Bombay Artillery. A Colonel Commandant’s uniform to a named officer, c. 1857-60

A dress tunic with sewn in label naming Col. A. Rowland  of the Bombay Artillery. The dark blue tunic has red piping and gold lace, especially lavish to the sleeves. The ten buttons to the front [as opposed to the usual eight of infantry], two to the rear, and two smaller ones to the shoulder cords are the standard pattern of three cannon beneath three balls within a garter with the title BOMBAY ARTILLERY. These differ from lesser officers’ examples in having the design mounted rather than stamped like those to be found elsewhere in the East India Company category on the website. They have the backmark P & S FIRMIN 153 STRAND LONDON , The tunic has some small areas of moth damage but is otherwise in excellent condition with unusually little damage to the lining.  A rare survival. The officer spent most of his career in the Horse Artillery, commanding the 2nd Troop from 1841, Northern Division from 1852,  commanding the Artillery from 1856.   nov17/1

 Andrew Rowland [1800-1878] is shown in the East India Register 1819 as a cadet at the East India College bound for the Artillery. He was commissioned 2nd Lt. in December 1820 and progressed through the ranks to Captain 1833, Major 1849, Lt. Colonel 1851, Colonel Commandant 1858, Maj. Gen. 1863, Lt. Gen. 1872. He is still shown on the active list in 1875 but spent the years from the end of the Mutiny in Europe. The uniform probably dates from around 1854-58.