Knee-boots : Quartermaster-Sergeant H Looney, Victorian Horse Artillery

Pair of black leather knee-boots with pointed toes and 'V' shape at the front uppers. The boots have stacked leather heels and decorative top stitching on the sides of the uppers. Inside the boot just below the 'V' shape is a maker's label stamped in gold bearing the name or motto 'Castello Concordia'. These words flank a shield with a pair of rampant lions each side of a castle. Cotton herringbone boot straps have been inserted and stitched inside the undyed leather lining. At the inner fore-foot of each boot is an original historical repair in matching black leather.

Worn by Quartermaster-Sergent (QMS) Harry Looney. QMS Looney was born circa 1847 and entered into the service of Sir William Clarke, a Victorian landowner, in 1868. He became head coachman at Rupertswood, the Clarke family estate at Sunbury, Victoria, and Sir William's trusted retainer. In 1884 Sir William fostered a militia corps called the Victorian Nordenfeldt Battery, also known as Rupertswood Battery or the Sunbury Regiment of the Victorian Horse Artillery. Looney was appointed as the battery's first sergeant and 12 1/2 years later was promoted to the rank of quartermaster-sergeant. He served with the battery until it was disbanded in June 1897, shortly after the death of Sir William. During his period of service Looney won numerous military contest medals and awards. He was also part of the Rupertswood contingent which competed in a Royal Military Tournament in England in 1893, where his team came second in the riding and jumping section of the competition. At the age of 60 he qualified as a veterinary surgeon. These boots and other memorabilia were displayed in the waiting room of his surgery in Sunbury, Victoria. Looney died in 1930.