Dragon Posted 23 October , 2006 Share Posted 23 October , 2006 I am trying to prepare Northamptonshire for loading on drillhalls.org and I would really appreciate some up to date information, please, so I can finish the county. (I can’t ask Graeme as he’s away.) Northampton Did anyone by any chance send Graeme a photo of the drill hall on Clare street? What is its current use and status? It’s Listed, I know, but on what grounds? From the description it sounds as if a picture would be interesting. Oundle I see from the drill halls thread that there’s a drill hall at Oundle. Again, has anyone any photos? What is its current use and status? Wellingborough What is its current status and use? General Is there any other current information which ought to be included? Are there any pictures anywhere of the Great War drill halls at: Daventry Kettering Peterborough Raunds Rushden I am struggling with nearly a thousand images.... Many thanks for any help to achieve accuracy. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 23 October , 2006 Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Gwyn, Perhaps Pals and WFA members who are local to these places can provide up-to-date details. Indeed, I'm sure Armoursergeant (editor of Northamptonshire WFA's newsletter) would be happy to run your request in a forthcoming edition. I am unsure about the current status (or should that be state) of Wellingborough (which I forgot to check when there last week). I think I have a speaking engagement in Rushden shortly, so I'll take my camera and hope to find something; however, and as I do not drive I am not in a position to do a quick tour of the county for your project. Apologies. I'm sure Andy1400 can offer details on Raunds. A link to his Men of Raunds site is contained within his posts. I'm surprised not to see Towcester and Brackley in your list above. Northampton's Drill Hall in Clare Street is very much alive and used. From memory it is Grade II listed, but I will need to check the category and details. As an interim measure, here is a scan of a pre-WW1 postcard. I will send Graeme a higher-resolution scan shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 23 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Thank you very much for the scan of the postcard. It is a most magnificent building in a the sort of mock-fort style which argues for the preservation of the country’s drill halls. Who uses it? The list above isn’t definitive; it’s a list of places where Kelly’s Directory’s specifically mentions a purpose-built military building and thus where I’d thought there may possibly be photographs in existence (present or archive; if archive, ones of which their owners would permit reproduction). I haven't included the places where I have found the images in Graeme's photo database. Brackley is listed as a drill station for 'C' 4 Oxford & Bucks LI. (A drill station was borrowed premises such as a local hall or barn.) If Kelly and whatever other records Graeme consulted omitted a particular building, or made an error in location, this isn’t uncommon, which is why it’s so helpful to have people in the area providing accurate information. Towcester isn’t mentioned so I’ll check that up. [below] Of Raunds, Kelly, 1903, says that ‘the B Co. of the 1st Northamptonshire Volunteer Battalion have a drill hall’ and also mentions G Co. The status of Wellingborough means whether it is in use, not in use, derelict or abandoned. I will assume from the fact that you visited it that it does indeed exist. Thank you for the information, which helps to enhance the picture. I wasn’t implying that anyone should ‘do a quick tour of the county’ and I am hurt that it should be supposed I meant that. I simply thought that among forum users people there might be people who live in a locality who might have known without actually going anywhere. I am trying to catch up on a programme of uploading which fell behind because I was unexpectedly admitted to hospital after which I am still recovering from surgery. I have several counties to prepare this week if we are to get everything uploaded on programme. I am doing it to help a friend and I have no personal gains from the project, apart from my pleasure in architecture. It is a huge database which Graeme has created from scratch in his limited spare time; and to some extent we have to allow the interactive nature of the drilhalls.org website to draw in material which he has not yet recorded. As he said in his own thread, people’s helpfulness on and especially off the forum has been invaluable. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 23 October , 2006 Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Gwyn, As Kate says I would be happy to pop an article etc in the rag if you wish. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 23 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Thank you very much. I'll discuss the suggestion with Graeme. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 23 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2006 Kelly's Directory, 1910, has no mention of a drill hall at Towcester, nor (as far as I can see) any references to any premises used by the Volunteers. I haven't looked in earlier or later years. However, drill halls contructed either immediately before or during the Great War are often omitted from directories, possibly on grounds of security. I haven't the resources to investigate this any further at the moment and any insights from local people would be appreciated. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 24 October , 2006 Share Posted 24 October , 2006 For Peterborough, there was a TF Artillery Drill Hall down Queen Street. Graham picked up on this whilst we were discussing the Artillery brigade. There are a couple of postcards showing corners of the building but I haven't seen a full shot. It has disappeared under Queensgate Shopping Centre. Both appear on the 1900 OS Map of the area. A similar fate befell the loaction of the Yeomanry Drill Hall, though I believe the Drill Hall had gone before that, this one disappearing under the Queensgate Bus Station. The TF Drill hall at Fletton Avenue still exists, but that lies beyond the river in the old Huntingdonshire. (Yeomanry Drill Hall left, above writing; Artillery (4th E.A. Brigade) to right, to left of writing.) Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 24 October , 2006 Share Posted 24 October , 2006 Pics of the Artillery Drill Hall are here, but only show tantalising glimpses: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...34486&st=20 Be aware that the building I initially thought might be the Drill Hall in the Colour pic, was not.... Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 24 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 October , 2006 Oh brilliant; thank you. The up-to-date status information is really helpful. I've picked up Queen street in Graeme's Database, but have nothing to illustrate the entry with. I don't read threads which aren't to do with my interest, so I didn't see the RFA one. I shall send you a PM. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 5 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 November , 2006 (edited) I have been able to go to various towns in Northants and take the photographs I wanted, so there is now no need for anyone to go to any trouble. I'm closing this thread as I have finished what I wanted to do. I don't wish anyone to be inconvenienced. Thank you for the help and in particular to Steve for the off-forum assistance. Gwyn Edited 5 November , 2006 by Dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now