This page is intended to cover the basic organisation and dress of Worcestershire yeomanry and association cavalry from 1794 to the disbandments of 1827-28. It is sadly unbalanced, with nearly all the detail on two corps, while other entries are little better than skeletons. Whatever else I can find will be added as and when. The revived county corps of 1831 may be covered at some later stage; for the Provisional Cavalry, see this page.
Names and dates are largely from Yeomanry lists and parliamentary returns, checked against David Knight’s most useful Directory. Other, specific, references are in the text or noted under each entry. On the whole, the Worcester newspaper reports of the period are rather rhetorical and unhelpful on material details, while nearly all the county’s cavalry are strangely omitted from the 1799 list, and many of their uniform colours are not given in Willson’s 1806 chart. There is the ghost of a hint here that the intention may at first have been for the county’s volunteer cavalry to wear blue faced red, later changed to red faced black, but as yet I’m in no position to substantiate this.
The Worcestershire corps did not always meet the exacting standards of their inspecting officer, who in 1806 remarked for all, a little unfairly, that:
They continue in the same state; but as they never meet, except at Inspections, they cannot improve.
On all their horses he commented:
Of various Sorts, and in general in rough condition … The Horses are constantly changed, for which reason many are awkward and unacquainted with their business.
Photos here of two items have been lifted from the Facebook page of the Worcester Yeomanry Cavalry re-enactment group, and are credited thus; permission hasn’t yet been forthcoming, but has been requested. I’m happy to amend as asked. Click to enlarge all images.
[List of the Officers of the Several Regiments and Corps …, Fifth Edition, War Office, 1797; Sixth Edition, 1799. A List of the Officers of the Militia, the Gentlemen & Yeomanry Cavalry …, Eleventh Edition, War Office, 1805. A List of the Officers of the Militia and of the Yeomanry Cavalry …, War Office, 1820, 1825. Volunteers of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, 1803. Returns Presented to the House of Commons, of the Volunteers Corps, of Cavalry …, 1806. Army: Yeomanry and Volunteers Corps. A Return of the Number of Troops or Corps of Effective Yeomanry … in 1820, House of Commons, 1821. James Willson, A View of the Volunteer Army of Great Britain …, 1806. David J Knight, Directory of Yeomanry Cavalry 1794-1828, Military Historical Society, 2013.]
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Broomsgrove / Bromsgrove Association Troop 1798-1802, Broomsgrove / Bromsgrove Light Horse 1803-1820’s
A single armed association troop under Capt John Adams, commissioned on 23 May 1798. It does not appear in the 1799 list.
On its revival in 1803 it converted to yeomanry. Adams seems to have captained the troop for its entire existence. It was disbanded at some point between 1820 and 1825.
Willson’s chart of 1806 gives the uniform as blue faced yellow, with white legwear and gold officer’s lace. In 1806 the inspecting officer noted the arms and accoutrements as ‘good’, and the clothing as ‘beginning to wear fast’.
Dudley Cavalry Association / Dudley Loyal Cavalry / Loyal Dudley Cavalry / Dudley Loyal Volunteer Cavalry / Dudley Gentlemen & Yeomanry 1798-1802, Dudley Cavalry 1803-28
An initial meeting was held on 13 April 1798, with a view to form a “Corps of Cavalry and Infantry”.
A single troop, under Capt Thomas Dudley, commissioned on 25 July 1798, was raised as part of the Dudley Loyal Association. However, in the 1799 list the troop is given as yeomanry, not as association. In 1803 it was revived under Capt Thomas Brettell (Brittle), commissioned on 11 October 1803. The existence of a second standard (see below) indicates that a second troop was added at some point. The corps was disbanded in 1828.
The initial uniform was recorded by Benson Freeman, as quoted by Smith, from an unnamed document in the Public Record Office:
Blue jacket. Red cloth collar and cuffs. Yellow buttons with the letters ‘D.L.C.’ White leather breeches and helmet cap.
