Henderson states he was Pipe Major of the 83rd Royal Glasgow Volunteers, or some shortened form of that title.

Highland Bagpipe Makers, a quite well-researched book in most regards, says

In 1884 Peter Henderson was the Pipe Major of the Glasgow Volunteers and in that year he won the March competition at The Northern Meeting.

I'm sure you're right about the 1st Lanarkshire and the Douglas tartan.

As you well know it was very common for Volunteer units to wear grey doublets, sometimes entirely grey outfits.

That painting is said to be in the collection of National Museums Scotland.

[figheadair]

That painting is said to be in the collection of National Museums Scotland.

Not the NMS, it's in the Glasgow Museum. Males sense given the Glasgow connection.

[OC Richard]

Here's the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers.

Elcho Grey/Hodden Grey uniforms. The facings are said to be blue, though they appear black here.

No tartan except for the pipers evidently.

[figheadair]

Here's the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers.

Elcho Grey/Hodden Grey uniforms. The facings are said to be blue, though they appear black here.

No tartan except for the pipers evidently.

And according to Grierson, "Brass bands were abolished in the battalion in 1883, and a band of thirty pipers, besides
drummers, formed, the pipers wearing green doublets, Sutherland kilt, Boyal Stuart shoulder - plaid, and plain glengarries with blackcock's tail.

Clearly, Henderson is not wearing either Sutherland or Royal Stewart tartan, nor a green doublet and so, the picture does not seem to show the 1st LRV. However, the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Scottish Rifles did wear Douglas, so he possibly served with them.