RoyalScotsVols
Member
The 1st Administrative Battalion Haddingtonshire Rifle Volunteers was formed on 19th August 1860 in Haddington (a town in East Lothian outside of Edinburgh) which included 7 corps spread between Haddington and the surrounding towns. The county raised a general subscription to provide for the necessities of the battalion and this raised over £1,000 in the first two years of its existence.
The first uniform of the Haddington corps was very plain in Elcho grey, without facings and brown belts but about 1861 this changed to grey tunics with magenta cuffs and collars with a black Austrian knot, grey trousers with a magenta stripe and grey shakos with a magenta ball-tuft and badge showing a goat and thistle. In February 1864 the battalion adopted the rifle-green uniform with scarlet cuffs, collars and piping, shakos with a black ball-tuft and black belts.
In April 1880 the battalion was consolidated as the 1st Haddingtonshire Rifle Volunteers with headquarters in Haddington and 6 companies spread between Haddington, Aberlady, East Linton, West Barns and North Berwick. Also at this time the shakos were replaced by helmets with a large Maltese cross helmet plate and the uniform cuffs were changed to dark green with red piping, black lace and a light green Austrian knot. The helmet pictured below is from my collection and closely resembles the style of regular and other rifle volunteer units including darkened fittings and the 'roped' pattern of chinchain links. In 1895 the helmets were replaced by Astrakhan fur busbies with red and black plumes.
In April 1888 the title of 7th Volunteer Battalion Royal Scots was conferred upon the battalion but it was not until January 1904 that the dress of the Royal Scots was assumed by it and then only in the shape of the drab service doublet worn with Hunting Stewart tartan trews, glengarries with red, white and blue diced border and brown leather equipment. A representation of some of these uniforms is also attached below.
The first uniform of the Haddington corps was very plain in Elcho grey, without facings and brown belts but about 1861 this changed to grey tunics with magenta cuffs and collars with a black Austrian knot, grey trousers with a magenta stripe and grey shakos with a magenta ball-tuft and badge showing a goat and thistle. In February 1864 the battalion adopted the rifle-green uniform with scarlet cuffs, collars and piping, shakos with a black ball-tuft and black belts.
In April 1880 the battalion was consolidated as the 1st Haddingtonshire Rifle Volunteers with headquarters in Haddington and 6 companies spread between Haddington, Aberlady, East Linton, West Barns and North Berwick. Also at this time the shakos were replaced by helmets with a large Maltese cross helmet plate and the uniform cuffs were changed to dark green with red piping, black lace and a light green Austrian knot. The helmet pictured below is from my collection and closely resembles the style of regular and other rifle volunteer units including darkened fittings and the 'roped' pattern of chinchain links. In 1895 the helmets were replaced by Astrakhan fur busbies with red and black plumes.
In April 1888 the title of 7th Volunteer Battalion Royal Scots was conferred upon the battalion but it was not until January 1904 that the dress of the Royal Scots was assumed by it and then only in the shape of the drab service doublet worn with Hunting Stewart tartan trews, glengarries with red, white and blue diced border and brown leather equipment. A representation of some of these uniforms is also attached below.
