Drill halls

[Dragon]

We have uploaded some photos of Herefordshire Drill Halls about 1910. I thought they deserved a thread of their own, so have placed links here.

[Graeme Fisher]

Just a quick update to let you all know the project is still alive and well! My collaboratoress and I have both had busy lives of late, but there is the threat of new information on Glasgow, a revision of Staffordshire, and perhaps London to come in the near future. Lancashire is also being prepared, a monumental task, and Durham and Northumberland are well advanced.

If you can throw anything at these counties, I'd be grateful.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Graeme

Great news.

Dave

[Graeme Fisher]

Graeme

Great news.

Dave

Thanks, Dave

I've just noticed that it will have been ten years this December since my first post.

I've had an amazing amount of help from you lovely people, and 1100 posts later we're still going.

My thanks to all who have helped so far, and I look foward to the next ten years.......

Graeme

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Which means I've been on the forum for nearly ten years and I'm still only 21................................I wish

The work of yourself and Gwyn is much appreciated by me and I am sure by many others.

Dave

[ianjonesncl]

Durham and Northumberland are well advanced.

If you can throw anything at these counties, I'd be grateful.

Graeme when do you expect to have to have Northumberland and Durham on the site ?

Ian

[Dragon]

Uploading the site happens at my end and life has been very demanding over the past few months. Getting the site updated is very much on my mind and, while I won't make promises of timescale, it will happen!

Actually, behind the scenes, we have been giving some help to several groups and individuals who are campaigning to save drill halls. Some you win, some you don't. Shepherd's Bush former Drill Hall has been saved, but sadly, despite Taff Gillingham's passionate efforts, Ipswich's last remaining Drill Hall is about to be converted into a car park, if it already hasn't gone. Sidmouth is alive... just.

I post updates and snippets about drill halls (and I confess, sometimes veer off topic) on our Twitter feed; we're @DrillHalls https://twitter.com/#!/DrillHalls Please follow us!

Gwyn

[Graeme Fisher]

She understates her hand in this project...........Gwyn is the one who makes my project into a website, and thus available in the public domain.

When I say 'my project', I mean. of course, our project. Gwyn has travelled the country, photographed many drill halls, turned my notes into something cohesive and rational, fought battles for fallen drill halls, fielded questions from all and sundry......

I am lucky to have such a generous and clever collaborator. www.drillhalls.org would not be without her.

As Gwyn says, it's been a demanding few months, well, a year and a half, really. We've both had health issues, family trauma, and a trillion other distractions that have taken away from our work here; we're back on track, new stuff will be available shortly.

Oh, and by the way, thanks, Gwyn.....

Graeme when do you expect to have to have Northumberland and Durham on the site ?

Ian

Can't give you a date, Ian, but if there's anything you wish to discuss, PM me.

[Jim Clay]

Gwyn / Graeme

I've emailed an interesting photo of the drill hall, Knighton, Radnor, to the drillhalls.org site - photo taken in 1911.

Jim

[cooper]

Just to let people know that there is a ceremony on remembrance Sunday in Ilkley where a blue plaque is being fitted to Ilkley Drill Hall. There will be a ceremony at 1.45pm and there will be a representative from the T.A plus various other parties.

I have a few bits and pieces which I have been asked to bring along as well as providing images/details and copy images of men and units also.

I know the owners of the building and I have been working on a project for them, I have been trying to identify men who had served at the drill hall and who subsequently died during the war. I think a memorial will be set up for them, but also the current owner runs a construction company from theold drill hall. He has a fleet of vehicles and would like to name them (Eddie Stobart style), I have suggested to name them after the men who didnt come home. He is going to do just that.

To clarify, men whom served at the drill hall pre and during the war were from:

4th West Riding Royal Field Artillery, 11th Howitzer (Ilkley) Battery, 1st and 2nd lines.

Yorkshire Hussars - A Squadron. This unit was recruited from Leeds and also used the Drill hall.

