Officers’ helmet plate, 1st Cheshire Rifle Volunteers, 1878-1881.
White metal. An eight-pointed rayed star, the uppermost point of which is displaced by a monarchial crown. Mounted at the centre, within a laurel wreath, a frosted circlet, within which, upon a red velvet ground and superimposed upon crossed swords, the hilts downwards, a shield bearing the arms of the Earldom of Chester, with background colour indicated in trick and surmounted by an earl’s coronet. Reverse of plate bears three copper loops. Near the top is an oval metal plate.