MaxD Posted 15 March , 2017 Share Posted 15 March , 2017 The following update regarding the Royal Artillery Museum as at mid March 2017 may be of use. Most will be aware that Firepower, the Museum of the Royal Artillery at Woolwich, closed in December 2016. The collections are in storage pending the development of a new Royal Artillery Museum. The museum will be housed in a new Salisbury Plain Heritage Centre to be built at Larkhill which will engage with the military history, natural heritage and archaeological features of Salisbury Plain. Application has been made for funding to the Heritage Lottery Fund and concept designs have been produced. Some 10% of the RA Museum’s Library and Archive has been settled in temporary accommodation at Larkhill and a full time archivist has been at work since November last year. Updates to the web site http://www.salisburyplainheritagecentre.com/ detailing the limited access and research possibilities are imminent. However, the archivist Sian Mogridge is happy to take initial enquiries at sm@salisburyplainheritagecentre.com In common with the majority of regimental museums, the RA Museum does not hold service records for individuals. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 16 March , 2017 Share Posted 16 March , 2017 Max Thank you for posting this, I will certainly pay visit. Please note everyone that when I tried to open the Sian Mogridge link my computer anti virus warned me not to. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 16 March , 2017 Share Posted 16 March , 2017 (edited) The 10% so far transferred includes the following: Battery Digests of Service (c.1890-1939) - but not batteries formed during WW1 - 15 boxes covering A to Z Batteries RHA - 34 boxes covering 1 to 121 Field Batteries (including one box labelled ‘Misc RFA Btys’) - 8 boxes covering 1 to 28 Medium Batteries - 8 boxes covering 1 to 33 Heavy Batteries - 1 box labelled ‘LAA Btys 1-4 & Misc’ - 1 box covering 1 to 11 Ammunition Columns, India - 1 box labelled ‘AA Btys 1-19 Pre-War’ - 1 box labelled ‘Depot Bd & Btys / Ammn Cols India / Riding Est. / Misc Minor Units’ Annual Historical Returns (similar to the Digests of Service, but c.1945 onwards) Gun Handbooks Gun Training Pamphlets Gunner Magazine (1919-2016) Royal Artillery Journal (c.1860 – 2014) Royal Artillery News (1899-1970) Royal Artillery Distribution List (1868-1938) Regimental ‘Blue’ Officers’ Lists (early copies, from 1904) WWII Tracer Cards (on microfilm) There are some batteries formed during WW1 that have their Digests of Service with the War Diaries. The rest of the archive is awaiting the installation of mobile shelving before it can be moved, so could be some time. The good news is that they will allow cameras for a £20 fee per day in addition to the £20 per day access fee. Access is only being granted to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The good news is that they will allow cameras for a £12.50 fee per day in addition to the £12.50 per day access fee. Access is now granted to the public most weekdays. Booking up to a month in advance is advised because the archive is now on an Army base and passes for cars and people need to be generated. I've had no problem emailing Sian, who has taken on this enormous task, but she may be slow to respond. We are lucky that this archive is being made available so soon after leaving Woolwich. Please be patient during the transitional period. Edited 27 April , 2018 by David Porter Updated information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 17 March , 2017 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2017 Brian - so did mine but I decided it was being it was being overzealous and if you can't trust the Royal Artillery then who can you trust. (at the same time I'm keeping a weather eye on my computer!) David - Very useful additional info and yes Sian is very helpful. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 27 April , 2018 Share Posted 27 April , 2018 A Facebook post, on Royal Artillery Museum Archive, indicates that further archives have become available from April 2018 The total archives available, most of which seem to be included in post 3 above are • Battery Digests of Service (peace-time details of the activities of individual Batteries, c.1890-1939)• Annual Historical Returns (as with the Digests of Service, but c.late 1940s onwards, and also include details for Regiments)• Most of the WWI War Diary collection• Part of the ‘MD’ collection (personal papers of former Gunners)• Part of the ‘AL’ collection (photos and photograph albums)• Gun Handbooks• Gun Training Pamphlets• Gunner Magazine (1919-2016)• Royal Artillery Journal (c.1860 – 2014)• Royal Artillery News (1899-1970)• Royal Artillery Distribution List (1868-1938)• Regimental ‘Blue’ Officers’ Lists (early copies, from 1904)• WWII Tracer Cards (on microfilm)• Establishment Lists https://www.facebook.com/RoyalArtilleryArchive/posts/2453523718306914 The email address for enquiries is enquiries @royalartillerymuseum.com. (copy and paste and join together