To date I have found 15 men from the 11th Ilkley Battery who used the drill hall pre war who didnt come home, or died shortly after returning. I have checked the nominal roll, casualty roll and also checked and cross referenced for any men who left the Battery to serve with other units. Unfortunately any men who joined the Battery from other units have not been included as they wouldnt have served at he drill hall.

Yorkshire Hussars - A Squadron, to date I have found 10 men who served pre war with the Yorkshire Hussars and whom didnt come home. I have checked against SDGW, CWGC plus a couple of other sources. I know that 398 men from the 1/1st Yorkshire Hussars joined 9th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment in November 1917. To date I have found only a single casualty from this batch of men from the 9th West Yorks who had seen service at the Drill Hal

I dont suppose anyone has a casualty list for A Squadron Yorkshire Hussars or ex Yorks Hussars whom served with the 9th West Yorks? I dont want to miss anyone out.

Cooper

[cooper]

Additional drill hall info for Ilkley, taken from the Ilkley Gazette:

Ilkley Gazette 28^th October 1910

Work has been started on building a drill hall for the Ilkley Battery 4^th West Riding (Howitzer) Brigade. The building is to be of local stone and is to have a frontage of 103ft onto Leeds Road. The great hall is to consist of a drill hall, wagon shed, lecture room and bar, armoury, orderly room, harness room and lavatory accommodation. The first floor will be officers’ quarters, the NCO rooms, quartermasters’ stores and lavatories. The cost of the premises is estimated at about £1800 and it is expected to be completed by June 1911.

Ilkley Gazette 25^th August 1911

The new Drill Hall for the Ilkley Territorials, which has gradually been assuming form and shape throughout the summer, is now expected to be ready for full possession in about a fortnight. The hall, which makes a notable ornament on the Leeds Room entrance to Ilkley, consists of the drill hall proper in the central portion, with full accommodation for ammunition wagons behind, with a harness room adjoining.

I hope this is of use.

P.S There is an article in the Ilkley Gazette about the drill hall this week.

Regards,

Cooper

[Roger Thompson]

What a smashing offer of the gentleman from the construction company.

Well done also for the blue plaque.

Some three or four years ago I photographed the drill hall for this project, what an imposing frontage, I ws also glad that the whole site was in use without destroying the ambience of it.

I am sorry I have not any information that could help you with this project, depending upon circumstances I might try to get along on Sunday.

Best regards,

Roger.

[keithmroberts]

One of my Greengates men, Charles Alfred Baxter served in the Yorkshire Hussars before transferring to the 9th West Yorks, He died on 10/10/1917 at a field ambulance shortly after being injured by a shell. he hunted with the Bramham Moor Hounds before the war, being the son of a local mill owner. I doubt whether he would have used the Ilkley drill Hall as that would be some distance from his home. He joined up on the outbreak of war, but I can't identify which company of the hussars he was attached to. he was Pte 2559 in the Hussars, later 235901 West Yorkshire regiment at the time of his death.

Keith

Edit I have copies of various newspaper clippings etc about him if you decide to include him.

[Dragon]

Thank you very much for all that information. How wonderful that the owners of the building value its heritage so well.

I'll try and get the information added to the drill halls site as soon as possible and if you would be able to send us up-to-date photos to include the blue plaque, we'd love to include them. I'm happy to mention the owner by name or by company name if you think he would welcome the publicity.

Please could you post a link to the Ilkley Gazette, if it's online, or would you be able to scan the piece? I tweet drill hall news.

I do apologise for the delay in getting material on to the site. I have had several immediate family deaths over the past 18 months up to this September and unfortunately dealing with those has had to take priority over working on the website.

Gwyn

[Dragon]

I dont suppose anyone has a casualty list for A Squadron Yorkshire Hussars or ex Yorks Hussars whom served with the 9th West Yorks? I dont want to miss anyone out.

I've tweeted this request and I'll let you know if anyone replies. Some people who follow @DrillHalls or have contacts who follow @DrillHalls don't use the GWF.

If you have a little look and find I've got it wrong, please let me know!

Gwyn

[Graeme Fisher]

Absolutely marvellous news, and the fact that the present owner is involved is all the better for the survival of the building.

The newspaper articles are valuable, too.

