Can you identify where this is?

[Peter Domankiewicz]

I came across some negatives on early Eastman Transparent Film (I can't say anything more about that) which show some kind of sports day at a school or similar institution/organisation. Most of them are fun things like this tug of war (there is also a sack race etc.), rather than serious competition. The images were shot somewhere in the UK, around 1890, probably in the south of England (London, Bath or Bristol being likely options). The children have a distinctive uniform and cap, supervised by a top-hatted gent. There are buildings visible in the background, which may be connected, and one looks like a church/chapel tower. Possibly this is a private or charity school - or maybe an organisation of another kind. This is just a rough snap from curling film, reversed to be positive, but there's a reasonable amount of detail. If anything about this rings any bells or you have a thought about who might know, please do share your thoughts. Thanks!

[Wilson Laidlaw]

The other possible location I might suggest would be Fettes School in Edinburgh, where I believe the senior masters and house masters wore top hats right up until WW1. The Glengarry caps would be consistent with the uniforms worn by members of the Volunteer Cadet Force at that time. Even later in the early 1960's at another Edinburgh public school, we were still wearing glengarry caps on formal occasions like the annual combined cadet force inspection/parade. 

[Rob Whalley]

The Glengarry caps most of the boys are wearing are typical of the headwear of Scottish military regiments of the British Army Laterly largely confined to military piper's traditional headwear. Might those be pipers in the background with backs to camera?

[Rob Whalley]

My advice would be to join this Facebook group Unidentified photos of the British Isles Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/825630921200236 they have a good track record of identifying such images. NB the rules require any post to start with "UNSOLVED".

[Wilson Laidlaw]

I think it may be a photograph of "The Eton Field Game" a cross between Rugby Football and uninhibited warfare. 

[Nick Wesson]

It's a tug 'o war contest and, with a bit of help from AI, it could be Teviot Row House part of Edinburgh University in the background. Possibly on old college lawns or from George Gardens? 

[Peter Domankiewicz]

Thanks for your thoughts. I've updated the description to clarify that it is unlikely to be Scotland (unless you know of a photographic match) and make some more suggestions. I could see it was a tug of war, but was wondering what the event itself might be - related to a school or another type of organisation?

 

[Michael Pritchard]

Looks like a tug-o-war contest to me.  The caps/hats look Scottish. 

[Peter Domankiewicz]

Thanks for your thoughts. Those caps may be a big clue though. I've updated the description to clarify that it is unlikely to be Scotland and make some more suggestions. I could see it was a tug of war, but was wondering what the event itself might be - related to a school or another type of organisation?

 

[William Owen]

Or late Victorian military attire: perhaps a military academy like Woolwich, or elsewhere in the South East.