Hi Gwyn,

On the modern map if you look slightly to the right and slighly up from Cooper Street you will see School Brow and that was on the next page of the enumerators schedule, also a page further back from the drill hall was Parson Lane now demolished but in the general are of 36 B2 around where the supermarket is now.

By jove just look at what is at the top of Cooper Street, yes a TA Centre.

Cheers Roger.

The TA centre at the top of Cooper Street is the massive drill hall at the Castle Armoury. I went to Bury today and looked! I'll add a photo shortly.

I also went to Elton, but short of driving up and down the streets looking like a kerb-crawler I couldn't see a Cooper Street. I'm mystified by this because if you're in Elton you can't possibly think you're in the town centre. Were there two Cooper Streets? I don't know. I'm unfamiliar with censuses. Does the order of adjacent streets listed give any clues about which district the census enumerator was recording when the Cooper Street Drill Hall was noted?

I'm not giving up this puzzle and would welcome insights.

Gwyn

This is the TA centre Roger spotted on the map:



and



It has some fabulous gargoyles.

Gwyn

I believe this is what it looked like before it was extended.



(Postcard - mine)

The opening of the extension:



(Postcard - mine)

The extension cost about £12000.

The town's employers were instructed to close their businesses after breakfast on the day of the opening, so that after the Duke of Connaught had been wined and dined by the local worthies, the people could line the gaily decorated streets to see the procession. Unfortunately it rained, the heavy, sodden, cold, soaking Northern rain that spoils even the best of occasions and being November, everyone was chilled through to their bones. Sadly, they wouldn't have seen as much of the Royal visitor as they had hoped. The Duke didn't walk as planned from the town hall to the drill hall, he went by motor car. Doubtless he was gratified to be given the gift of a silver cigar case: as he observed, he possessed rather a lot of memento silver keys. He returned to Manchester on the half past three train to catch the London train.

For the people of Bury, the celebration day ended with a bonfire on the fairground and illuminations in the streets.

Gwyn

Hi there Gwyn,

Thanks for those fabulous photo's and that now puts it all into prospective, as there was in the original write up I found a mention of the Castle Armoury, so I think that as solved where the old 8th where when the census was taken in the original posting.

Cheers Roger.

Wednessbury Drill Hall (West Midlands) original was under glass, hence reflection of wall light on photo.

Chucka

Roger, the wonders of a 10 - 22 mm wide-angle zoom....

Chukka, thank you for that. We have had sight of a newspaper cutting of its original appearance and Graeme was contacting someone to ask whether we could use it, but permissions to reproduce seem to have got lost in the post. Looking at it today, photographed for us by Tom Morgan - photo here with some interpretive comments by Tom - it seems a sad loss of a fine, imposing part of the street scene.

Where was this photographed, please?

Gwyn

Another drill hall to go - one of Horncastle's. Shame on them.

Newspaper

I've been following the debate for some months now. Local people didn't wish this to happen.

Horncastle on drillhalls.org. See Boston road. My photos except the top one, which is credited. I also have pictures of the interior and the memorial plaques.

Gwyn

Nice one, Chucka.

Where did you find this picture?

The drill hall still exists (sort of - the front's missing.....) as a car showroom - you'd miss it if you didn't see the marble plaque from its' opening inside - the current proprietors are quite blase about visitors who want to see the plaque.

Believe it or not it is hanging at the bottom of the stairs to the underground car park at Morrisons Wednesbury.

Chucka

Thanks, Chucka. How odd. I may write to them! We could do with the image.

Gwyn

Hi there Gwyn & Graeme,

Just caught up with the updated Yorkshire section it looks smashing, it brought a lump to my throat thinking about the good times I had going out and about doing it for you all.

Cheers Roger.

Glad you like it, Roger.

All made possible by people like you. Ta, mate.

Graeme

Private Eye: post here.

Hi there Gwyn,

Nothing concrete yet, another meeting 13/10/2009, when a valuation and report will be submitted.

Cheers Roger.

Horncastle Drill Hall saved - till March 2010 and hopefully beyond.

Brilliant news any extention is great.

Cheers Roger.