A spectacular exhibition, due to open in Valletta on December 6, will give visitors a rare opportunity to view at close quarters the exquisitely tailored and embroidered uniforms worn by high-ranking British and colonial officials at state occasions in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The exhibits include bicorn hats edged with ostrich feathers and sparkling court swords, as well as a rare 19th-century publication with large coloured plates showing the designs for these uniforms.

By tradition, the Lord Chamberlain of the royal household was responsible for issuing instructions for the design of uniforms to be worn at Her or His Majesty’s Court of St James’s in London. It is, therefore, entirely appropriate that the current Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker of Minsmere, has supplied the foreword to this exhibition catalogue.

Also included are specially commissioned essays on the origins of gold embroidery in England, renowned around the world as Opus Anglicanum (English work); the development of the bicorn hat and its derivative, the chapeau-bras (the folding bicorn). This was co-written with Jane Smith, one of the few remaining hatters with the skills to make the hats that complement many legal and civil robes still made today by the tailors of Savile Row and the robe makers at Ede and Ravenscroft. Smith has also made a ceremonial hat for the rector of the University of Malta.

A more detailed essay written by the present author, who is also curator of the exhibition, delves into the origin and the development of the ornate civil uniform dating back to the beginning of the 19th century through to the simplifications adopted in the mid-1950s.

As this essay points out, the civil uniform had its origins in the uniform of the royal household, and to illustrate this point two royal household uniforms have been included in the exhibition. These are distinguished by their scarlet collar and cuffs.

Each grade of civil servant was strictly defined by the amount of gold braid or embroidery that adorned the collar, cuffs, front and tails

Most of the uniforms exhibited were worn by civil servants in the UK and in the colonies from the middle of the 19th to well into the 20th century.

One of the aims of this exhibition is to inform visitors of the different grades of uniform, starting with the lowest (fifth class) uniform of, say, a junior assistant principal of a department, up to the first class uniform worn by a secretary of state or governor.

Each grade was strictly defined by the amount of gold braid or embroidery that adorned the collar, cuffs, front and tails – there being just an edging of gold braid for the lowest class rising to fully embroidered collar, cuffs and front for the higher grades.

British ambassadors, who represented their country in foreign courts and thus acted as human billboards on which their country’s power and wealth could be advertised, wore the most, which included additional goldwork down the sleeves and along the back seams. The uniform of one of the queen’s former ambassadors to Portugal greets visitors to this exhibition.

The top three grades of uniform had two modes: the full dress and the half, or levée, dress. The latter was worn in the mornings or early afternoons and was considered to be the business version of court uniform, and is thus less ornate than the sumptuously embroidered full dress that was worn on state occasions, or at evening receptions to which women were invited.

Large gatherings where attendees wore their full dress uniforms must have been glittering occasions that provided endearing sights and memories. A glimpse of such splendid uniforms was visible at King Charles III’s coronation in May this year.

This exhibition boasts of the first class civil uniform worn by Lord Badeley, the highly respected clerk of the British parliament (1934-1949).

The 20th century inevitably brought simplifications and cost-cutting.

When the first Labour government was formed in 1924, there were rumblings from the ranks about the cost of civil uniforms for the recently elected cabinet ministers and senior officials. In response, King George V introduced the ‘alternative court dress’ for use on state occasions. This was based on evening dress, except that it was worn with black breeches and hose as opposed to trousers.

The 20th century inevitably brought simplifications and cost-cutting

Two of the most striking uniforms worn at the Court of St James’s are those of the king’s bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. They have two uniforms, the field dress and the full dress. Both are featured in this exhibition.

Many will remember the distinctive green-clad figures with majestic eagle feathers rising from their bonnets who mounted guard at Queen Elizabeth II’s lying-in-state in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh last year. These were the queen’s bodyguards for Scotland in their field dress performing their rightful duty.

Their uniform bears close scrutiny to appreciate some unique details and colour combinations.

The dark green tunic is unusual for its low-cut, generous gauntlet cuffs and shoulder wings. More difficult to identify, but striking once it is glimpsed, is the crimson velvet lights that peep out from between the surrounding black mohair braid – a subtle yet striking detail that lingers in the memory.

The full dress uniform of the Royal Company of Archers is one of the most spectacular on view. Visitors should take a careful look at the quality of the gold embroidery, which is impressive. How the patient embroiderers were able to craft such precise motifs is truly stunning and provides a good link back to the workers of the Opus Anglicanum, or maybe in this case, Opus Caledonum.

This uniform retains its original sparkle despite its creation at the beginning of the 20th century at the start of the reign of King Edward VII. The excellent condition of many of these uniforms results from their storage in sturdy airtight tin trunks supplied by their original tailors.

The Royal Company of Archers’ full dress uniform is very expensive to create nowadays and is now only worn by the captain-general.

As the cost of the full dress escalated, Queen Elizabeth II, ever the pragmatist, authorised the introduction of a simplified civil uniform which eliminated much of the gold embroidery, leaving only a vestigial oakleaf motif on the collar and cuffs of the higher grades. These uniforms are also represented in this exhibition.

An example of the new style second-class civil uniform is that of the vice-marshal of the diplomatic corps, a position that still exists today. The uniform displayed here was worn by Eustace Gibbs, 3rd Baron Wraxall, KCVO, CMG, who served in this role from 1982 to 1986.

Another uniform still made today, although not frequently, is the governor’s uniform. When she was appointed governor of the Falkland Islands in 2022, Alison Blake CMG, made the decision to commission her governor’s uniform from tailors Davies and Son of Savile Row. The embroidery for her uniform was carried out by Hand and Lock, who have provided invaluable assistance in organising this exhibition.

The governor-general’s uniform on display belonged to Simon Ramsay, 16th Earl of Dalhousie, who served as governor-general of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1957 until 1963. Sir Maurice Dorman would have worn an identical uniform during his tenure as governor-general of Malta from 1964 to 1971.

The exhibition ends with the coronation robe of a baroness that was commissioned for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The robe was designed by the leading British fashion designer Norman Hartnell, who also designed the queen’s coronation dress. The robe was worn by Ruth, 4th Baroness Delamere, sister of Edwina, Countess Mountbatten.

A visit to this exhibition should serve as a good tonic during the long winter months and is guaranteed to lift the spirit.

 

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge the support of the Central Bank of Malta and Vadala Company Ltd in the preparation of this exhibition. The stunning photography is by Peter Bartolo Parnis.

 

Author’s note

All the uniforms in this exhibition are from the author’s collection. The curator will be available at the Malta Postal Museum every Thursday at 3pm to give guided tours of the exhibition. The unauthorised reproduction of images from this article is not permitted.

The Civil Splendour exhibition is on at the Malta Postal Museum, 135, Archbishop Street, Valletta, from December 6 till January 27. Opening hours are from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.