Drill halls Options

[chrisharley9]

Heres one I got a photo of on my travels - ignore the strange females on the right they are with me.

It is the drill hall outside Pevensey & Westham rail station, E Sussex now in use as the Drill Hall Business Centre

All The Best

Chris

Attached File(s)

 Pevensey___Westham.jpg ( 52.26K ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[chrisharley9]

saw this on a caption for a painting in the Redoubt Military Museum, Eastbourne

Drill Hall, Middle St, Hastings HQ 5th (Cinque Ports) Bn Royal Sussex Regt built on the site of the old drill shed in 1895 & was in use until 1934

All The Best

Chris

[Graeme Fisher]

Great photo, Chris!

According to my records, it provided a home for 6th Sussex Battery, 2nd Home Counties Brigade RFA.

And thanks for the info on Hastings.

Off to update the files....

Graeme

[Jim Clay]

Graeme

Just confirming that the Knighton (mid-Wales) drill hall was definitely there in 1926 - see the attached scan from the '26 OS 15 inch map from Alan Godfrey.

Incidentally, the cenotaph (top of the map, right of centre) was moved a few years ago to the site of the old police station (now demolished) which is at the left of the map, centre.

Will get the photo when I'm there next.

Regards

Jim

date corrected to 1926 - Jim

This post has been edited by Jim Clay: Jun 11 2005, 12:34 PM

Attached File(s)

 knighton_drill_hall_1928.jpg ( 119.11K ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[Graeme Fisher]

Jim - that's marvellous.

A map is better than a memory, and these Alan Godfrey facsimilies are a wonderful resource to any local historian.

Thanks, A picture would be great, in the fullness of time.

Graeme

[Jim Clay]

Graeme

I've done a bit of googling on drill halls and towns in the Welsh Marches region and come up with a number of existing and former drill halls in the region and elsewhere ( google works in a mysterious way ... )

Some with addresses:

Builth Wells, Powys------ Smithfield Road
Hay-on-Wye, Powys------ 25 Lion Street
Ross-on-Wye, Herefs------ Alton Lane
Bromyard, Herefs------ Kirkham Gardens
Welshpool, Powys------ Brook Street
Malvern, Worcs------ Albert Park Road
Oswestry, Shrops------ Willow Street
Horsham, W. Sussex ------ Denne Road
Newnham-on-Severn, Glos------ Church Road
Fordingbridge, Hants------ Bartons Road
Worcester------- Southfield Street
Truro, Cornwall------ New Bridge Street
Wigan-------- Powell Street
Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale ------ King Edward Road
Ashford, Kent------ Newton Road (1)
Ledbury, Herefs------ New Street
Leominster, Herefs------ 23 New Street(2)
Shaftesbury, Dorset------ Victoria Street
Carlisle-------- Strand Road(3)
Lincoln-------- Free School Lane
Menai Bridge, Gwynedd------ Dale Street(4)
Holyhead, Gwynedd------ Maeshyfryd Road
Holywell, Clwyd------ Halkyn Street
Plympton, Devon------ 13-15 Ridge Park Road

Some without:

Dolgellau, Gwynedd
Llanfyllin, Powys(5)
Machynlleth, Powys
Chepstow, Gwent
Peebles
Church Stretton, Shrops(6)
Droitwich, Worcs(7)
Hednesford, Staffs(8)

Notes:

(1) the old Buffs Drill Hall, demolished 1996 to make way for the International Rail Terminal apparently
(2) listed in 1913 Kellys; built 1750 as borough gaol
(3) built as drill hall 1873, opened as sports centre 1969
(4) Gwyn has photographed this one I believe
(5) Gwyn has said that this one has been demolished; it is now apparently the site of Llanfyllin Town Hall
(6) from British History Online: in 1885, drill hall in the Lion Yard; in 1967 the "drill hut" near the railway station was demolished.
(7) from the Droitwich Spa Rotary website: in 1955 the Old Drill hall was in use, but since demolished.
(8) from the Cannock Chase History Soc. website Who's Who: Col. Robert Summerside Williamson (1859-1933) in 1895 ."raised an appeal and funded the buliding of a Drill Hall at Hednesford ... "

I'm sure you must have some of these, but hope that some of this info is new and helps your project.