Graeme

[cooper]

Thanks for the interest. I doubt Charles Alfred Baxter would have served at the Drill, but I will certainly bear it in mind. I too thought it a fantastic gesture to name the vehicles, a new way of remembering the men.

I must also say that I wasnt the person responsible for the blue plaque, that was the owner who has been working tirelessly with the Civic Society to achieve it. I will be meeting with the society later on Sunday and giving them some further details.

There is actually some great detail available about the men whom used the Drill hall most frequently. It has been mentioned before, there is a book called "A Record of D245" by A E Gee and Norman Tennant.This is very clear and concise and details the battery experiences through the war. However, there is a lesser known book which I find fantastic, its called "A Saturday Night Soldiers War", its by Corporal A E Gee and Bombardier Norman Tennant, the latter provided many drawings for the book. Norman Tennant was a fantastic artist and there are many depictions of the men and places throughout the book. He eventually set up an art shop in Ilkley post war and it is still going to this day. The book (although out of print) is very resonable and you can pick a copy up from Amazon for around £8. The first book, A Record of D245 will cost around £80 to purchase.

The web address for the Ilkley Gazette is http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/

Also the story has not been printed yet, I assume it must be in next weeks gazette, I will check on Sunday.

Regards,

James

[Dragon]

James, what is the gist of the plaque? Is it an English Heritage one?

Some people have retweeted the request. Let's see whether the twitterati can help you.

Gwyn

Edit from the Twittersphere. Geoff Sullivan says: GSE lists three A Sqdn YH and eight formerly YH , 4 went to 9th WY and 4 elsewhere but no Sqdn given for the 8. I trust that means something to you! Thanks, Geoff.

[Roger H]

Let's hope we can get a successful outcome for this worthwhile project.

Roger

[myos]

Graeme

The wheels are in motion to place a 'blue plaque' on the site of the former drill hall in Lytham. We hope to unveil it somewhere about 7th August 2014 to mark the anniversary of the day E Company, 4th (Territorial) Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, marched off to join the rest of the Battalion at Preston.

As yet we haven't managed to unearth a picture of the Drill Hall, but we live in hope.

Andy

[cooper]

The blue plaque is a scheme from English Heritage, it records details of the building/area where it is placed, it is to preserve the memory and details for future generations.

Much appreciated info which was tweeted about A Squadron. However, please see below for the 1st page of MIC's I checked where both Yorkshire Hussars and West Yorkshires are listed:

Arnold P Abbott Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3109, 330655, 235871 Fred Abbott York Hussars, York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2313, 330202, 236170 Thomas Almond York Hussars, York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 1983, 330066, 235702 Frederick Ambler York Hussars, York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2309, 330198, 235709 John Andrews Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 311258, 235716 Raymond W Andrews Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3012, 330608, 235772 Albert E Annakin York Hussars, York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3036, 330616, 235713 George W Appleby West Yorkshire Regiment, Corps of Hussars 47289, 77264 Harry Appleyard Yorkshire Hussars, Army Service Corps, West Yorkshire Regiment 2311, R/446165, 235836 Wallar Archer Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry, Corps of Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2197, 315203, 315203 Lawrence Arnett York Hussars, York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2248, 330167, 235712 Herbert Ashworth York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2898, 235949, 330546, 235948 Hall Aspinall West Riding Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars, Royal Engineers, Royal Engineers 5809, 47286, 234680, WR/41592 Arthur Ayton Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 1756, 330037, 236064 William B Bairstow York Nussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 2811, 236172, 330493 Leo Baker York Hussars, York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2323, 2323, 236031, 330209, 330209 Donald Barber 18th Hussars, East Yorkshire Regiment, West Riding Regiment 20310, 20310, 20310 Harry Barker Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3029, 330645, 236025 Harold H Beanland York Kuss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2739, 236039, 330459 Arthur Bell West Yorkshire Regiment, 18 Hussars 65646, 79058 Thomas Bennett York Hussars, york Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3269, 330738, 236095 Harry Benson Yorks Hussars, Royal Engineers, West Yorkshire Regiment 1677, 477785, 235804 Tom B Berrington York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2340, 235906, 330221 Arthur E Berry York Nuss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2233, 235992, 330162 George Berry York Huss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2324, 236035, 330210 George H Best York Huss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2271, 235858, 330178 Thomas Betchetti York Muss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2342, 235995, 330222 Herbert Bielby York Huss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2315, 235855, 330203 Herbert O Binns York Hussars, york Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3176, 330690, 235915 Henry B Birchall York Hussars, york Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3444, 330810, 235997 George Edson Birkinshaw York Hussars, york Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3487, 330831, 236174 Harry Blackburn York Huss, West Yorkshire Regiment, York Hussars 2556, 236040, 330358 Thomas Blair North'd Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 725, 725 Fred Blanshard York Hussars, york Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2553, 330356, 235909 John Bolton Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2796, 330482, 235911 Ronald H Bolton York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 2900, 235807, 330548 Pierce Bonner York Huss, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 2112, 235934, 330110 Thomas Bonner York Huss, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 2111, 235943, 330100 Cyril C Booth West Yorkshire Regiment, Durh L, Yorkshire Hussars, Royal Engineers 60982, G828, 330877, 361606 Harry Bottomley West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars, Royal Engineers 60828, 331319, 616421 John Bows York Suss, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 2943, 236099, 330574 Jonathan G Boyes Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3173, 330689, 235718 Robert F Boyes York Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 3134, 236146, 330671 Norman Braddick Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2845, 330511, 235905 George S Bradley York Suss, West Yorkshire Regiment, Yorkshire Hussars 2326, 235872, 330212 Harry Bradley Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment, MG 3226, 235715, 139845 John Bradley Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3297, 330750, 235856 John Bradley Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 2642, 330408, 235998 Frederick E Brearley Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3362, 330786, 235941 Joseph Brearley Yorkshire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, West Yorkshire Regiment 3352, 330780, 230085

(the formatting didnt come out liked I would have hoped!)

There are 23 or so from this page alone, in total there are 8 pages. Many of the numbers are low, indicating pre war terriers, and the West Yorks service numbers seem to be in the same sequences starting either 23???? or 33????. Surely there must be more than just 4 from A Squadron?

I dont fancy checking 300 plus records to see if any are men from A Squadron, but will do if that what it takes. Alternatively a nominal roll for A Squadron would perhaps be better. It might be easier cross checking those records.

Regards,

Cooper

[keithmroberts]

You might try contacting the regimental museum. They may have some papers if you are lucky. http://www.armymuseums.org.uk/museums/0000000030-Queen-s-Own-Yorkshire-Yeomanry-Museum.htm

Keith

[Dragon]

The wheels are in motion to place a 'blue plaque' on the site of the former drill hall in Lytham. We hope to unveil it somewhere about 7th August 2014

That's super. Please let us know how the plan progresses.

Meanwhile, if we come across a picture of the drill hall, we'll share it. I have the notice of sale of the drill hall in 1959, if that's of use.

Gwyn

[WilliamRev]

I searched this topic, and it seems that no one has yet posted a picture of the 5th Scottish Rifle's HQ and Drill Hall in Glasgow. It is at 261 West Princes Street, and was built in 1895-7 in that red sandstone beloved of late-Victorian Glasgow architects.

I went in search of it this summer, and found it just a few doors down from the flat in which my grandfather was brought up at 359 West Princes Street, and took this picture. The main building which housed the Headquarters (messes, function rooms and other rooms vital to a Territorial battalion) was more recently offices, but now looks as though it is being converted into something (flats?). The large drill hall at the back has been demolished, and something else is being built there (more flats?).

William

[Later Edit: I have since learned that for the last few decades the drill hall, and associated buildings, were the headquarters of Scottish Ballet, used for rehearsal, scenery-building, administration etc. They now have new headquarters at The Tramway Arts Centre, Glasgow, and the West Princes Street fascade has been preserved, with newly-built student accommodation behind].

[myos]

Many thanks for the offer Gwyn, I would love a copy of the notice of sale and I will certainly keep you up to date with our progress regarding the blue plaque.

Andy