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Remembered Today:

Rifle Brigade Barracks, Winchester


spof

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Quite a few postcards of the same barracks from different views and different time periods.

This one is 1915 or the postmark on it is


1913 postmark for the card on the right


unknown date for next one down


1904 on bottom

1905 for the gates

post-1871-0-81152900-1378484674_thumb.jp

post-1871-0-66776600-1378484788_thumb.jp

post-1871-0-59678100-1378484898_thumb.jp

post-1871-0-80359000-1378484999_thumb.jp

post-1871-0-25208100-1378485116_thumb.jp

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WW2

And so on, there are many more. Interesting that when the early ones were taken the buildings must have been new as the Rifles Depot had a fire and they were based in Gosport at the turn of the century.

Andy

post-1871-0-27065300-1378486245_thumb.jp

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I agree that the church steeple must be Christchurch but I can't see why the image from 1905 doesn't show it.

Serle's house has to be the most beautiful regimental home for any English Regiment (but then again, being a Hampshire hog, I would say that,,,,,,,,

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  • Admin

Thanks Andy for some wonderful photos.

Delta, I'm not from there but Winchester and surrounds is a beautiful place even without the GW connection.

Glen

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Unknown date

The air photo is pre 1962 (and presumably post 1920)

Thanks Andy for some wonderful photos.

Delta, I'm not from there but Winchester and surrounds is a beautiful place even without the GW connection.

Glen

Parts of the city and a lot of the surrounding country are indeed lovely.

But then I am a bit of a fan

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I agree that the church steeple must be Christchurch but I can't see why the image from 1905 doesn't show it.

Perhaps the producers thought it spoiled the line of the roof, and simply edited it out? Easily done...

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The card on post #30 is quite interesting as it shows the Riflemen being instructed how to treat their rifles like shovels by carrying at 'The Slope'. Luckily this abomination against the traditions of the Rifleman only lasted about eighteen months before it was dropped. I thought most of the photographic evidence had been destroyed clearly this card slipped through.

G

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For anyone interested in seeing these wonderful buildings, next weekend is a good time to choose: http://www.winchestermilitarymuseums.co.uk/blog

Yours truly will be manning Staffing on duty in the Hussars museum on Saturday.

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And the Rifles LHS will be outside the The Rifles museum, with a range of kit on diplay, whilst yours truly will be dressed as a Victorian Rifle Volunteer, accompanied by my good lady.

G

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The card on post #30 is quite interesting as it shows the Riflemen being instructed how to treat their rifles like shovels by carrying at 'The Slope'. Luckily this abomination against the traditions of the Rifleman only lasted about eighteen months before it was dropped. I thought most of the photographic evidence had been destroyed clearly this card slipped through.

G

The horror, the horror!

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Presumably the cannon was there for Ladies' Night?


And the Rifles LHS will be outside the The Rifles museum, with a range of kit on diplay, whilst yours truly will be dressed as a Victorian Rifle Volunteer, accompanied by my good lady.

G

See you there, Gareth. I won't embarrass you in front of the good lady by claiming acquaintance.

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Post 40 should be more to Gareth's liking with the riflemen treating their rifles more in the rifles tradition of the trail.

Have a good weekend guys, you never know I might come and take the mickey a little.

Andy

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For anyone interested in seeing these wonderful buildings, next weekend is a good time to choose: http://www.winchestermilitarymuseums.co.uk/blog

Yours truly will be manning Staffing on duty in the Hussars museum on Saturday.

Looks like a great event - and the opportunity to meet Steven and Gareth can only enhance its appeal.

Does one have to be at least a 1 star to get a gig at the evening talks?

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  • 3 years later...

Just a little history of the place:-

 

Charles II decided to make Winchester his ordinary place of residence when not required in London.

He resolved to build a palace on the spot where the former Royal castle had stood - which was demolished in the Cromwellian period. The King made a real purchase of the ground, and the corporation sold the site for the sum of 5/-, although the rightful owner, Sir Henry Tichborne, was promised full compensation which he never received.

Sir Christopher Wren was appointed the architect, and the palace was to be designed upon the model of Versailles.

 

March 2nd, 1683:- The King himself laid the foundation stone to the palace which was to be called "The King's House."

 

February 1684:- the Palace was complete as to the shell and roof.

 

February 1685:- The King died, and the palace was neglected. Queen Anne completed part of the work, but this was subsequently abandoned through lack of money.

George I did not care much for the building, and so it became neglected.

 

1756:- Became a prison for French prisoners of war.

 

1758:- the Palace begun by Charles II but not finished, is now completely refitted for barracks in which there was no less than 1600 rooms. Was in use as a place for prisoners of war from France and Spain.

