This photograph of shows a Lance Corporal in walking out dress of the 85^th (King's Light Infantry) Regiment. The photograph has the back mark of photographer James Brading, 9, Carisbrook Road, Newport, I.W. This address is on the Isle of Wight. This island is off the southern coast of England and was a long established garrison station for the British Army. The Island was the first point that any southern approaching invading force would reach so the Islands history has always been strongly influenced by the military. The Carisbrook Road leads up to Carisbrook Castle, which is over 1000 years old. The tunic and collar badges date this photograph to the period c.1873 to 1881.

This Lance Corporal is wearing a 1868 pattern tunic. This tunic is scarlet, which was worn by all other ranks after 1872. The tunic is edged with distinctive white braid around the base of the collar to the bottom edge of the square cut skirt. There are seven buttons down the tunic front. He has white chevron badges on both upper sleeves and three white Good Conduct chevrons (12 years) on the lower right sleeve. On the lower left sleeve he has a crossed rifles proficiency badge for musketry marksmanship. The tunic cuffs have a white braid cord looped into a trefoil knot running up the sleeve. The lower cuff below the knot is faced in dark blue.

The tunic shoulder straps are edged with white braid and faced in dark blue. There is a white '85' shoulder strap numeral on the lower part of the strap close to the shoulder seam. The tunic collars are faced in dark blue with two simple 'strung' type Light Infantry bugle collar badges.

The medals are a unique feature in this photograph. There appears to be only one actual campaign medal. A two clasp Indian Mutiny Medal (bottom row on right breast second from left of photo). As 85th did not get a medal for the Indian Mutiny he probably transferred from another Light Infantry Regiment to the 85th. As to the other medals, they appear to be National Temperance League and Soldier's Total Abstinence Association, India, temperance medals. It is quite possible to amass a collection such as the one seen here. These medals were awarded at intervals of from 6 months to 20 years of temperance. These medals were not officially sanctioned for wear on the uniform. This man has apparently choosen to wear these medals for the occassion of this photo and probably would not be seen in public wearing these medals.

The waist belt is whitened leather with a brass waist belt clasp.

The trousers are dark blue with a narrow red welt down the outside seam which is just visible on the thigh of the seated Lance Corporal.