The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dusty attic discovery of dress uniform worn by Victorian provost
Ornate outfit that belonged to Dundee dignitary is found in a box in Yorkshire house
An ornate dress uniform worn by a Dundee lord provost in the 19th Century has been uncovered in a loft in Yorkshire.
The red outfit was made for Sir James Low, who was lord provost in the city between 1893 and 1896.
It was discovered in a box owned by Paul Cookson when his relatives were clearing out his belongings following his death last year.
The family were shocked by the find and started researching the uniform and traced its roots back to Dundee.
Mr Cookson’s nephew, Gareth Andrews, said he has no idea how it came into his uncle’s possession.
“He used to store things in my father’s loft and had done for 20-odd years,” he said.
“We have no idea how have it, it’s a total mystery.
“My dad thought it was old rags and was going to take it to the skip but I looked in the box properly and found the uniform. he came to
“He lived quite a colourful life so I don’t know how he came to own it. Knowing him, he probably forgot he had it.”
A portrait of Sir James wearing the uniform, made by Hobbs & Co London, hangs in the McManus art gallery.
The outfit will be sold at auction by Dundee-based BL Fenton and Sons on Thursday.
Richard Fenton, of the auctioneers, said it is an unusual find, making its worth hard to predict.
“We have sold antique and military clothing before but something like this worn by a dignitary is not something that we have ever sold in the past,” he said.
“There would only have been a limited number of these kind of things made so I think it is quite unusual.
“It’s a difficult thing to estimate in terms of interest or value because we normally go on the basis of what we have sold before or what we can find online but this is an unknown quantity.”
The uniform’s condition has deteriorated with age but Mr Fenton said he expects it to attract the interest of collectors.
“With the age it is there are problems with it but I’m sure there will be a local interest in something with such a strong Dundee connection,” he said.
“I’m sure it could be tidied up but you wouldn’t want to do too much because you can over-restore something and actually take away from the history of it.”
“My dad thought it was old rags and was going to take it to the skip but I looked in the box properly and found the uniform. GARETH ANDREWS