Captain Malet and Colonel Hume

A carte-de-visite portrait of Captain Alfred Augustus Malet (1814-1898) and Colonel Gustavus Hume (1826-1891).

Alfred Augustus Malet was born on 29 August 1814 at Wilbury House, Newton Tony, Wiltshire. His father was Sir Charles Warre Malet, 1st Bart. He served as a Captain in the 8th Regiment of Foot then subsequently in the 1st Somerset Regiment of Militia. On 20 June 1840 he married Ellen von Passow. He died on 21 March 1898, aged 83.

Gustavus Hume served in the 38th Regiment of Foot in Crimea, where he was photographed at least twice by Roger Fenton. He later served in India during the Indian Mutiny. The National Army Museum holds his diary relating to his service in India. He died on 16 June 1891. His obituary appeared in the Times the following day: ‘We have to announce the death, which occurred yesterday, at Clifton, of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gustavus Hume, lieutenant at the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Sir Gustavus Hume, late of the 21st Fusiliers, served throughout the Crimean war, was present at the battles of Alma (where he was wounded), Inkerman, siege and fall of Sebastopol, expedition to Kertsch, and assault on the Redan. During the Indian Mutiny he was present at the siege and capture of Lucknow and in the campaign in Oude. Sir Gustavus entered the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms in December 1872. He was appointed Clerk of the Cheque and adjutant on January 1, 1876, lieutenant on November 20, 1878, and received from her Majesty the honour of knighthood in December 1880. He was a Knight of the Legion of Honour.'

Photographed by John Webber of Taunton in Somerset.