sadly, what you can't see clearly either is that to the left of the lads there are tents - obviously an encampment of some sort - there is also over to the right another chap in uniform with a Shako headdress just climbing the camp towards the group. Not sure that they would have in the 1880's 'pretended' that this was a cosha Military camp for these lads??

Theres nothing "sad" about it, and if I can be polite whilst querying things which I don't understand, I feel that you might make the effort too.
l don't see that the shako and the tents necessarily indicate "military", and I don't see obvious dicing on the glengarrys in either posting of the image.
It may be that the dicing is there - but I don't see it.
As I've said - I may be wrong.

So you agree the headdress is Glengarry?

Apologies, I misinterpreted your use of "sadly".
I know little of the subject, but I am aware that boys and staff in such institutions might wear uniform that relates to the institution rather than the military.

They had an institutional uniform - it's not this. The guy standing with the white beard is as far as I know nothing to do with the home, these lads or the Institution. I was told that he is Militia. This is a special outfit that they have obviously been given for a day out to what I interpreted as a Military camp visitation.

Thanks for the info - I shall continue to ponder.....

Hi Shirley,
I hope this helps you an others see the detail in the photograph clearer.

I have Kodak filtered the photograph and enlarged the centre section, which I think it now clearly illustrated the boys are wearing Glengarry's and the soldier in the centre the French Style Shako with the appropriate style shako plate.

There are still questions to be answered so good luck with your research, which is the fun bit.

Kind regards
Hiram

Good work on the photo, I'm still not seeing a diced band on the glengarry though.

Thank you Hiram - I tried desperately to get a larger clearer picture on to here last night but failed. It really doesn't matter to me if these are true uniforms for these boys. But I now have the answer to the fact that they are indeed 'mini me's' to someone/something which really was the secondary thing - that they had a nice day out at a camp with some 'old soldiers' - as the guy with the white beard doesn't look to me like he has seen active service for some time. That the lads headress now has a name and more importantly that the 'old Soldier' also has a name for his style of headdress too. Thank you for sticking with me Hiram and taking my zero knowledge to a bit higher level with your interest and persistence in helping me out. Much appreciated. Someone took the time to make/find those headdresses for those boys as with the uniform for their special day out, who knows they may have spent a few days there under canvas?? but yes, you are right - would be nice to know so much more about the reasons and if I find that a newspaper has reported their excursion for this time period then I will come back and report.

Thank you Shirley,
I enjoyed the research, there is one other thing you could do with the photograph since you have the original. 'My Heritage' a family tree research site has a free appt or program that lets you place a B&W photograph on it and it scans it into colour, its not perfect but it does bring out some interesting features, so its worth a try, for instance we are assuming that the boys jackets and trousers are dark blue, also the old soldiers, however, they could well be scarlet as that was the colour of the soldiers tunics at the time.

I have attached and example for you to see, the B&W photograph is of a group of 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders which includes my Great Grandfather during the Black Mountain Campaign in India 1888 were he was awarded the 1854 Indian General Service medal with clasp Hazara 1888, the second the some photograph scanned using the 'My Heritage' converter and it does bring it to life. Note the Dicing on the officers Glengarry's and the Sergeants chevrons on the left all in nice detail along with the colour in the faces, not to mention the greenery behind them.
Kind regards
Hiram

Ok Hiram - that's interesting. It does add a whole new contrast to the picture. Will pop that down in my little book of 'things to do' and thankyou again.

Research on the Herefords.
 

Hiram from Shirley. Norton Barracks
A circular, dated 21st April 1873, contained a warrant, dated 8th April 1873, stating that her Majesty had sanctioned the formation of district brigades. The Worcestershire Militia, to which a 2nd Battalion was to be added, was brigaded with the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment, the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment, and the Herefordshire Militia; the whole forming the 22nd Brigade under Colonel Robert White, C. B., late 17th Lancers (Light Dragoons). New Barracks were to be built for the accommodation of the brigade depot at Norton, about three miles from Worcester.
Pictures: Various headdresses that were worn by the Worcester regiment.

The barracks at Norton became the depot of the Worcestershire Regiment. It is now a housing estate. Strangely, a murderer ,whose name slips my mind,was rumoured to have buried one of his victims there. I believe the police did dig in the area. No body was ever found.

I would have said Fred West - but he was Gloucester.