British Essex Yeomanry Cavalry

Comprised of part-time volunteers, the West Essex Yeomanry Cavalry was established in 1830, ostensibly to protect the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Forest and the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock. A demi-battery of light artillery was added in 1851 and its name changed to the West Essex Yeomanry Artillery & Cavalry. In 1871, it reverted to the name that had been used by its Napoleonic forebear, the Essex Yeomanry Cavalry (EYC). In 1876 the government redesignated all Yeomanry units as light cavalry, ordering the removal of all artillery functions, and then in 1877 - when it was in decline at a time of agricultural depression - the residual  cavalry elements of the EYC were disbanded. However, subsequently in 1889 an Essex Troop was established in the Loyal Suffolk Hussars.

For wargaming purposes, the EYC deploys as green light cavalry in two units of 6 figures, with 12 figures in total.

The finished figures: 


An officer of the West Essex Yeomanry Cavalry, 1846: 


The following artefacts were photographed at the Yeomanry Museum in Chelmsford, Essex in 2022.

Officer’s Sabretache, c.1860: a combined map, document and pen case for a mounted officer:
 

Officer’s Full Dress Pouch and Pouch Belt, c.1860:


Described by the museum as a Full Dress Jacket, c.1860, the following is a Stable Jacket: 
 

Helmet, c.1860; note that this is possibly a trumpeters helmet, as for that role some units include a trace of red horse hair: 


The Essex Yeomanry Cavalry & Artillery advancing in line at Ware, 11th June 1853, from a series of 6 scenes from ‘Field Days’ (note that they are a mass of blue, suggesting blue trousers):


The following is the EYC Colonel’s jacket from 1890 with silver grey cord over red facings:
 

Given the limited available information, and with some of that being for an earlier or later point in time, an 1875 representation of the Essex Yeomanry Cavalry requires some supposition, guesswork, etc. Elements of the uniform and equipment have therefore been arrived at as follows:
  • While it is known from the above image that the Officers’ Stable Jacket included cording to its rear, the Other Ranks’ Stable Jacket is less certain and so, for the sake of differentiation, in the case of the latter it is assumed to be absent. 
  • From 1871 British cavalry wore knee boots (without turndowns) with breeches and as such these are assumed for the EYC.
  • By 1875 the Snider Carbine was in a sheaf rather than being carried as a carbine slung from a shoulder strap and hook
  • Horse furniture and some personal equipment has been based on that of the regular army and can be viewed at www.uniformology.com (see the website’s Victorian section).

The figures that represent the Essex Yeomanry Cavalry were created using parts  from the Perry Miniatures plastic Napoleonic British Light Cavalry boxed set with heads from their plastic Napoleonic French Dismounted Cuirassiers.

The preliminary changes to the French heads: 


The supplied carbine and a piece of 0.25mm plastic were used to create the basic shape of the Snider in its sheaf (an image of a Snider carbine in a New Zealand leather saddle scabbard helped in determining proportions): 


Alterations in progress, showing where part of the carbine sling is removed to create the wider sling for the pouch; also visible is the slot carved to take the rifle scabbard, the removal of the carbine sling and the boots after their turndowns were removed: 


The Stable Jacket was altered by removing extraneous cord to the front; for Other Ranks it was entirely removed from the the rear albeit leaving the suggestion of a button. The helmet badge was shaved from a ‘top hat’ style Napoleonic British helmet. Plasticard strip was added either side of the helmet badge. The bottoms of the saddle-mounted pistol holsters were removed.


The finished command figures; note that as well as the Sabretache the officer has swallow-tailed ends to the full saddle cloth. Given the general absence of information on any specialist Trumpeter uniform having been used in the EYC, he is dressed as per the other troopers: