30th Madras Infantry. An officer’s coatee of the East India Company period

This officer’s scarlet coatee of the 30th Madras Native Infantry dates to the last few decades of the East India Company’s existence. The London made uniform is complete apart from the epaulettes and one of the original 32 large buttons, which have the backmark JENNENS & Co. LONDON. The lining is in poor shape above the waist but there is only a little moth damage to the scarlet. The missing top right button has been carelessly removed as the buttons were originally pegged beneath the lining.The buttons follow the usual Madras style but are distinguished by bearing the regiment’s battle honour AVA for service in the 1st Burma War of 1824-26. The coatee has the white facings of the 30th and still retains the worn but original outfitter’s label from 26 Pall Mall, London. It is interesting to compare this coatee with the one of the 15th Madras Infantry also listed in this category. Although they follow the same general style the arrangement of the buttons on the tails are quite differently grouped in fours rather than twos and this coatee uses the smaller sized button on the cuffs as well as on the collar lace.   This may be a merely regimental variation or may be an indication of a change of regulations at some point, One coat tail of the 30th uniform contains a deep pocket not present in the 15th. It is very rare for us to have two coatees at the same time to be able to make comparisons,      may3/1