Need help identifying balmoral

[oldrag71]

Looking for help in identifying the age and any information that might be out there on this balmoral. The hat has been in my family for a long time. I am 59 years old and it came from my grandfather (my grandfather was with the AEF Co. E WW1 France). No idea where he got the hat from. (I'm not implying he got it during WW1.)

The top of the hat has what I believe is horse hair sew to it very neatly (appears to have been done with some "care"). The button has "84" on it. That's all I know about the hat.

.

[Mathieu K]

Not sure I am going to be much help, but it looks like the button on your hat is for the 84th Regiment of Foot, also known as the Royal Highland Emigrants, which was a Revolutionary War unit. I don't think your hat can be that old! There was an 84th Battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in WW1 with a similar button EXCEPT it had a maple leaf behind the 84.

[Watchdog]

Not sure I am going to be much help, but it looks like the button on your hat is for the 84th Regiment of Foot, also known as the Royal Highland Emigrants, which was a Revolutionary War unit. I don't think your hat can be that old! There was an 84th Battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in WW1 with a similar button EXCEPT it had a maple leaf behind the 84.

Correct. The 84th (Royal Highland Emigrants) Regiment of Foot was formed from American Loyalist to defend what was then The British Province of Quebec (now covered by the provinces of Quebec and Ontario I think) against those pesky marauding revolutionary types

It was later disbanded and reformed several times and served in India until under the Cardwell Reforms of 1881 it was amalgamated with the 65th (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment to become 2nd Bn The York and Lancaster Regiment before final disbandment in 1968.

History aside I agree with Matthieu that this bonnet is surely not old enough to be a genuine item from the original 84th. I am not entirely sure of the headdress insignia worn at that time but the button is of correct appearance for the period though I believe it is a reproduction currently sold for re-enactment in the US.

In short it is my belief that this is at best a re-enactors repro and at worst a simple fancy dress item.

I hope this helps

Regards

Mark

[oldrag71]

Thanks for the replies on the hat. I know that the hat came from my grandfather. He died in 1977 at age 86. I am 59 years old and I know that he had it a long time because my father told me that they had it when he was a kid. Not sure how long reenacting has been going on, but conservatively speaking, if my father was born in 1929 and let's say he remembered "things" at age 10, that would put the hat at a minimum of 83 years old.