NAM.2017-09-7-18-179

Photograph of an inspection of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards,Chelsea Barracks, 1912. Five officers walk along in between long rows of Grenadier Guardsman for the inspection. The buildings of Chelsea Barracks can be seen behind them. The men are wearing full dress with scarlet tunic, white pouch belt, bearskin cap and with their rifles with bayonets attached resting on their left shoulders. Three of the officers are wearing the Grenadier Guards full dress with swords hanging from their sword belts, whilst the other two officers are wearing cocked hats with feathers and frock coats, also with their swords hanging from their sword belts. The officer leading with the cocked hat is possibly Maj Gen Sir Alfred Edward Codrington. The image was possibly taken by Christina Broom (1862-1939) who is credited as being the UK’s first female press photographer. She taught herself photography and set up a stall in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, selling postcards of photographs that she had taken from 1903 until 1930, operating under the professional name of Mrs Albert Broom. She was appointed official photographer to the Household Division from 1904 to 1939 and had a darkroom in the Chelsea Barracks. From an album of 212 photographs (including archives) compiled by or presented to Lt Col Wadham Heathcote Diggle, 1910-1912 (c). It includes many portraits, group portraits and other images, many taken at the Guards Depot in Caterham and Pirbright, plus images of parades, sports, dogs and horses.