Worcestershire Yeomanry Regiment
Officer's Mess Tunic and Waistcoat c.1830

This is one of the most spectacular articles of uniform in the collection. Recently conserved and brought back to some of its former glory, and is a splendid example of both early 1830's embroidery, and the pomp and glory of the early Victorian Yeomanry.

The tunic and waistcoat were short, they would have come down to the wearers waist, and are covered in intricate silver lace. They were for use in the Officer's Mess during the Yeomanry's annual camp.

It's hard to date the tunic and waistcoat accurately. The fading of the cuffs mean that it is hard to tell their original colour - a buff colour before 1837 and a dark blue after. The change came when Queen Victoria awarded them the honour of becoming a Royal regiment - the Queens Own Worcestershire Hussars. In 1870 the colour of the tunic changed from red to blue (to keep up with fashion), but the pattern of the waistcoat stayed the same for decades afterwards.