Award of The Costume Society Elizabeth Hammond Grant

ANGUSalive is delighted to share that Montrose Museum was recently awarded £2515 from The Costume Society’s Elizabeth Hammond grant to conserve an East India Company officer’s coat and waistcoat.

The award comes in time for the uniform to be on display at the upcoming exhibition ‘Perspectives: Collecting the World‘, which will display a curated selection of the Angus World Cultures collection.

Through the World Cultures research project, rare and unique objects from around the world have been uncovered. The history of Angus is inextricably linked with the mercantile and seafaring activities of East India Company through which wealth generated in India flowed back to the county via the port at Montrose.

The uniform dates from the late 18th century and belonged to Henry Hoile, born in Kent, around 1750. He was the father of Dr Henry Hoile of Montrose, who was a surgeon to the Forfar & Kincardineshire Militia. Dr Henry Hoile’s descendants donated the uniform to the museum in 1957.

Emma Gilliland, ANGUSalive Collections Lead said: “Due to this generous grant we will now be able to safely display this uniform in our upcoming exhibition ‘Perspectives: Collecting the World’ at Montrose Museum from Saturday 2 August. We look forward to welcoming you to the exhibition.”

You can read more about the award at www.costumesociety.org.uk/awards/winners/montrose-museum-and-art-gallery-2025.