Listen to the 16 July, 1902 recording of Soldiers of the Queen as performed by
members of Canada's 48th Highlanders. The recording is courtesy of The
Virtual Gramophone of Canada.
Questions & Comments can be Directed to the Museum Curator at:
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Unless otherwise noted all content © 2013 Edward T. Garcia / www.soldiersofthequeen.com. All other © are the property of their respective holders.
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Please note. I removed the active link to the above email address due to the overwhelming volume of spam that the Soldiers of the Queen email account has been receiving. The address is still correct but will have to be entered by hand for each email sent. I thank you for your understanding in this matter.
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Billy Fish: "He wants to know if you are gods." Peachy Carnehan: "Not gods - Englishmen, the next best thing." from John Huston's film of the Rudyard Kipling story The Man Who Would Be King.
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www.soldiersofthequeen.com is proud to support the two following organizations:
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A Virtual Museum of Antique Victorian-era British Military Photographs and Associated Biographical Research
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Colour Sergeant Henry Daniel Bance 2nd Battlion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Cabinet Photograph Halifax, Nova Scotia. c. 1890
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Lance Corporal John Nurse 2nd Battlion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Cabinet Photograph Halifax, Nova Scotia. c. 1890
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These two photographs are part of a set of seven (four cabinet photos
and three carte de visites) were found in an album belonging to a
member of the 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding
Regiment) and were all taken while the battalion was stationed at
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada sometime around 1890. All of the
photographs are identified on the reverse in ink with at least the last
name of the soldier pictured. So far the records of only two have come
to light – those of Colour-Sergeant Henry Daniel Bance and Lance
Corporal John Nurse. Further research into the other five soldiers in
ongoing.
Lieutenant Henry Edward Baines No. 5 Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
Carte de Visite Quebec, Canada 1866
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Henry Edward Baines was born around 1840
possibly at or near Brixton, Surrey. The
names of his parents are not known yet
though they must have been of some means
since he attended the Royal Military College,
Woolwich and received his commission as
Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 3
January, 1860.
Attached to No. 5 Battery, Royal Garrison
Artillery, Baines deployed to Canada in
December 1861 during the buildup of British
forces that occurred prior to and during the
American Civil War when the possibility of
armed conflict between Britain and the
United States seemed a decided possibility.
With a profile rivaling that of the great
John Barrymore, Colour Sergeant George
Waters portrait seems to personify the
very model of a Victorian-era Non
Commissioned Officer. This photograph
was one of two ornately mounted carte de
visites that came in a small hand made
paper folder in which a family member of
Waters, many years later listed some of
the particulars of his life and military
career. While some of these family related
fact were in error the information provided
an excellent starting point for further
research.
Colour Sergeant George Waters 72nd Foot/Seaforth Highlanders
Carte de Visite London c. 1883
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After considerable thought and in an ongoing effort to expand the
online presence of soldiersofthequeen.com I have decided to launch a
related blog which will feature photographs that never made it to
pages of this website. The blog will also allow for comments to be left
by visitors - something not possible here due to the nature of this site.
In addition I will be posting other items and links relating to history
in general that could not find suitable space here. Please take a
moment and visit the blog:
No. 3901 Private/Bandsman George Steeds 2nd Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment
Carte de Visite Cospicua, Malta c. 1895
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While it is doubtful that Private George Steeds musical abilities ever
made him set his eyes on a musical career in civilian life (as a mater
of fact it they did not) it is interesting to note the specific and
decidedly non-deadly tool of his military trade he chose to be
photographed with. I do not believe that violins were regularly used by
regimental bands since they would seem to be virtually impossible to
play while marching but it may be possible that Steeds played this
stringed instrument while performing in other capacities such as at
regimental balls and the like.
Exactly when he may have learned to pay the violin we will probably
never know but George Steeds was born sometime around 1876 at
Batcombe, Somerset, England.
Also please take moment or two and visit the newly relaunched
soldiersofthequeen.com store:
Unidentified Civilian Gentleman
Carte de Visite Great Britain c. 1870
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Here is a rather interesting carte de visite
and one that may at first glance seem an odd
addition to the title page of this website being
that it does not depict (as far as I know) a
member of Victoria’s military services. What
garnered it a place here is the tiny red
photographer’s imprint that appears just
below the image of the good-natured looking
subject. The stated imprint simply reads: “E.
Stock, 57th Regt.”
It appears that this is an example of a serving
British soldier who somehow found the time
to practice the photographic arts during
whatever spare time he had. Perhaps his
regimental commander indulged Stock’s past
time since having a photographer “on the
staff” even unofficially would have had its
advantages.
Unidentified Group of Armed Men
Cabinet Photograph Southern Africa? c. 1900s
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Here is another photograph in the Man in Question series except in
this case as the title states these are the Men in Question. Unlike
other photos that have appeared in this category this image bears a
cryptic hint penciled on its reverse side which reads: “Abercorn
Disaster”.