Original British Victorian 19th Royal Hussars (Queen Alexandra's Own) Major Officer’s Busby & Full Dress Tunic Uniform Grouping with Sterling Silver Pouch Belt & Officer’s Mess Waistcoat

Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Set. The 19th Royal Hussars (Queen Alexandra's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, created in 1858. After serving in the First World War, it was amalgamated with the 15th The King's Hussars to form the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars in 1922. The regiment was originally raised in Bengal by the East India Company as the 1st Bengal European Light Cavalry in 1858, for service in the response to the Indian Rebellion. During the rebellion, a lieutenant of the regiment, Hugh Henry Gough, received the Victoria Cross.

The regiment saw action at Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War and the regiment took possession of the wells, which were a vital resource in desert warfare, at the Battle of Abu Klea in January 1885 during the Mahdist War. It also fought at the Siege of Ladysmith in winter 1899 during the Second Boer War. The regiment was titled the 19th (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own) Hussars after Alexandra, Princess of Wales in 1902 and, when Alexandra became Queen Consort in 1908, the name changed to the 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars.

This is an extraordinary offering, the most complete British Royal Hussars uniform set we have ever had. The style of the Busby with the white plume & white cloth bag with gold trim, along with the style of pouch belt and tunic fittings, denote this as the uniform set of a Major serving with the 19th Royal Hussars (Queen Alexandra’s Own).

The dress tunic has outstanding cuff braiding denoting the rank of Major, along with the single Crown braided shoulder boards. The gold trimming is in great condition for its age, though there are spots of loss and detachment of stitching. The left breast of the tunic has five award loops for the attachment of a medal bar, which will make for an outstanding display! The original officer’s cord is intact without much damage. The interior shows a retained silk lining with a leather waistband, but there are no markings or tags we can find. There is tearing of the lining in places with heavy wear in others. 

The matching trousers are included but are in rough condition with much of the gold lace stripe has lost its stitching and there are some scattered moth holes as well. Nevertheless they still complement the tunic well and do look good on a mannequin. There are no markings we could find. The purple cloth belt is intact with a gold lace crossstrap and functional buckle.

The officer’s mess waistcoat is intact and is the correct pattern for the 19th Royal Hussars with a white body and gold trim. The white has faded a bit into a beige. Matches the uniform set very well.

The original pouch belt is also the correct pattern and style for the 19th Royal Hussars. The sterling silver fittings all have clear hallmarks. The leather retaining strap for the pouch is retained and the belt really displays very well. These are incredibly difficult to find on their own. There is some bending in the belt but the set is complete and still closes without issue. 

In 1881 hussar officers wore the pattern of busby introduced in 1858. Made of black sable fur, it was 7 ¾ inches high in front, 9 inches at the rear and 8 inches on the sides. The top of the busby to be ½ inch less in diameter than the bottom which was shaped to fit the head. An oval cockade or boss of gold gimp spiral cord, 2 inches high and 1½ inches wide, was worn on the front of the cap level with the top. The back of the boss had a spring socket to hold the stem of the plume. There was a coloured cloth bag, covering the top of the cap and falling down the right side to within an inch from the bottom. A gold gimp cord edged the bag (about ½ inch from the edge) with a length of cord going down the middle meeting the edge cord at the bottom of the bag. At the junction of the cords a small gold gimp boss.

This example follows that pattern well, with a white-colored cloth bag with gold trim and a white plume, denoting the 19th Royal Hussars. The original boss of gold gimp spiral cord is intact along with the four rows of cording wrapped around the busby. The fur of the busby is coming off but not at a high rate and the majority of it is still well-retained. The chinscale chinstrap is retained with wear, and it still clips onto the hook for wear. The interior shows a well-worn leather liner with a red-felt lining that is now torn and worn away. It originally had a maker’s mark which is now gone. It is roughly a Size 7. 

The group also retains what appears to be the storage tube for the busby’s plume! It measures 16” long and has some heavy oxidation and loss of material because of this. Also included is a box in the same black-painted metal style with a velvet-lined interior, though the corners are splitting and there is heavy damage. The top of this box does have a maker’s plate reading:

RANKEN & CO.
CALCUTTA

Ranken & Co. was a renowned firm of military tailors, outfitters, and accoutrement makers based in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, founded in 1777. We aren’t sure what other pieces of the uniform set were made in Calcutta, but this makes for a good research project.

This is a truly outstanding Hussar Officer’s set, ready to become the centerpiece of your Victorian Hussar collection!

Approximate Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 9"
Shoulder to sleeve: 23”
Shoulder to shoulder: 12"
Chest width: 17”
Waist: 15"
Hip: 19"
Front length: 28.5"

Pants:
Waist: 16"
Inseam: 32"