Graeme Fisher Posted 13 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 13 February , 2005 A marvellous photo, Dave. This drill hall was one of the earliest that I visited, and photographed on the first day of its' partial demolition. I understand it has undergone conversion into flats, with only the offices incorporated into the new building. It provided premises for both the HQ, 4th (Staffordshire) Battery and ammunition column of the 3rd North Midland Brigade, RFA, and a Troop of D Squadron Staffordshire Yeomanry, plus a riding school. I understand it was used as a telephone exchange for many years. I doubt the GPO or BT dressed up for its re-opening.... Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cossack Posted 21 February , 2005 Share Posted 21 February , 2005 Dear All, I found this topic on a search for the Drill Hall in Lenham Road, Sutton, Surrey which was used for the 2nd VB East Surreys. My reason for searching was that my Great-Grandfather was living in Drill Hall House in the 1901 census & was a Sgt-Instructor (he was previously RMLI sergeant), his wifes' listed ocuupation is HMS - 2nd VB East Surrey. I have visited the area only to find the Drill Hall is now a multi-storey car park !!! Does anyone have a picture of it or suggestions where to find one or even info on the Drill Hall? Any help would be much appreciated. Many thanks....Andrei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 10 March , 2005 Share Posted 10 March , 2005 graeme, have you been writing for the b.c. bugle? enoch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 10 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2005 graeme, have you been writing for the b.c. bugle? enoch Ar bay, Aynuck, aer kid. (For those who live nearer the coast, a rough translation is; 'I have not, Enoch, my friend.' The Black Country Bugle is not the Journal of the Wolverhampton Light Infantry, it's a local newspaper devoted to, well, the Black Country, the bit sort of North West of Birmingham.) Have I been missing something? Let me know! Thanks Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 10 March , 2005 Share Posted 10 March , 2005 in this week's bugle(page 14/15) there is a article called ' the black country's drill halls- beautiful buildings for square-bashing and square-tangoing!. there is nice edwardian picture of smethwick's drill hall. i thought you had written the article! enoch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 10 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2005 Dear All, I found this topic on a search for the Drill Hall in Lenham Road, Sutton, Surrey ......Does anyone have a picture of it or suggestions where to find one or even info on the Drill Hall? Any help would be much appreciated. Many thanks....Andrei Andrei - appologies for not replying sooner. Firstly, thanks for the indication of the demolition of Sutton's drill hall. Just shows how little these places are valued. As far as photos go, I have nothing. However, your first port of call should be your local Library service archives, who may well have a picture. Ask the staff, who are usually incredibly helpful if you tell them precisely what you are looking for, search their indexes under Territorial, Volunteer, Army, Military and drill hall. Try your local paper. If it's been around for a hundred years, as many have, their photographic archive may provide. Or give the features editor a call - they may run a piece on your researches. If there's a museum for the East Surrey Regiment, they may be worth a call, but the lack of regimental info is the thing that started this project..... Best of luck, if you find a photo I'd love a copy. If anything crops up I'll let you know. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 10 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2005 in this week's bugle(page 14/15) there is a article called ' the black country's drill halls- beautiful buildings for square-bashing and square-tangoing!. there is nice edwardian picture of smethwick's drill hall. i thought you had written the article! enoch Thanks Enoch! Off to the shops...... Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 11 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 11 March , 2005 Back from the shops....... A wonderful two page spread on Black Country drill halls. Well written and researched, with some photos. I spoke with the author of the piece today, and we may collaborate on another article. (or I'll send my notes and she'll write stuff...) And yes, Enoch, I can see why you thought that I may have written it, it's got some of my phrasiology in it, from this very thread..... Nice to be used as a resource! Graeme O. And if anyone wants a copy, http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/detail.asp?cat=General%20News&articleID=5320907 and five second class stamps. a real bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 12 March , 2005 Share Posted 12 March , 2005 (or I'll send my notes and she'll write stuff...) Hello Graeme DON’T. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 12 March , 2005 Share Posted 12 March , 2005 And yes, Enoch, I can see why you thought that I may have written it, it's got some of my phrasiology in it, from this very thread..... Hello again Graeme This raises issues which cause me concern and I have emailed you accordingly. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 12 March , 2005 Share Posted 12 March , 2005 graeme, i look forward to the article! it may be just me but i think the bugle are publishing a lot more 1st world war articles(which i don't mind one bit) i wait to be educated enoch(nr old hill train station) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 12 March , 2005 Share Posted 12 March , 2005 My position is simply that I think that Graeme should have the credit for his own words, his own research and his own intellectual property. He has accumulated an amazing, impressive collection of material, some of it gifted by other people. He's a fluent, interesting and competent writer in his own right. I have actually seen his database and his powers of expression. I think he should get the personal recognition and the feeling of pride that the quality of his achievement deserves. My objection is to people lifting someone else's words and passing them off uncredited as their own. It is simple enough to contact someone via the forum and ask permission, which would in most cases be freely given. Freeloading is intellectually, academically and morally offensive. There are other issues which I have raised privately to Graeme and which I am not going to explain in public. However, he knows that I believe completely in the value of his project and the worth of his material, and in his capacity to publish it under his own name. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 12 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 12 March , 2005 On reflection, and following enoch's comments and Gwyn's input, on and off forum, I have decided it would be better to write an article rather than pass on information. That way, attention is drawn to the project, the Forum and the invaluable contribution of pictures and information from some very generous people. Watch this space.... Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 13 March , 2005 Share Posted 13 March , 2005 I am so pleased to hear this, Graeme. I’m glad you had a rethink. I know it will be good. I have complete confidence. Best of luck. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 15 March , 2005 Share Posted 15 March , 2005 The drill hall of what was 254 Battery RHA ( that's what it was between the wars) in Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush, London W12, is now a Community Centre and OAP's luncheon club. Still has the RA badge in the stonework at the front. Squirrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ste Posted 15 March , 2005 Share Posted 15 March , 2005 Good luck with the article Graham. I understand Dragon's concerns and think you should have every credit for all this work. Cheers, Ste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 15 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2005 The drill hall of what was 254 Battery RHA ( that's what it was between the wars) in Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush, London W12, is now a Community Centre and OAP's luncheon club. Still has the RA badge in the stonework at the front. Squirrel Thanks, Squirrel, that's exactly what i need to know. Still there, waiting for me to visit and photograph. Nice to know it's still valued by the community it once served. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 15 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2005 Good luck with the article Graham. I understand Dragon's concerns and think you should have every credit for all this work. Cheers, Ste Thanks for the encouragement, Ste. Makes it all worthwhile. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 16 March , 2005 Share Posted 16 March , 2005 The drill hall of what was 254 Battery RHA ... is now a Community Centre and OAP's luncheon club. Reading Squirrel's message, I wondered how many of the elderly people using the drill hall are the children of the young men who trained there prior to the Great War. Ghosts........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 23 March , 2005 Share Posted 23 March , 2005 Graeme Page 46 of the attached will be of interest to you. Dave www.bristol-city.gov.uk/bcc_planningservices/pdf/wl_ashley.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 23 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2005 Thanks, Dave, you have some strange bedtime reading.... Another one getting a residential makeover. Info from the developers' website; Sion Developments has purchased the Drill Hall in Old Market Street. The building and surrounds have been steeped in Bristol history, having been a sugar warehouse and sugar refinery owned by Bristol Sugar Refining Co Ltd and then the Bristol & West Sugar Refinery. After bankruptcy of the sugar company, well known Bristolian Sir H H Wills engineered a swap of land and buildings moving the Gloucestershire Territorial Force Association from Queens Road in Clifton to the Drill Hall. This gave Bristol University further land for development. Most recently the Drill Hall has been a postal sorting office, but the Victorian buildings are now being converted by Sion, with advice from TLT, into 40 apartments. Large numbers of American troops were based in Bristol before D-Day, and the Drill Hall, Old Market Street was the billet for the first black American soldiers stationed in Bristol. Racial tension between white and black American soldiers erupted into a huge brawl in Park Street/Great George Street on 15 July 1944. And a picture from me; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 23 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2005 Thanks, Dave, you have some strange bedtime reading.... Another one getting a residential makeover. Info from the developers' website; Sion Developments has purchased the Drill Hall in Old Market Street. The building and surrounds have been steeped in Bristol history, having been a sugar warehouse and sugar refinery owned by Bristol Sugar Refining Co Ltd and then the Bristol & West Sugar Refinery. After bankruptcy of the sugar company, well known Bristolian Sir H H Wills engineered a swap of land and buildings moving the Gloucestershire Territorial Force Association from Queens Road in Clifton to the Drill Hall. This gave Bristol University further land for development. Most recently the Drill Hall has been a postal sorting office, but the Victorian buildings are now being converted by Sion, with advice from TLT, into 40 apartments. Large numbers of American troops were based in Bristol before D-Day, and the Drill Hall, Old Market Street was the billet for the first black American soldiers stationed in Bristol. Racial tension between white and black American soldiers erupted into a huge brawl in Park Street/Great George Street on 15 July 1944. And a picture from me; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 8 April , 2005 Share Posted 8 April , 2005 Graeme This may be of interest: http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/townandco....aspx?id=151154 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 8 April , 2005 Author Share Posted 8 April , 2005 It is, Dave, as always. Thanks Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 11 May , 2005 Share Posted 11 May , 2005 One that I was told couldn’t exist, because “they didn’t use bricks in Wales before the Second World War”. The photo was taken just after sunset and I left the street in it to show context. The drill hall has been shoe-horned into its surrounding street. The foundation stone is dated 1882. I think the string course (right hand picture) is rather attractive. Graeme has the good pictures and details. I removed my original post because I’ve now had some better prints back. Gwyn Pictures removed by me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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