RFA TF 6 fig. nos.

[Stebie9173]

Sorry to keep adding to the "beer tally" but you'll want this info on Fred Cant.

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

Also the memorial stone that stood in the Drill Hall at Queen Street, Peterborough.

Unfortunately the Drill Hall was bulldozed to make way for the Queensgate Shopping Centre. I don't know what happened to the memorial. I'll make some enquiries...

Steve.

[jim_davies]

Steve,

At this rate I'll be buying you a brewery before too long!

Often wondered how Peterboro's city center looked before QG went in.

Jim

[Stebie9173]

Often wondered how Peterboro's city center looked before QG went in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Still just on topic...

This is the centre of Peterborough (way) before the Shopping Centre. The map is dated 1889 but the centre did not change dramatically till 1980 (the Iron Works, though was long gone)

Queen Street is marked with the orange line. The drill hall was roughly where the blue square is (we think) and the old War Memorial stood somewhere near the green square (St Leonard's Street) before it was moved into the Cathedral grounds. The cathedral is just off the bottom right of the page for reference.

There is still a TA Hall down in Fletton but it looks to me like the Artillery Hall was in Queen Street, at least at the time the book was published (1926)

The Peterborough Recruiting office was at Cathedral Square (the old market square) where the map says "30 and Church" in thebottom right corner. The Church is St Johns Church and is not the Cathedral..

Steve.

[Graeme Fisher]

Steve

Just on your topic, well on mine!

Thanks for listing the stuff about the drill hall.

Graeme

[jim_davies]

Steve,

Thanks for posting this-even though it's been a long time since I've been I see recognise the area, especially Church St, where I did work experience back in the day!

Jim

[Stebie9173]

This is only just from my dad's vague recollections (he worked down Queen Street for a couple of weeks in the 1970s). I'll ask my uncle(s) to make sure... One of my aunts worked down there for years...

Since this is your thing, Graeme.

Some quotes from the above book:

For some year after the formation of the [6th Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteers] Corps drills were held in the Market Place. As time went on, and numbers increased, a second company was formed and by 1867 it was realised that a Drill Hall could no longer be dispensed with. For the purpose of providing a suitable building, funds were raised by a method of doubtful legality which was however sanctioned by the authorities [!!]. A commitee of members of the Corps was formed and in their private capacities organised a lottery on a large scale. Tickets were issued all over the country and a net profit of some £650 resulted. With this as a nucleus the present [1926] drill hall was built in Queen Street.

[1.4.1908] ....the two Peterborough companies were disbanded.... The Drill Hall was handed over to the newly formed County Territorial Association...

(1913) The drill hall and premises became the property of the County Association on the formation of the Territorial Force. These were altered to suit artillery requirements and a gun-shed and harness room were built in the yard of Messrs. Sexton, Grimwade and Beck's repository. There drills were carried out as well as in the Drill Hall, while riding, driving and manoeuvres were practised at Milton Park [near Peterborough] and Burghley Park [near Stamford]

Steve.

P.S. Jim, the library is just beyond where it says Cattle Market at the top of the map.

[Graeme Fisher]

Superb, Steve.

Many thanks

Graeme

[jim_davies]

Cheers Steve

Will email you when I'm in town.

Jim

[Stebie9173]

Jim and Graeme.

Tracked down the correct location of the Drill Hall. Family memory is never the best evidence (perhaps someone should start a Thread on Family Myths... )

It is just to the right of the kink in Queen Street (the vertical street in the centre of the map). It apparently also had access onto Cumbergate, so the open space behind it was presumably its yards.

Steve.

[jim_davies]

Steve,

You weren't that far away!

Jim

[Stebie9173]

Two pics of Queen Street:

First from Exchange Street showing the Drill Hall jutting across the road in the centre above the running boy (though you can't see a lot of it...)

Second is the Baptist Chapel which burnt down in 1905. Judging by the map (OS 1901) the building on the right MAY be the Drill Hall.

Steve.

[Graeme Fisher]

Absolutely marvellous, Steve!

Thanks

Graeme

[Stebie9173]

On further research the Barrass Hall was built in 1904 so would have filled in the void that is on the 1901 map between the Baptist Chapel and the Drill Hall. It looks like the drill hall is JUST visible beyond the 2nd building and obscured by the dark building in the foreground.

Steve.