This is confirmed in two visual sources. A portrait, apparently of a Mr R Parsons and dated 1800, has been offered by Roy Precious Fine Art; it has been described as an officer of the Derbyshire Yeomanry, but this is not so, and Dudley seems an accurate fit. Secondly, the entire troop appears, on a small scale, in a painting by Thomas Phillips of the Loyal Association at Dudley Castle on 9 August 1798, kept at Dudley Museum and online at ArtUK. An aquatint print of this was published by Phillips in 1799, and a copy is online with excellent enlargement at the Anne S K Brown collection. However, the etcher’s translation of the original painting is not accurate in every detail.
All these sources show the dark blue jacket as single breasted with two rows of non-functioning yellow metal buttons, a plain red or scarlet collar, cuffs and turnbacks, and opened below, over a white waistcoat – a slightly conservative style for 1798, but possibly derived from the initial dress of the Worcestershire Yeomanry (see below). Gilt shoulder scales are worn, shown in the portrait as on dark blue with a red or scarlet edging, and with a short gold fringe. (This fringe is apparently for other ranks, judging by the portrait; conceivably officers wore bullion fringe.) Buttons are shown in the portrait with ‘DLC’ in script, with no crown, matching Freeman’s note above. Breeches are off white, for leather.
The Tarleton helmet has yellow metal fittings and a red turban, though the Phillips images give the impression of black. Officers’ plumes are white tipped red, and men’s plain white, showing that the portrait is, unusually, that of a private. The right title ribbon reads ‘[CAV]ALRY’. The white shoulder sword belt with white slings has an brass or gilt plate showing a crown over ‘DLC’ in script. The cloaks rolled behind the saddle are red lined in dark blue, the holster flounces are black bearskin, and there is no saddle cloth.
(The Phillips print, from which details are shown above, is faithful to the painting in these details, but the colourist has not used yellow, so that the scales and so forth appear white, misleadingly.)
Willson’s chart of 1806 gives no details for the uniform of that period. In 1806 the inspecting officer noted the arms and accoutrements as ‘good’, and the clothing as ‘beginning to wear fast’. Otherwise the dress of the full quarter century of this formation seems to be invisible, though I speculate unwisely (see standards, below) that it might have been red faced black.
Trumpeter
At the head of the march past in the Phillips images is the troop’s trumpeter in reversed colours – a red or scarlet jacket with dark blue collar and cuffs, and possibly dark blue turnbacks. No lace is visible on the jacket, but he wears shoulder scales, possibly gold. His waistcoat and breeches are white. In place of a helmet he wears a black bearskin cap with a plate at the lower front and a cap cord, both possibly gold. His sword belt is white with an oval plate, and carries a straight sword rather than a curved sabre. The trumpet is of yellow metal, and his mount is a grey horse.
(The print – detail at right – is particularly misleading here, omitting the blue facings, giving the cap two cords but no plate, showing a curved sabre and suggesting a banner on the trumpet.)
Bandsmen
The Phillips painting of 1798 shows the band of the Dudley Loyal Association, infantry included, on foot, but a newspaper of August 1802 refers to the band or ‘music’ of the Dudley Cavalry, which may imply a new and separate organisation.
Standards
On 7 August 1798, pairs of colours, the gift of Lord Dudley, were reportedly presented to the Dudley Cavalry and Infantry Associations by the Hon Mrs Shirley, as proxy for Viscountess Dudley. However, only a single standard for the single troop is shown in Phillips’ painting of the parade two days later; another must have been presented at a later date to a second troop. These two standards are illustrated in black and white and partly described by Williams, who states that they were then (1977) in the keeping of the successor squadron of the Queens Own Mercian Yeomanry. I do not know their current location.
