Liverpool Rifle Brigade

[BILL DUGGAN]

I have lots of pictures and illustrations of the pre 1900 'Volunteers'

This postcard is the only image I have of the Liverpool Rifles.

With a magnifying glass you can see the artist seems to show a red backing to the shako plate.

I would like to produce a better illustration of this uniform myself.

Can any member point me in the direction of a better referance source than this single postcard. ?

Or provide me with a better image of the original shako (with any red shako plate backing that was worn.)

i.e. was the plate backing circular (as shown on the backpack) or oval shaped (as on the 20th century beret)

Hope somebody can help me with this research.

Thanks in anticipation, Bill

[Peter Brydon]

Bill,
I also have a copy of that illustration although in a slightly different format - see picture, I am not sure where the illustration originates from but I think it was one of a series of pictures used as post cards by the West Lancs SSAFA and ACF ( the other one that comes up is of the uniform of the Liverpool Scottish 1900 which say No.10 on the back but I have never seen any other that the Liverpool Rifle Brigade and the Scottish ).

By a coincidence I was looking at some Liverpool Volunteer Rifle Brigade shakos in a private collection yesterday but neither had any red cloth anywhere on them.

I wonder if the red on the shako on the postcard may be artistic licence.

Peter

[BILL DUGGAN]

Hi Peter,

That's exactly the type of info I'm after. I've got a feeling you are probably correct re. artistic licence.

I've seen the complete set of these postcards (various regiments) and they all have a whiff of artistic licence about them.

Pity you didn't have a camera with you when you saw an actual shako.

There is a good display of Robin Hood Rifles shakos etc. in Nottingham Castle.

I wish Liverpool had a similar museum display.

Must get my backside up to Preston again soon. They probably have something in The Soldiers of Lancashire Museum.

Thanks Pete, Bill