Gentleman's Court Dress

Elaborate formal clothes often imitate an outdated fashion and this is no exception, with its stockings, breeches, jabot, bicorne hat and sword reminiscent of the eighteenth century.   This dress comprises black velvet tailcoat and knee-breeches; cream lace jabot; cream silk stockings; black patent leather shoes; a bicorne, beaver hat with an ornament (black grosgrain ribbon in a rosette with chain and marcasite); triangular steel sword in a black leather scabbard.   These dress clothes were worn by James Drew (1833-1907) when he was presented to Queen Victoria in Buckingham Palace. As the factor for the earl of Galloway, he was a man of some status in mid-Galloway.