so that there is no gap) Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 27 April , 2018 Share Posted 27 April , 2018 Hi Sorry to cut in here, is there a museum there or not. I 'm visiting the UK in late Feb-Mar 2019 and when I was there in 2016 it had just closed. Hope you can advise me. cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 27 April , 2018 Author Share Posted 27 April , 2018 There is not yet a museum in the sense of a new building replacing the one a Woolwich closed in 2016. The artefacts, guns, shells, uniforms, medals and so on, are in storage. The things that are listed are all archived written/printed material. These are housed in rooms borrowed from the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill and may, subject to prior notice, be visited for research. As your visit is next year, and depending on what you wanted to achieve, I would advise contacting them towards the end of this year. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 27 April , 2018 Share Posted 27 April , 2018 To see the latest news there is also a Facebook page Royal Artillery Museum - The Collection ( @TheRAMCollection ) The Facebook page for the Archive, mentioned in my post 5 above, is Royal Artillery Museum Archive. ( @RoyalArtilleryArchive ) Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 27 April , 2018 Share Posted 27 April , 2018 Thanks Max I will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petwes Posted 4 August , 2019 Share Posted 4 August , 2019 (edited) Can I bump this topic to ask if there is anyone who knows when the new museum project will be started? Peter Edited 4 August , 2019 by petwes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 12 May , 2020 Share Posted 12 May , 2020 Can I bump this bump, please? Someone in the "private" section of a railway forum has, tongue-in-cheek, mooted the re-opening of the Larkhill Military Railway to provide access to Stonehenge and thought that "a major museum" was going to relocate to Larkhill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 12 May , 2020 Share Posted 12 May , 2020 Subject to planning, the new Royal Artillery Museum is scheduled to open in spring 2022. New website launched at the end of February this year - https://www.royalartillerymuseum.com/ The proposed site is on MOD land known as Avon Camp West which is on the west of the A345, just south of Netheravon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 12 May , 2020 Share Posted 12 May , 2020 Hi, The latest I recall reading is here. I do also seem to remember that some time back there was talk of joining Stonehenge to the proposed museum to facilitate the movement of tourists. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 (edited) On 12/05/2020 at 11:55, David Porter said: Subject to planning, the new Royal Artillery Museum is scheduled to open in spring 2022. New website launched at the end of February this year - https://www.royalartillerymuseum.com/ The proposed site is on MOD land known as Avon Camp West which is on the west of the A345, just south of Netheravon. For those not familiar with the area, that footprint covers part of the old Support Weapons Wing (SWW), Netheravon, and incorporates the listed, Indoor Riding School, left over from SWW's original guise as the Cavalry School (and later Medium Machine Gun School), the old Anti-Tank Wing buildings of SWW, and the Ordnance Ammunition Compound that had supported the live firing of SWW. In essence, it’s all of the old SWW from West of the A345, leaving just the site of the main part of the camp on the other side of the road, although apparently there is an aspiration to use the latter for 'storage' (read 'gun park' for pieces not on public display). See: https://longwaytotipperary.ul.ie/wartime-life/cavalry-school/ The museum will presumably protect the old indoor riding school, and make use of warehouses in the ammo compound (aka 'Afghanistan FOB'), and relatively modern office and classroom areas in the redundant anti-tank division buildings : https://swlep.co.uk/docs/default-source/board-meetings/2017/20-sep-2017/sphc-presentation-to-board-meeting-20-sept-2017.pdf?sfvrsn=4b10b1e1_4 Edited 13 May , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 13 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 13 May , 2020 (edited) Chris The linkage with English Heritage which was mooted to result in something called the Salisbury Plain Heritage Centre shuffled off this mortal coil very quietly some 2 years ago. Max Edited 13 May , 2020 by MaxD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, MaxD said: Chris The linkage with English Heritage which was mooted to result in something called the Salisbury Plain Heritage Centre shuffled off this mortal coil very quietly some 2 years ago. Max Forgive me Max, I've just signed the petition against it because I think it will ruin the beauty of that area and be too far from the A303. It says it all I think that one of the principal objections to the more sensible site of Larkhill or adjacent to Stonehenge is that it will cause 'equestrian problems', for which read upset the horsey set. I wonder if it's cut and dried yet. Edited 13 May , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 Thanks for the update Max. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said: it will cause 'equestrian problems', for which read upset the horsey set. The Royal Artillery Hunt and the RHA types ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, ianjonesncl said: The Royal Artillery Hunt and the RHA types ? Exactly. Being based at the RA barracks in Woolwich, when the first Firepower Museum was being planned, I was party to, and participated in, discussions about the then two location options of Woolwich and Larkhill. I recall that there were two schools of thought, the old and bold favoured Woolwich and couldn’t see beyond it, and the younger and more forward thinking (I felt) favoured Larkhill, and hoped to piggy back on preparations for the Stonehenge Visitor Centre (parking, cafes, etc.). As you will know, Woolwich won out and, after millions was spent, became an unmitigated disaster from a footfall and thus economic viewpoint. There was the opportunity this time to correct that error, but it seems to me that prevarication and the vested interests of well embedded institutions such as the RA hunt and pony clubs (generations worth), plus other NIMBY types (Larkhill Shoot) have once again prevailed. The A345 is a narrow, winding road that meanders through beautifully unspoilt Wiltshire countryside and sleepy Netheravon is some miles from the A303, unused to such turbulence and with poor infrastructure, so that any heavy traffic will cause significant gridlock and excessive wear to a route that, although technically an A road, is not really geared up for heavy traffic. It’s no wonder that the residents of satellite villages and hamlets along that road are incandescent. NB. It’s clear that part of this is due to extreme pressure to spend as little as possible setting this up, given the available funds, but also because of profound embarrassment over the nugatory sums that were spent on the white elephant of FIREPOWER Woolwich. Edited 13 May , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 On 12/05/2020 at 11:55, David Porter said: Subject to planning, the new Royal Artillery Museum is scheduled to open in spring 2022. New website launched at the end of February this year - https://www.royalartillerymuseum.com/ The proposed site is on MOD land known as Avon Camp West which is on the west of the A345, just south of Netheravon. All that got in the way last time was: a. They didn't get planning permission. b. They didn't get HLF money. Have they found the money now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 29 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Exactly. Being based at the RA barracks in Woolwich when the first Firepower Museum was being planned I was party to and participated in discussions about the then two options of Woolwich and Larkhill. I recall that there were two schools of thought, the old and bold favoured Woolwich and couldn’t see beyond it and younger and the more forward thinking (I felt) favoured Larkhill and hoped to piggy back on preparations for the Stonehenge Visitor Centre (parking, cafes, etc.). As you will know Woolwich won out and was an unmitigated disaster from a footfall and thus economic viewpoint. There was the opportunity here to correct that error, but it seems to me that prevarication and the vested interests of well embedded (generations worth) institutions such as the RA hunt and pony clubs, plus other NIMBY types have once again prevailed. The A345 is a narrow winding road that meanders through beautifully unspoilt countryside and Netheravon is some mile from the A303 so that any heavy traffic will cause significant gridlock and excessive wear to a route that although an A road is not really geared up for heavy traffic. It’s no wonder that the residents of satellite villages and hamlets along that road are incandescent. I saw the objections to the original plan to put it in Larkhill. Some of them were utterly ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 8 minutes ago, Gareth Davies said: I saw the objections to the original plan to put it in Larkhill. Some of them were utterly ridiculous. Yes I can imagine Gareth, it became really clear to me that the decision had already been made. It was one of those ‘situating the appreciation’ type scenarios that I know you will be familiar with.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 Hi, The Wiltshire Council planning portal isn't the easiest to navigate, but I didn't see anything on there at the moment. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 S/1992/1318 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 13 May , 2020 Share Posted 13 May , 2020 Thanks Gareth. That lets me get to the application, but at the moment when I try to 'drill down' I get a 'white' screen. Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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