Scarlet doublet : Private C J Stewart, Victorian Scottish Regiment

Scarlet wool doublet with yellow stand collar and cuffs and Inverness skirts. Lower edge of collar, left front of doublet, cuffs and Inverness skirts all edged with white piping. Cuffs and skirts are decorated with three rows of doubled, twisted white wool braid; each row completed with a large oxidised silver coloured metal Victorian Military Forces button of the period 1880-1893 made by 'BRYAN BROS. LONDON'. Shoulder straps are scarlet wool with whitemetal 'VSR' title, a whitemetal 'C' title and a small Victorian Military Forces button. Eight large buttons at front of tunic and two at back waist. Two large metal belt hooks at side waist of doublet. At the left breast are a series of pin holes, indicating that a medal may have been attached at one time. Lower front skirt flaps have welt pockets lined with linen. Body of tunic lined with a blue and white wool mixture, lightly padded around the underarms. Lower skirt flaps lined with a medium weight cream wool twill and upper smaller flaps lined with a finer cream wool twill. Sleeves lined with cream cotton twill and printed in black ink on the right sleeve lining is '5'. Collar lined with red wool and neck fastened with a single brass hook and eye over a black patent leather tab.

Scarlet doublet believed to have been worn by Private Charles John Stewart. The Victorian Scottish Regiment was formed in August 1898 and was originally comprised only Australians of Scottish origin. They had to provide their own uniforms so the Regiment paraded in their own clothes until the end of 1899 when 100 uniforms became available for purchase. The first doublets were khaki. Red doublets were introduced in 1901in time for the review held to mark the opening of the Commonwealth parliament. The doublet was worn with a kilt of Gordon highlander tartan, the yellow stripes replaced with red. 1694 Private Stewart served with the 5th Mounted Rifles (Victorian) Contingent to the Boer War, which left for South Africa in February 1901. Stewart was invalided and returned to Australia on 29 January 1902. He may have continued to serve with the VSR after his return to Australia. In 1912 the VSR were re-designated the 52nd Hobson's Bay Infantry. Four of the volunteer companies, A,B,C and D were located in South Melbourne and continued to wear Scottish dress.

• Kilt : Private C J Stewart, Victorian Scottish Regiment
• 1862 pattern waist belt : Victorian Military Forces