Best regards,

Jim

[Dragon]

Llanfyllin, Powys(5)
    
(5) Gwyn has said that this one has been demolished;  it is now apparently the site of Llanfyllin Town Hall

My information about Llanfyllin came from a member of the Royal Welch Fusiliers staff who lives near there.

Is it possible that the one to which you refer is post-Great War or even more recent?

It is marked on the Map of TA units and sub-units in North Wales 1956 - 1959 (Regimental Records of the Royal Welch Fusiliers 1945 - 2000, Volume VI, 1945 -1969, pub RWF 2001, page 260), but not on the Map of TA units and sub-units in North Wales 1947-1949 (op cit p 83).

Gwyn

[Dragon]

Lincoln

I’ve been privileged to be given an amazing range of material on Lincoln Drill Hall, some of which is not in the public domain, after I made some contacts following a visit to photograph it in August 2004.

I’ll attach two of my own photos of this wonderful building, which has now been converted into an arts centre. I admire the conversion immensely and the way in which the architect rose to the many challenges he faced. I can add more of my own pictures if there’s any interest.

One shows the front

Picture removed by me

[attachment=17939:attachment]

and in the other, I liked the organic development of the rear elevation among its surroundings.

Picture removed by me


[attachment=17940:attachment]

Gwyn

[burlington]

Graeme

Just confirming that the Knighton (mid-Wales) drill hall was definitely there in 1926 - see the attached scan from the '26 OS 15 inch map from Alan Godfrey.

Incidentally, the cenotaph (top of the map, right of centre) was moved a few years ago to the site of the old police station (now demolished) which is at the left of the map, centre.

Will get the photo when I'm there next.

Regards

Jim

date corrected to 1926 - Jim

If it is a pic. of the Cenotaph you want, here is a copy.

I an also let you have pics of all the faces on this monument. Alternatively go to the Roll of Honour project.

I can also let you have many more in the former Radnorshire area and can also do those close by.

I think there is a danger of duplication of effort in some instances.

Martin

Attached File(s)

 Trefyclawdd_Knighton_War_Memorial_2.jpg ( 104.22K ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[Graeme Fisher]

Graeme

I've done a bit of googling on drill halls and towns in the Welsh Marches region and come up with a number of existing and former drill halls in the region and elsewhere ( google works in a mysterious way ... )

Some with addresses:

Builth Wells, Powys (Brecknockshire)------  Smithfield Road
1895  '1st Volunteer Battalion (Brecknockshire) South Wales Borderers (E Company); armoury, West street.’
Hay-on-Wye, Powys------  25 Lion Street
Ross-on-Wye, Herefs------  Alton Lane Think this one's modern; I have them listed in premises at Cantilupe street.
Bromyard, Herefs------  Kirkham Gardens  Nothing on this one post-1890
Welshpool, Powys------  Brook Street
Malvern, Worcs------  Albert Park Road Now demolished, as is the Artillery drill hall in Clarence road 
Oswestry, Shrops------  Willow Street Modern, I think; I have Oswald road
Horsham, W. Sussex ------ Denne Road
Newnham-on-Severn, Glos------ Church Road I have this as an address, but cannot qualify it
Fordingbridge, Hants------  Bartons Road Modern, I think - Kelly 1911 ‘7th Battalion Hampshire Regiment; [section] C Company, Shaftesbury street.’
Worcester-------  Southfield Street Artillery baracks now converted to housing. 
Truro, Cornwall------  New Bridge Street
Wigan--------  Powell Street Demolished - there's some great pictures of the demolition
Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale ------ King Edward Road
Ashford, Kent------  Newton Road (1) 
Ledbury, Herefs------  New Street 
Leominster, Herefs------  23 New Street(2) 
Shaftesbury, Dorset------  Victoria Street
Carlisle--------  Strand Road(3) 
Lincoln--------  Free School Lane See Gwyn's post
Menai Bridge, Gwynedd------ Dale Street(4)
Holyhead, Gwynedd------  Maeshyfryd Road
Holywell, Clwyd------  Halkyn Street
Plympton, Devon------  13-15 Ridge Park Road Now Eldreds Auctioneers
Some without:

Dolgellau, Gwynedd
Llanfyllin, Powys(5)   
Machynlleth, Powys
Chepstow, Gwent
Peebles
Church Stretton, Shrops(6) The Shropshire Territorial Royal Horse Artillery [Ammunition column] have a riding school with a saddlery department at Stretton House’,  Kelly 1913   
Droitwich, Worcs(7)   
Hednesford, Staffs(8) Victoria street, due for demolition (if it's not already gone)

Notes:
   
(1) the old Buffs Drill Hall, demolished 1996 to make way for the International Rail Terminal apparently
(2) listed in 1913 Kellys; built 1750 as borough gaol
(3) built as drill hall 1873, opened as sports centre 1969
(4) Gwyn has photographed this one I believe
(5) Gwyn has said that this one has been demolished;  it is now apparently the site of Llanfyllin Town Hall
(6) from British History Online: in 1885, drill hall in the Lion Yard;  in 1967 the "drill hut" near the railway station was demolished.
(7) from the Droitwich Spa Rotary website:  in 1955 the Old Drill hall was in use, but since demolished.
(8) from the Cannock Chase History Soc. website Who's Who: Col. Robert Summerside Williamson (1859-1933) in 1895 ."raised an appeal and funded the buliding of a Drill Hall at Hednesford ... "

I'm sure you must have some of these, but hope that some of this info is new and helps your project.

Best regards,

Jim

Jim - there's some good stuff here. You're right, I have a lot of it, but theres some good bits to go on. But you'll recognise that a Google search often comes up with just an address, or an obscure reference. And that's the challenge. Turn the reference into the reality, the place they marched away from, never to return. The building that was the point where they spent pre-war nights training, Saturday nights dancing, built with funds from the local community.

It's history, forgotten. Hence the project.

Thanks for this, Jim. Bet you got sidetracked.......

Graeme

[Graeme Fisher]

If it is a pic. of the Cenotaph you want, here is a copy.

I an also let you have pics of all the faces on this monument. Alternatively go to the Roll of Honour project.

I can also let you have many more in the former Radnorshire area and can also do those close by.

I think there is a danger of duplication of effort in some instances.

Martin

Martin

I'm happy to leave the memorials to you.

But it's nice to know that the Cenotaph was moved and saved, even though it appears to lean....

I have no interest in the memorils to the dead; the drill hall project, by its' nature, includes all those who came before, those who fell and those who returned. But it's not about the men.

That's a subject ably and comprehensively covered by others like you.

I'm more interested in the units, the architecture, and the buildings' value within the community. As the bulldozers go to work, I'm commemorating the other 'fallen'. Our brave lads are recorded locally and nationally, but their drill hals are forgotten.

Graeme

[Kate Wills]

Graeme,

With a bit of luck, this link will take you to the Buckinghamshire Archives website, which has a marvellous collection of old photographs online, sorted by place name. Clicking below should take you to an old photo of the Drill Hall in Wolverton.

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/photo_database/p...p?Counter=22704

[Graeme Fisher]

Thanks Kate.

A fab photo.

Is it me or does it look like it was built by drunkards? The perspective's sort of wrong!

I'll lose a couple of hours trawling the rest of the site cos it looks interesting!

Thanks again

Graeme

[Jim Clay]

Jim - there's some good stuff here. You're right, I have a lot of it, but theres some good bits to go on. But you'll recognise that a Google search often comes up with just an address, or an obscure reference. And that's the challenge. Turn the reference into the reality, the place they marched away from, never to return. The building that was the point where they spent pre-war nights training, Saturday nights dancing, built with funds from the local community.

It's history, forgotten. Hence the project.

Thanks for this, Jim. Bet you got sidetracked.......

Graeme

Graeme

It's just so easy to get sidetracked isn't it, and yes I did! If there's something here worth following up though, it's worth it.

