Territorial Army

[Malcolm Linham]

Pals,

I have recently taken some photographs on behalf of The Drill Hall project, however I am concerned that one set I took of the Glastonbury Drill Hall are

actually post Great War.

I have based this on local knowledge and research, prior to 1914 almost every property in the Street / Glastonbury area was built from the local blue lias stone and not until after the war did brick become the most utilsed product.

Hence my question, would the Somerset Light infantry TA detachment at Glastonbury kept its own diary and if so any suggestions where, if it survived

might be.

I will also check the local paper sometime in the future because if you know anything about pop festivals Glastonbury is not a place to be at this time to avoid traffic.

Cheers

Malcolm

[KONDOA]

It would not keep a War Diary until it went on active service. However, local newspapers, and archives often mention such events and this would be the most likely source of information.

Roop

[Dragon]

We have accepted Malcolm's comment about construction materials and included it in our text on Glastonbury. We were very grateful for his insights.

I would add that as a result of my trawling old OS maps and then Malcolm offering his opinion, Somerset has corrected its Historic Environment Record, which originally stated that this drill hall is shown on the 1904 OS maps, which it isn't. It is shown on the 1931 map which allowing for survey and publication time suggests that it may have been constructed in the 1920s. I can't access the maps of the 1920s.

A claim that a building is shown on a 1904 map means, apparently, that it may actually appear on a later revision of the 1904 map, which might be over ten years later. Neither the county nor the software company knows which revision of the map they used.

Graeme took our base data from Kelly's Directories of 1889 and intervening years until 1914. Kelly is vague about drill halls in the 1914-18 period and in the directories immediately after the war (perhaps with national security in mind). In an attempt to resolve this dating problem, I have looked up Glastonbury in the 1920s directories with little success.

Thank you for following this up.

Gwyn

[Malcolm Linham]

Thanks both for your replies.

It will be the local press then sometime in the future.

Malcolm

[robwilliams]

With regard to the war diary...I know that the 1/4 E Yorks started their diary as soon as they were mobilised. It is extremely informative with regard to the comings and goings of troops prior to embarkation. Literally hundreds of men came in and went out of the unit.

Rob

[Ken Lees]

The Territorial Force battalions were administered on a county basis. They had minute books of all the County Association meetings and some have survived. I have no idea where you might find the relevant ones, if they have survived, but your County Record Office may be the place to start asking.

Ken

[Malcolm Linham]

Ken,

Thanks for that information, it has just joined the list for a full day and more at the County Record Office.

Cheers

Malcolm