The first is the Royal. At the centre of the crimson field on the obverse is a crowned spray of rose and thistle that appears identical to that on the equivalent standard of the Worcestershire Yeomanry of 1794 (see below), with a blue(?) three-part ribbon inscribed ‘DIEU / ET MON / DROIT’. This is between the inscriptions ‘LOYAL’ and ‘BRAVE’ and above ‘VIGILANT’, all in gold(?) Roman capitals. The corners have the usual gold(?) rococo cartouches, ornamented with little floreate motifs. The first and third contain the white horse of Hanover against a crimson(?) background on a green(?) ground. The second and fourth are inscribed ‘DUDLEY / LOYAL / VC’ in gold(?) on a crimson(?) ground, the first word being slightly arced. The fringe is presumably gold. The standard appears in the Phillips painting and print, but beyond a pinkish crimson field no details are visible.
The second standard is described as grey, so might, I suppose, have faded from black; if so it could imply a later uniform of red faced black, though this is pure speculation. Evidently made by the same hand as the first, the rather oversized central design has a crown above a blue(?) three-part ribbon inscribed ‘REGE / PATRIAEQUAE / FIDELIS’ above the title ‘DUDLEY ● / LOYAL / VOLUNTEER ● / CAVALRY’ in gold(?) Roman capitals, the first and last words arced. This is encircled by a wreath of (I think) oak and acorns. At the sides and below are the same three words as on the Royal standard, while the second and fourth quarters contain a spray of rose and thistle. (If this has no shamrock, which I can’t tell from the photo, the standard must date from before 1801.) The reverse is said to be similar but with the arms of the Ward family replacing the central design.
[Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, 16 April, 13 August 1798. Hereford Journal, 15 August 1798. Staffordshire Advertiser, 21 August 1802. J Robert Williams, ‘The Dudley Loyal Association’, The Blackcountryman, Vol 10, No 4 , 1977. R J Smith, Worcestershire Yeomanry, Ogilby Trusts, 1990.]
Kidderminster Loyal Cavalry Association / Kidderminster Volunteer / Yeomanry Cavalry 1798-1828
In May 1798 the press reported that the Kidderminster armed association was enrolling, and on 30 September the Loyal Cavalry and Infantry Associations assembled, though the troop does not appear in the 1799 list. In 1802 it renewed its service, presumably as yeomanry, under Capt Samuel Steward (Stewart), commissioned on 15 November that year.
Steward was succeeded by Capt Comm Jeston Homfray, commissioned on 16 October 1806, and then by Capt William Boycot / Boycott, commissioned on 19 June 1816. The troop was disbanded in 1828.
Willson’s chart of 1806 gives no uniform details. In 1806 the inspecting officer noted the arms and accoutrements as ‘good’, and the clothing as ‘beginning to wear fast’.
[Salopian Journal May 9 1798. Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, 1 October 1798. Sun, 25 March 1807.]
Kingsnorton / King’s Norton Cavalry 1798-1802, 1803-1828
A meeting to form a corps of infantry or cavalry was held on 16 May 1798, and another to raise ‘a Volunteer Corps of Cavalry’ on the 23rd. The troop does not appear in the 1799 list. On its revival in 1803 it was commanded by Capt Henry Geast / Henry Geast Dugdale, commissioned on 11 October 1803. It was disbanded on 1828.
Willson’s chart of 1806 gives the uniform as red faced black, with white legwear and gold officer’s lace. In 1806 the inspecting officer noted the arms and accoutrements as ‘good’, and the clothing as ‘beginning to wear fast’.
[Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, May 14 1798.]
Stourbridge Loyal Cavalry 1798-1820’s
Scott states that:
Soon after the breaking out of the first French revolutionary war, two troops of volunteer cavalry were raised for the protection of the neighbourhood. The late Hon Edward Foley, MP for the county of Worcester, commanded one of them, to whom T Homfray Esq afterwards succeeded.
Two troops, designated as First and Second, were formed in 1798, but do not appear in the 1799 list. In 1802 the First renewed its service, while the Second stood down but was revived in 1803. At this point the First was commanded by Capt John Addenbrooke, commissioned on 6 November 1802 or 13 September 1803, and the Second by Capt Thomas Homfray, succeeding Foley, and commissioned on 14 September 1803 or 5 May 1806 (sources vary). Both troops were disbanded between 1820 and 1825.
