Myrtle Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 Willesden: In view of the urgency, not wanting time to pass until it was too late, I also posted this thread here and forum member Hudsonswhistle has offered to help. If he can't, then I may be asking again. Many thanks for offering, Myrtle. Gwyn I have the photos of Willesden if you need them. Let me know. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 Yes, please! I'll draw Hudsonswhistle's attention to this thread - I don't want people to waste their time. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 Gwyn Here's a photo of Pound Lane for the Forum. I will send you the others directly. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 One of stone plaque at Willesden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 They're pulling that down? Fabulous photos, Myrtle and thanks for those excellent pictures sent by email. This is typical of the co-operative nature of this forum at its best. Someone lets us know about a drill hall at risk and less than a week later we have a set of wonderful record shots of it. Thanks, Simon, for the alert and to Hudsonswhistle for the offer of photos. My understanding of local listing is that it's a way of signalling to a potential developer that the local authority will resist attempts to demolish it by applying for official spot-Listing should any attempt threaten it. I don't know the full story here and I recognise that some buildings are too unsound to be saved, but surely the facade if nothing else ought to be worth preserving? We have numerous examples of excellent practice in incorporating the significant features of a drill hall's appearance in a development and thus saving the character of the street and neighbourhood. Brent is wrong in dating this as 1920s. Myrtle's evidence is that it dates (at least in part) from 1911 and the photos on Brent's own website date it similarly. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 Gywn, now that I have seen the pictures I am appalled to think that permission has been granted to demolish this building. I can only shake my head in despair. Myrtle, thank you for taking the time to take the photographs. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 20 April , 2008 Share Posted 20 April , 2008 I know. Philistines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 23 April , 2008 Share Posted 23 April , 2008 I've been looking at the plans and discussion, and I've commented in my other thread here. I am so pleased that Simon alerted us to this so that the project has photos before the drill hall came down. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 24 April , 2008 Share Posted 24 April , 2008 I eventually found which county Willesden was in (thanks, Myrtle!) and I've picked out some information from Graeme's database. The shotgun manufacturers, Purdey's, had a shooting ground in the area around 1860, while in 1887 the West Middlesex Rifle Volunteers owned a drill hall in Regency Terrace. There was also another shooting range on the Roundwood estate and there were complaints of danger being caused to people nearby. On Monday December 18th, 1903, The Times reported that a new site for the West Middlesex Rifle Volunteers had been secured. On Friday October 14th, 1910, The Times reported that: "The War Office, on the recommendation of the Middlesex Territorial Association, has granted £6,000 for a new drill hall at Willesden." This was the Pound Lane drill hall. It opened in 1911. This ties in with the photos on Brent's website of the drill hall in 1911 and the downspout which Myrtle spotted dated 1911. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 13 May , 2008 Share Posted 13 May , 2008 A year ago, some forum friends took an interest in Bedale drill hall, a neat single-storey building of brick and slate, with a larger footprint than the drill hall. Bedale By way of an update, I was checking some Yorkshire data this morning and came across a planning application to demolish the drill hall and replace it with a four storey building with retail premises at ground floor level and flats above. (Planning reference 08/00394/FUL - pending decision.) While people could say that as I don't live there, it's none of my business, nevertheless I am as entitled as anyone to look at the proposed elevations and form an opinion. I feel that replacing a single-storey building with a four storey one looks oversized to me, especially as previous applications have paid some attention to the conservation status of the street scene and I can't help thinking that yet another historic building is under threat to make way for something that will change the character of the scene detrimentally. Drill halls are seen as an easy target when developers wave the brownfield sites card. Incidentally, we uploaded a large package of additions recently and the county of Devon went live on drillhalls.org yeterday. We have more additions in hand and Yorkshire is nearly prepared. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 20 May , 2008 Share Posted 20 May , 2008 During my hunt for my GWR chaps, came across this snippet about Salisbury Drill Hall on Wilton Rd to replace the shared space they had in the Market House. Opened at 18.30 on 20/07/1935 Built at a cost of £5000 It's was to be the home of the local TA Battalion of the Wilts and the local Squadren of the Wilts Yeomanry Described as: "The drill hall measures 60' by 30' with two lights set into the roof, along one side is a minature rifle range and the other a spacious billiard room and a lounge / card room, both witch are served by a central bar and buffet. Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 22 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2008 Thanks, Grant Although it's outside the immediate scpe of the project, it's all useful information. We never say 'no thanks'. Where did you unearth this gem? Thanks Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 22 May , 2008 Share Posted 22 May , 2008 Hi Graeme, It was in a clipping in a scrapbook of a chap who served in the Wiltshire Yeomanry - some of my chaps were in the same outfit - during both wars. It was quite an amazing read, from a boy solider in the Yeomanry to an officer with the Cavlrey (I think) There was no mention of the "old" meeting room at the market house in the book. Sorry if it's not in the range of your project - but you might get bored and increase the range of it oneday :-) Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 22 May , 2008 Share Posted 22 May , 2008 Hi Grant, We never get fed up of looking for them, even when on holidays, and since I've been doing this i certainly look at older buildings in a different light. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 23 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2008 Roger makes a valid point. It's not just drill halls. Our built environment is wonderful, if you look. Next time you're in town, look up. Ignore the shop fronts. Look at the buildings. I travel to work via back streets of Victorian terraces. I could write a book on the lintels over windows and doors. I'm sorry, but in a hundred years, our children's children will admit that Barratt houses were just a little bit bland. When Gwyn returns from her holidays, Yorkshire will go online at www.drillhalls.org . Look upwards...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 23 May , 2008 Share Posted 23 May , 2008 aaah Barratt Youv'e not had a walk through Swindon Town then ? Our council is doing its dammest to remove all traces of the old buildings - and succedding at it Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlouise Posted 24 May , 2008 Share Posted 24 May , 2008 I know for certain that the drill hall in Barnsley is still standing and is now used by the Barnsley Chronicle.(local paper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 1 June , 2008 Share Posted 1 June , 2008 Hi there Tykepal, If you live near enough any chance of photoing it and posting so we can all share the pleasure. If you dont live near by it if you could let us know the address I will pop around one evening this week and snap it. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 8 June , 2008 Share Posted 8 June , 2008 Barnsley 1906 (My postcard.) Address is Eastgate. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 8 June , 2008 Share Posted 8 June , 2008 It's not just drill halls. Our built environment is wonderful, if you look. Next time you're in town, look up. Ignore the shop fronts. Look at the buildings. I travel to work via back streets of Victorian terraces. I could write a book on the lintels over windows and doors. ... When Gwyn returns from her holidays, Yorkshire will go online at www.drillhalls.org . Nice comment, Graeme. I'm afraid the upload of Yorkshire will be a little later than we hoped, due to me having to be repaired after having a kitchen knife embedded in my leg. I can't do websites wiv me leg in the air. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 8 June , 2008 Share Posted 8 June , 2008 Hi there Gwyn, Nice one hehe shudder to think why in your leg instead of a spud he he. I will pop round to Eastgate later this week and see if its still there. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 8 June , 2008 Share Posted 8 June , 2008 Short story, Roger. It isn't relevant to Graeme's thread but I'll tell you off forum if you want to know. Interested to know about Eastgate, if you visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest julianem Posted 13 June , 2008 Share Posted 13 June , 2008 Trying to trace my grandfather - a George Black, a Scottish or possibly Newcastle soldier who was at the Huddersfield Drill Hall in October 1916. Do you know where I might find any information about the regiments who were there at that time? regards Julianem I'm engaged in a project to record the premises of Britain's Territorial Army in the period 1908 - 1914. Many drill halls have new owners and uses; many are unwanted and derelict, awaiting demolition and redevelopment. But either way, these important parts of our military, architectural and social history remain mostly unrecorded, and I an trying to do so before the bulldozers arrive! A number of businesses and individuals have already provided information and images on the basis that I am not involved in any commercial enterprise, and that copyright for all photos remains with the owner of the original image. It is hoped that the information will become a book or website to make it available to a wider audience. All contributors will be acknowledged. If you can help this project in any way, please email me, or forward this email to anyone you think may be able to assist. Thanking you in anticipation. Graeme Fisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 14 June , 2008 Share Posted 14 June , 2008 Hi there Julianem, If you write to Captain Hayes c/o The Yorkshire Regiment, St Pauls street Huddersfield he is the adjutant there and holds the records of the building, but be careful as There was more than one drill hall in Huddersfield, the one mentioned Was of The West Riding Regiment, but it is a starting point for you. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Thompson Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Hi there Gwyn, Through various chanels I am trying to reach you , I think I have found Brighouse Drill Hall. Cheers Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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