Trooper Sheikh Mahomed Jan, Governor General’s Bodyguard, 1887 (c).
Photograph by Johnston and Hoffman, 22 Chowringhee Road, Calcutta, India, 1887 (c).
The contemporary caption describes Sheikh Mahomed Jan as ‘Caste: Mahomedan (Shaikh)’ and records his enlistment date as 1 August 1870, his height as 6 foot 2 inches, and weight, 16 stone 4 pounds. It gives a concise history of the soldier’s unit and its current commanding officer is named as Captain C W Muir.

He holds a 9 foot long standard cavalry lance and has two good conduct chevrons on his lower right sleeve.

One of 32 photographs of types of Indian Army from the Collanderies Collection of Uniform, taken by Johnston and Hoffman, 22 Chowringhee Road, Calcutta, 1878 (c)-1890 (c).