Willson’s chart of 1806 gives the uniform of both troops, unusually, as blue with a black collar and blue cuffs, with white legwear and gold officer’s lace. In 1806 the inspecting officer noted the arms and accoutrements as ‘good’, and the clothing as ‘beginning to wear fast’.
[Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, April 11 1803. William Scott, Stourbridge and its Vicinity …, 1832.]
Wolverley Cavalry 1803-?
Raised in 1803 and commanded by Capt John Knight. Disbanded at some point between 1812 and 1817. The functioning of this troop may have been problematic at times; at the inspection of the county’s cavalry in 1806, the inspecting officer noted caustically that:
Captn Knight being sick, his Officers out of the County, and his Serjt dead, the Troop did not meet for Inspection.
Willson’s chart of 1806 gives no details of uniform.
City of Worcester Troop 1798-1802
This troop was raised in 1798 and disbanded in 1802. It does not appear in the 1799 list and I have found no information about it.
Worcestershire Gentlemen and Yeomanry / Worcester Yeomanry Cavalry 1794-1827
I have not had access to the regimental history by ‘QL’, but have relied on Owen and Smith to retail the important bits. There is much of interest on the Facebook page of the Worcester Yeomanry Cavalry re-enactment group, but I have not included items of their reconstructed dress where an inevitable measure of educated guesswork has been needed.
The first troop was organised in August 1794 and was said to be completely equipped by early November. It was commanded by Capt Hon John Somers (Sommers) Cocks (Somers-Cocks). When a second troop was raised in the summer of 1796, Somers Cocks was commissioned as Major Comm on 3 August. A third troop was raised in 1798, Somers Cocks remaining as Major. In 1802 two of the troops renewed their service, while the third stood down.
In 1803 the third troop was revived, and Somers Cocks was commissioned Lieut Col Comm on 25 October 1803. By 1806 he had acquired the title of Lord Somers. His son Hon John Somers Cocks, subsequently Viscount Eastnor, was commissioned Major Comm in his place on 18 March 1813. (Owen states 1811.) In 1803 the three troops were reported as 150 men strong, and the regiment was maintained as three troops for the rest of its service. It was disbanded in mid-December 1827.
Uniform of 1794
Holden, without giving a source, states that the uniform of 1794 was ‘blue, with scarlet facings, and gold lace’. This would have matched that of the Dudley Cavalry of 1798 (see above). A button that might fit this earlier period has been claimed, but the identification is not proven; it is flat, described as copper, with ‘WYC’ in raised Roman capitals.
Later uniform
Assuming that Holden is correct, the uniform appears to have been changed to red or scarlet, perhaps at some point in the later 1790’s or in 1803. Willson’s chart of 1806 unhelpfully gives no details, and other evidence is unsatisfactory, to put it mildly.
According to ‘QL’, a miniature of Joseph Wesney Lavender, commissioned Captain of the third troop in 1803, was then (1914) in the possession of his grandson, and showed a scarlet jacket with a blue collar and double rows of white lace across the breast. In addition, the lost jacket of Thomas Hudson, cornet in 1803 and later lieutenant, was vaguely recalled as scarlet with a blue or black collar, laced across the breast with gold or silver cord. (‘QL’ also mentions a pattern jacket of 1796, but this was clearly for the Provisional Cavalry.)
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- Wymer in QL – doubtful
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- Owen – more doubtful
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- Museum after Owen
Apparently on these bases, a watercolour for 1794 was worked up for ‘QL’s’ history by Reginald Wymer, showing a jacket with blue facings and silver loops in pairs, two loops each side of the collar, a vague arrangement of horizontal loops on the cuff, silver chain wings, white breeches and a helmet with a white over red feather and blue or black turban. The paired buttons seem an uncertain interpretation of the ’double rows’ of the Lavender portrait, and there is no way of knowing what evidence, if any, was provided to Wymer for the other features introduced.
