NAM.1986-04-109-1

Tunic, officers’, full dress, Somersetshire Rifle Volunteers, 1865 (c). Brown and beige mixture wool tweed (possibly locally made fabric), with brown and beige mixture wool tweed open, upright, rounded collar bearing captains’ embroidered rank badge (a crown and star) and pointed cuffs. Single breasted. Pocket let into right front waist seam. Centre back skirt vent flanked by a two pointed slash. Black mohair lace on upper and lower collar. Black Russia pattern silk braid forming a row of scrolls below upper collar lace, plume below knot at centre and eyeloops above and below black silk square cord Austrian knot on cuff. Black wool cloth piping around upper and front collar edge, front body edges, around centre back skirt slashes and on centre back skirt slash. Black double twisted silk round cord shoulder cords, one on each shoulder. One half domed white metal button on each shoulder, nine down centre front, two at back centre waist and two on each slash, all with die struck design of ‘SR’ (regimental cypher) surmounted by a monarchial crown. Flat brown four hole bone button at front waist. Brass belt hook on left hand side waist only. Bodice lined with drab silk, padded on upper front chest, with pocket let into left front lining and in skirt lining on each side of vent. Collar lined with brown and beige mixture wool tweed, sleeve lined with drab corded silk.