 

1779:- Terrible sickness, and Palace cleared of all prisoners of war.. Some 5,000 French prisoners arrived during wars with America, France and Spain.

 

February 1780:- 3,000 French prisoners left for Southampton en route to France.

 

March 1780:- 300 Spanish prisoners of war to the King's House.

 

July 1782:- Northamptonshire Militia ordered to encamp near the wharf to guard prisoners of war in the Old Palace.

 

1792:- Inhabited by some emigrant priests from French Revolution, for four years.

 

1793:- conversion of the Palace into barracks.

 

1796:- Became a King's barracks and used by many different Regiments.

 

August 1855:- "Depot Coys" of the 1st Rifle Brigade moved from Portsmouth to Winchester.

 

1858:- 2nd battalion  60th to Depot and the barracks was then known as the "Rifle Depot."

 

18th December, 1894:- Barracks destroyed by fire,  all men drafted to forts at Portsdown Hill, later to Portsmouth (Gosport Barracks).

 

8th June 1899:- Stone to new barracks laid by H.R.H. Prince of Wales.

 

29th March, 1904:- Barracks re-opened for occupation by the original incumbents, the Rifle Brigade and by the K.R.R.C.

 

 

Andy

Edited by stiletto_33853
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  • 7 months later...
On 28/03/2017 at 13:29, stiletto_33853 said:

Just a little history of the place:-

 

18th December, 1894:- Barracks destroyed by fire,  all men drafted to forts at Portsdown Hill, later to Portsmouth (Gosport Barracks).

8th June 1899:- Stone to new barracks laid by H.R.H. Prince of Wales.

29th March, 1904:- Barracks re-opened for occupation by the original incumbents, the Rifle Brigade and by the K.R.R.C.

 

Andy

 

On 06/09/2013 at 17:50, stiletto_33853 said:

WW2

And so on, there are many more. Interesting that when the early ones were taken the buildings must have been new as the Rifles Depot had a fire and they were based in Gosport at the turn of the century.

Andy

 

 

Here's some more material on the 18-19 Dec 1894 Rifle Depot fire ...

 

Drawing of the event from the Hampshire Chronicle reproduced in the KRRC Chronicle (an early work by LS Lowry?)...

59f4b9c54b009_RifleDepotfire19Dec1894(KRRCChronicle1958p.15)-reduced80.jpg.14ebb33a39a99145c997c3ca1abf8a26.jpg

 

Some description of the event and the time in Gosport. Note the laconic remark that hints the ten year delay in completing the re-building had archaeology as a factor!

59f4b9c6110f5_RifleDepotfire19Dec1894-gobbet1.jpg.47be033d6d76fc6284699010a77f838f.jpg

59f4b9c6e5af9_RifleDepotfire19Dec1894-gobbet2.jpg.f115eb3a2ed67c393ea318374d8a9789.jpg

 

 

Mark

 

Edited by MBrockway
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On 9/5/2013 at 17:04, MBrockway said:

VCH from 1912 has ...

No dates unfortunately, but this seems to suggest the spire was part of the original structure.

Don't have Pevsner for Hants - if anyone does, that would clear this up very quickly.

 

"CHRIST CHURCH, Christ Church Road.  1861 by Ewan Christian.  With a SE tower and broach-spire and a polygonal apse.   Wide interior.  Low round marble piers with naturalistic capitals.  Cinquefoil clerestory."    Err  ... that's all Pevsner has to say folks.

 

Edwin

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4 hours ago, MBrockway said:

 

 

Here's some more material on the 19 Dec 1894 Rifle Depot fire ...

 

Drawing of the event from the Hampshire Chronicle reproduced in the KRRC Chronicle (an early work by LS Lowry?)...

59f4b9c54b009_RifleDepotfire19Dec1894(KRRCChronicle1958p.15)-reduced80.jpg.14ebb33a39a99145c997c3ca1abf8a26.jpg

 

Some description of the event and the time in Gosport. Note the laconic remark that hints the ten year delay in completing the re-building had archaeology as a factor!

59f4b9c6110f5_RifleDepotfire19Dec1894-gobbet1.jpg.47be033d6d76fc6284699010a77f838f.jpg

59f4b9c6e5af9_RifleDepotfire19Dec1894-gobbet2.jpg.f115eb3a2ed67c393ea318374d8a9789.jpg

 

 

Mark

 


I know that it is completely out of period, but here is a water damaged photograph of the Barracks, circa 1880, when a number of my relatives were serving as senior NCOs in the 37th/Hampshire Regiment.

hants.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

Thanks for sharing these photos, folks.  Just came across this thread which started before I discovered a relative had served in the Rifle Brigade from 1914-1917.  Great to see images of the barracks as it may have appeared when he was there, albeit only for a few months.  

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