Wymer’s image was reprised in 1979 for a drawing in Owen, ‘based on surviving evidence’. In this the wings are removed, but there are two new elements: a sort of Austrian knot on the cuff, rather geometrically rendered, and an anomalous post-1812 light dragoon girdle with red stripes (for which see the uniform of 1824, below). This image has been faithfully recreated, girdle and all, to make up a reconstructed figure in the Regimental Museum at Worcester, and Wymer’s version is re-worked, with some improvements, on the back cover of Smith. In short, the very uncertain hints in ‘QL’ have grown, with time and speculation, into an unwarranted solidity – not unusual in uniform studies.
It’s fortunate that an actual helmet survives at the Regimental Museum. This is of a type datable to 1800 and after. It has yellow metal fittings, a worn and faded leopardskin turban with double chains, and bullion tassels on the rear rosette, but is missing its plume. The generic title plates read ‘YEOMANRY’ and ‘CAVALRY’ on a finely hatched ground, and the unit identity is provided by a large brass badge on the right, with the raised design of a crowned Royal cypher over a scroll inscribed in Roman capitals ‘WORCESTERSHIRE’.
[WYC re-enactment group]
A button identified to the corps is shown on the Facebook page of the Worcestershire Yeomanry re-enactment group; it appears to be a half ball in yellow metal, with a raised crown over script ‘WYC’.
One other item may be worth noting in passing, though its connection with the county seems a bit tenuous. In the files for Essex yeomanry of the late Robert J Smith, sold on eBay after his death, was a black and white photo of a period watercolour of an unidentified light cavalryman, captioned ‘Per “W.Y.C.” & G. O. Rickword’. (Rickword was an Essex military historian.) The Facebook page of the Worcester Yeomanry re-enactment group notes this as ‘possibly one of the few correct depictions of a member of the WYC around 1797’. The helmet badge is approximately the same shape as that shown above, but otherwise I’m not sure of the basis for the re-attribution to Worcestershire, unless the initials “WYC” are significant. The short jacket has three rows of small buttons laced across with eyes at the outer rows, chain wings and darker collar and cuffs. The collar is not visible but the two lines of lace on the cuff appear similar to that on the 1824 uniform (see below). There appears to be lace on the rear side seams and some ornamentation at the lower rear waist and side pocket. It’s an interesting image but its relevance remains to be proved.
In 1806 an inspecting officer rated the regiment’s arms and accoutrements as ‘good’, and its clothing as ‘beginning to wear fast’. At the 1809 inspection it was reported that ‘Many members were obliged to appear on the ground dismounted, in consequence of a distemper which is very prevalent among the horses at this moment.’
Uniform of 1824
In 1824 the Tarleton helmet was at last replaced by a modern shako. The laced light dragoon jacket may still have been worn up to this point, though it seems likely that trousers or overalls would already have replaced breeches or pantaloons.
The officer’s new uniform, or at least an initial version of it, is helpfully shown in a neat watercolour in the Anne S K Brown collection by an anonymous artist, captioned ‘New Uniform of Wor:re Yeo:ry Cav:ry’. (It is dated by the collection to 1840, but this is clearly wrong.) The scarlet jacket is in the updated light dragoon cut first introduced to the army in 1812, with black collar, cuffs and turnbacks, but with scarlet lapels. Collar and cuffs are edged with two lines of gold lace, the upper line on the cuff forming a trefoil at the point, the lower line forming an eye. The buttons are gilt and gold epaulettes are worn. The overalls, cut in the fashionable ‘cossack’ style, are a light bluish grey, with double scarlet seam stripes, and strapped under the boot.
The cap has a black body, a gold lace band, gilt chin scales, gold lines ending in acorns, and a falling red and white horsehair plume, but apparently has no insignia at the front, which may be an oversight. The light dragoon girdle is of gold lace with two black stripes. White gloves are worn. The pouch belt is white, the waist sword belt black, with gilt fittings and a lion’s head clasp, the sabretache plain black leather and the sword knot white with a gold and black tassel.
