Company Sergeant William Christie and Sergeant Samuel McGifford

10" x 8" glass plate negative showing Company Sergeant William Christie and Sergeant Samuel McGifford, both of the 4th Battalion Royal Artillery. They are standing in front of a wooden cart, with Company Sergeant Christie sitting on its edge and holding a banner depicting St Michael. Sergeant McGifford is standing on the other side holding a banner of St George and the Dragon. Both are wearing military uniform and a rucksack.

Company Sergeant Christie and Sergeant McGifford served in the Crimean War, neither suffering any injury. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had visited Woolwich barracks to welcome a group of the Royal Artillery back from the Crimea, after which they commissioned a series of portraits of the men from the photographers Joseph Cundall and Robert Howlett. A note which accompanies a print from this negative explains that the banners they hold are constructed from wall paintings taken from a church in Sebastopol.

The glass plate negative has been photographed showing the coated side and therefore the image appears laterally reversed. Prints from this negative exist in the Collection (e.g. RCIN 2500183).