Quarto (ca. 30 x 24.5 cm or 11 ¾ x 9 ½ in). 39 cardstock leaves. 192 mounted albumen (ca. 40) and gelatin silver (ca. 150) photographs, ca. 50 images from ca. 40.5 x 22 cm (16 x 8 ¾ in) to 20 x 14.5 cm (7 ¾ x 5 ¾ in), the rest from ca. 13.5 x 8 cm (5 ¼ x 3 ¼ in) to 6 x 3.5 cm (2 ¼ x 1 ½ in). All images with period ink captions on mounts. Period brown sheep album with gilt-tooled borders and spine; all edges gilt; moire endpapers. Mild rubbing on edges of covers and spine; mounts slightly waved, several mounts with foxing; a few photos mildly faded, but overall a very good album of strong interesting photos.

A collection of 192 photographs showing the military career of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Cosens, who served with the British Army between 1886 and 1911, and once again during World War I.

“Lieutenant-Colonel Cosens entered the South Staffordshire Regiment on 30th June 1886. He served with his regiment at home and in [British] India and Burma [Myanmar]. He was promoted Captain on 1st August 1893, and Major on 7th July 1906. He served with the 1st Battalion for a short time during the South African War, and was awarded the Queen’s South African Medal. He retired from the Army in 1911. On the outbreak of the Great War he was recalled, and served continuously throughout that war as transport officer at Portsmouth and Avonmouth. Colonel Cosens was a great sportsman, and an excellent game shot. He took a great delight in teaching young officers to be good sportsmen.” (Lichfield Mercury (Staffordshire, England), 9 April 1943, p. 7).

Over 40 photographs are of Cosens’ military career. Over half are group portraits and military events in Gibraltar, India, Egypt, and Burma, including a “presentation of colours” in Gibraltar, reviews in Allahabad (Prayagraj, India) and Alexandria, the Alexandria encampment, and the wedding of a fellow officer in 80th Regiment in Madras (Chennai, India). The group portraits show entire regiments, which are identified in the captions (“80th Regt.,” “38th Regt.,” “5th Brigade Welsh Division Royal Artillery,” etc.), and officers of those regiments, some of whom are identified in the captions (“Capt. Spencer,” “Wreford Brown,” “Crofton,” etc.). One photograph, captioned “80th Regt. Allahabad,” has an overlay identifying those in the portrait, including the compiler (and his dog). The other photographs show the locations where he was stationed, showing environs of Gibraltar, including the military barracks, a panorama of the harbour, and the “Governor’s cottage”; and Egypt, including Alexandria, Port Said, the Suez Canal, Cairo, and the Great Pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza. There are also two photographs of Ladakh (India) and several of Malta.

Other photographs in the album are from after Cosens’ retirement in 1911. Of note are several photographs showing the estate in which he lived, Plas Hendre, in Aberystwyth, Wales, and two photographs from the unveiling of the statue for Thomas Charles Edwards, the first Principal of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, in 1922. David Lloyd George (1863-1945), Welsh politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1916-1922), is photographed speaking at the unveiling. The other photographs show trips taken by Cosens to Italy and the Canary Islands, and portraits of his friends and family, including, among others, Cosens’ brother John Dickson Cosens (1867-1942) and his brother’s wife Eadith Greens.

Overall, an interesting collection of photographs showing Cosens’ military career in the British Army at the turn of the century.