A button identified to the corps that might relate to this period is flattish, gilt, with the incised design of a crown over script ‘WY’.
Smith, apparently working from ‘QL’, describes briefly what may have been the men’s cap, which is said to have had a lace band, chin scales, an ‘encrowned boss’ on the front, and a shortish upright white over scarlet plume. ‘QL’ gives the men’s girdle as yellow with red stripes, confirms the introduction of sabretaches at this point, and notes that by now twelve carbines had been issued per troop, attached to swivels on the pouch belts.
A newspaper report of the 1825 annual training commented that ‘The appearance of the Corps is much improved by the new uniform’.
The regiment was disbanded before the end of 1827, and by late December the ‘accoutrements, &c’ of the disbanded corps had been delivered to the Ordnance store, ‘except the cap and plume, jacket, pantaloons, and girdle, which are to be retained by the members …’
(‘Pantaloons’ here must have the sense of trousers or overalls.) Also excepted were the sets of horse furniture, accoutrements purchased by the corps, and some surplus caps. On 11 February 1828 these were sold by auction at the regimental depot in Worcester, the advertisement detailing:
… about 140 Saddles with Bridles, Breast Plates, Circingles, Head Collars, Saddle Bags and Straps, complete …; 140 pair of Holsters, 60 Bear Skin Flounces, 130 Leather Pouches and Belts, 150 Sabre Taches and Buff Slings, 12 Chacoos, or Caps, with Covers, 5 pair of Pistols, 120 Buff Slings, quantity of Iron Ramrods, &c. &c.
This list indicates that the men’s pouch belts, waist belts and sabretache slings were then of whitened buff leather. Note also the bearskin flounces and the foul weather cap covers. The sabretaches were presumably of plain black leather as shown above.
Standards
A standard was presented to the first troop by Lady Somers on 20 April 1795, and another at some later point. These standards were carried until disbandment; on 17 December 1827 they were presented to Earl Somers at Eastnor castle by a small deputation from the regiment, and placed in the hall there. The ceremony was witnessed by Countess Somers, Lady Margaret Cocks and ‘a small party of fashionables’. These standards were not brought out of retirement; when the regiment was revived in 1831 new standards were presented, and again in 1863.
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- [All WYC re-enactment group]
At least one standard has survived, judging by photos of the obverse put online by the Worcester Yeomanry re-enactment group, though its location is not given. It appears to be a Royal standard, so is presumably that of 1795. Two photos show it in a deteriorated condition, with the lower left area missing, and a third with the missing portion apparently patched. The field is crimson silk, though it appears red in one image. At the centre of the embroidered design is a crowned Union spray combining a white rose with a red centre and a thistle; the absence of a shamrock dates this to before 1801. Across the stem is a narrow tripartite ribbon, in blue edged in gold, inscribed ‘DIEU / ET MON / DROIT’ in black Roman capitals. The corners have the usual rococo cartouche frames in gold, the first and third with the white horse of Hanover on a green ground against a crimson background, and the second and forth with the initials ‘W / Y ● C’ in gold Roman capitals on a crimson ground. The fringe is gold, and the cords and tassels appear to be crimson and gold mixed.
[Morning Post, 4 October 1825. Globe, 22 December 1827. Birmingham Journal, 22 December 1827. Hereford Journal, 26 December 1827. Worcester Journal, 30 March 1809, 31 January, 7 February 1828. Robert Mackenzie Holden, Historical Record of the Third and Fourth Battalions of the Worcestershire Regiment, London, 1887. ‘QL’, The Yeomanry Cavalry of Worcestershire 1794-1913, 1914. Brian R Owen, The Worcestershire Yeomanry Cavalry, Museum of the Worcestershire Yeomanry Cavalry, 1979. R J Smith, Worcestershire Yeomanry, Ogilby Trusts, 1990.]
This Re-illuminated School of Mars 