And though it's not pertinent to your project, it was nice for an old Knighton lad to see Burlington's photo of the Knighton cenotaph on your thread.

Best wishes as ever,

Jim

[Jim Clay]

My information about Llanfyllin came from a member of the Royal Welch Fusiliers staff who lives near there.

Is it possible that the one to which you refer is post-Great War or even more recent?

It is marked on the Map of TA units and sub-units in North Wales 1956 - 1959 (Regimental Records of the Royal Welch Fusiliers 1945 - 2000, Volume VI, 1945 -1969, pub RWF 2001, page 260), but not on the Map of TA units and sub-units in North Wales 1947-1949 (op cit p 83).

Gwyn

Hello Gwyn

My google "hit" on Llanfyllin came from this site- another very worthy research cause. It's not clear how "old" the "old drill hall" might have been, but it could well have been post WW2, I guess, as your info indicates.

By the way, regarding Lincoln - ain't she a beauty! It's so good to know that what appears to be such a grand, idiosyncratic building is preserved and used at least for the foreseeable future.

Best regards

Jim

[Dragon]

Hello, Jim

Used, yes indeed! This is one of my interior photos, compressed for the web. It also has a nice performance space. The brickwork is gorgeous (does that make me too sad?!).

[attachment=18107:attachment]

I don't know what the fact is about Llanfyllin; I was relying on the information the person told me. Will inquire...

Gwyn

Picture removed by me.

[Dragon]

Holywell, Clwyd------  Halkyn Street

Jim, this is Holywell, or Trefynnon, taken yesterday.

[attachment=18861:attachment]

The stone plaque over the door identifies it as the Territorial Drill Hall and dates it as 1914.

I have compressed for the web; Graeme has several better quality photos.

Gwyn

Picture removed by me.

[Graeme Fisher]

I have compressed for the web; Graeme has several better quality photos.

And is, as always, truly grateful for them.

Thanks, Gwyn.

Graeme

[Jim Clay]

Jim, this is Holywell, or Trefynnon, taken yesterday.

[attachment=18861:attachment]

The stone plaque over the door identifies it as the Territorial Drill Hall and dates it as 1914.

I have compressed for the web; Graeme has several better quality photos.

Gwyn

Gwyn

Another nice pic of a lovely building, don't you think?

Jim

[Dragon]

Imagine a time when the stories of the enlistment, or the exploits, or the wounds or the dying and deaths of these lads should say of each that before he went into the army, he spent his evenings training at such and such a drill hall.

‘Tis as relevant and as important. In my opinion.

Gwyn

[John Hartley]

‘Tis as relevant and as important. In my opinion.

And the halls represent the physical monuments to the guys that went AND came back - but are, now, no longer with us.

'tis an important legacy. And one which this war memorial researcher needs to remember more often.

John

[Graeme Fisher]

And the halls represent the physical monuments to the guys that went AND came back - but are, now, no longer with us.

'tis an important legacy. And one which this war memorial researcher needs to remember more often.

John

Precisely, John.

They may not bear the names of the fallen, but they hold many ghosts....

Graeme

[Chris_B]

Graeme,

I've not been able to read all the posts in this long thread, so forgive me if this sugestion has been made before. I was looking at an on-line version of "Kelly's 1913 Surrey directory" for other reasons, and noticed ALL the drill halls in Surrey at that time where listed and the names of officers, drill serjeants etc. The directory can be found at http://www.historicaldirectories.org/

Incidently, if you are ever given a photo of the drill hall at 17 St.George's Road Wimbledon please let me know, because that's where my Grandad enlisted on 11 Nov 1914.


Regards,
Chris.

PS I've attached a page for Kingston.

[Graeme Fisher]

Chris

Thanks for mentioning Kelly's Directories.

They have been invaluable in my research (and mighty distracting, as mentioned in another Kellys thread on the Forum).

The historicaldirectories.org site is a marvellous resource, and I'm glad you've brought it to the fore.

I don't have a picture of Wimbledon yet, but if one comes up I'll let you know.

Thanks!

Graeme

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Graeme

The Drill Hall, Faversham, Kent

Dave