Fur busby : Prince of Wales Victorian Volunteer Light Horse

Fur busby, probably sable, with red superfine flap decorated with silver braid and a silver braid button. There is a superfine strap on underside of the flap. A square silver coloured metal pipe at the centre top secures the plume. The plume of crimson dyed feathers and scarlet dyed horse hair with a tapered tip is mounted in a silver plated brass holder of a ball and leaf design. Metal hooks and buttons at sides of busby hold the chinstrap. The chinstrap, of dark blue or black velvet with scarlet grosgrain ribbon and white metal chain links, may not be original. The sides of the busby are lined with crimson silk on thin card. The inside crown is lined with a brown plain weave silk which is stamped in gold lettering ' ARMY CAP & ACCOUTREMENT MANUFACTURERS' and a string of numbers partially worn away. Also stitched to this lining is a maroon coloured leather strap with the maker's name 'FIRMIN & SONS' stamped in gold lettering. The 6cm wide leather sweatband is handstitched. The busby lines are missing.

In 1862, the units of the Mounted Volunteer Corps in Victoria were formed into a single regiment known as the Victorian Volunteer Light Horse. This title changed again in 1863, to the Prince of Wales Victorian Volunteer Light Horse ( Hussars ). In 1870 a uniform was adopted that was based on the British 19th Hussars. Troops were based at various times at Geelong, Ballarat, Kyneton, Bendigo, Castlemaine and Dandenong, as well as metropolitan Melbourne. In 1885, most of the Cavalry were incorporated into a newly formed Victorian Mounted Rifles.