3-052-720 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Sketches at Trooping the Colours on the Queen's Birthday, [London], 1880. 'Waiting; The Ticket; Royal Spectators; Celestials; Terrestrials; Some Other Spectators; The Front Row; The March Past...The favourite spectacle of the trooping of the colours drew a large number of visitors on Saturday to the parade-ground behind the Horse Guards in St. James's Park. This military ceremonial is specially added, upon grand occasions, to the ordinary formality of mounting the guards in a regiment. The regimental colours are brought out, under a guard, and an escort is formed to accompany them on parade, where they are saluted in passing along the whole line of troops...the housetops of the neighbourhood were thronged with a multitude of spectators. In no long time drums and fifes were heard, and the 1st battalion Grenadiers marched into the inclosure from Birdcage-walk...The usual ceremonies took place, and, after a salute, the colours were borne along the front of the line, which presented arms, while the escort kept an equal pace in rear. The whole line wheeled into column of companies, each representing a battalion, and twice passed the saluting-point, the troop of cavalry bringing up the rear. The appearance and discipline of the men were admirable'. From "Illustrated London News", 1880.