Peter - thanks for that clarification.

This project carries an amount of assumption, and it's as important to get a 'no it ain't' as a 'yes it was.'

Scrub that one, then....
Graeme

Evening, Graeme’s Wonderful Database

Herewith the drill hall in Darwin Street, Northwich, Cheshire.

These are just rubbishy compressed digital pics. Not atmospheric or anything interesting. I haven't attempted to tidy them up. Just record shots. I took some photos with my proper camera too.

I found an army guy there and persuaded him to let me in, so in I went, followed by one rather bemused soldier. He let me take photos inside and told me whom I might contact for its history.

Anyway, now you know what it looks like.

Gwyn

Thanks Gwyn.
Quality of photography, for the purposes of this project, is not the most important aspect (altho'better is better, if you follow).

Because of the modern worthlessness of some of these places, any picture is valuable.As is any small snippet of information, it all adds up.

If these are rubbishy, the good 'uns might scare me!

Gratitude as ever

Graeme

The town of Malvern, Worcs, had 3 Drill Halls - sadly now all gone.

One is reputed to be the oldest in the county (1867) - demolished last year. Link at http://www.thisisworcestershire.co.uk/worc...emory004ZM.html

One at Clarence Rd, used by the TA until 1995 (?), until closed, demolished and is now a small housing estate.

One in Malvern Link, now a furniture storage building.

Thanks, David.
I'm familiar with Albert Road - grabbed a couple of snaps before it went, the builders beat me to Clarence Road.
Do you have an address for the one at Malvern Link? That's a new one on me.
Regards
Graeme

Save yer money, lady.
Just try a different lipstick.
(Have I read this wrong?)

Nice to know that the bulldozers won't be rolling down Darwin street.

Graeme

The large entrance gate to the Drill Hall in Pembroke town still exists, but alas the Hall it self was demolished last year.

If you are collecting photographic evidence let me know, I will freely supply anything I can.

Regards
Oriel_SSR

Should any RWF TF Drill Halls be identified I would be most grateful to know of them, and indeed see photographs. I think this thread is potrentially a most interesting and unusual one. Good Luck.

Yes, please!

although another drill hall has been lost, it's good to know that something survives. The confirmation of its current status is gratefully received.
Any photographic record, whether current or historical, enriches the project, recording the past for those who copme later.

So, yes, please. If you've anything at all, let's have it!

Thanks

Graeme

Thanks, LB, for your kindness.

There are 63 entries in the database for the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, only six with an indication of drill halls or addresses. No photos as yet, but will let you have whatever turns up.

Wales, particularly north and mid Wales, seems sparsely recorded. I'm also having a problem with the correct Counties for the period, and am happy to be corrected.

Llandudno Argyll Rd? Caernarvon drill station 'E' 6 RWF
Towyn Brook St 'F' 7 RWF
Penygroes County Hall 'C' 6 RWF
Mold Earl St Flint 'A' 5 RWF
Holywell Halkyn st? Flint 'D' 5 RWF
Rhyl John St? 'C' 5 RWF

I'll keep you abreat of developments

Graeme

Hi, D Base

Without wishing to re-open a controversy about the spelling of Welsh names, I wondered whether there is any possibility that disparity or omissions occur because either placenames may have been recorded with their Welsh spellings, or they have been mis-spelled by scribes unfamiliar with Welsh?

(Before anyone jumps up and down making noises at me, I have phrased that very carefully, without a single use of the word 'correct', please note.)

If either, I have a lot of contemporary material from my now dead grandparents' time which, given a couple of hours, a spider-slayer and an anti-dust face mask, I can exume from my hoard of treasures, and look through; and I have elderly people who live(d) in the area whom I can write to and ask.

(Sorry, terribel gramer but I don't do grammer before eight a.m.)

Gwyn

hmmm, but the use of the words mis-spelled has that effect, surely?

Captain Grumpy, Life Member Pedants' Society

David, Captain Grumpy, people attacked me, ferociously almost, last year for suggesting that to Welsh people, the spelling of place names in the Welsh way is correct; and that looking for both the Welsh and the English spellings might widen the results obtained.

In these replies, I hoped that Graeme's thread would not be diverted into a argument in which no-one tried to see my point of view but just harped on endlessly about the right spelling of ha, ha, that weird place, wotsitcalled, Llanfairpwll, and how entertaining and strange the Welsh are, being little dark pigmy people with a funny language which they only speak when English visitors go into the shops, place names which are perversely written on signposts to ensure that English drivers get lost and a myopic attitude towards the wonders of English, which is, naturally, without any orthographic irregularities at all.

As someone who has suffered the angst of having a name which no-one ever spells right even to the indignity of being written as Gwendoline, and the resulting effect on my Gestalt, I am acutely aware of the importance of spelling and never ever make mistakes, myself.

Sorry, Greyham. Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Was his fault.

Gwinge

Gwhine

You're just being provocative, now. You know that I abhor racist sterotyping - but I can make an exception for the Welsh.

John

Yeh, yeh. Do carry on.

...a thoroughly miserable people ... pubs are completely cheerless nicotine-walled places lit by a single 25 watt light bulb and inhabited by scowling trolls... muted by a lifelong conformity to crumbling Noncomformity ... chips on shoulder cos we’re Welsh... churning out interminable red-blood-bleeding verses about suffering... endless sighs... any more to add? A kind of Last Post among nations, really.

No, of course you didn’t mean all that stuff. You meant positive stereotyping. Good. You will know from having met me that we are a medievally-beautiful, vividly-talented, mythically-enigmatic, mysteriously-charismatic race with poetry in our souls, male-voice music in our voices, hearts of coal-dust (suffering, see), wild haired visionaries, desperate and despairing homesickness and evocative names like Taliesin which conjure up stormy lakes and declaiming druids.

Nothing for it but to throw down a challenge, John. Harps at dawn?

Gwyneth

PS Sorry, Greyum.

'S my ball an' I'm goin' home.........

Gwyn covered both ends of 'The Welsh as a racial stereotype/ancient and proud race unsullied by the ******* English' argument quite succinctly.

I merely bring, from tonight's Express and Star, Peter Rhodes' view;
'....The French dislike us for being too distant. They dislike us for being too close. They are the Welsh, with berets.'

C'est vrai......

Maybe of use:-

I came across this address on a ticket.

Field Park Company,
52nd Lowland Divisional Engineers,
Territorial Army,
Company Headquarters,
21 Jardine Street,
Glasgow.

The Annual Company Dinner was to be held there in 1922

(from the same batch of documents that the photograph I sent you came from)

Stuart

Thanks, Stuart, lovely confirmation!

Cheers

Graeme

Afternoon, Graeme!

Today I’ve been to the military museum in Chester and while I was wandering round that area of the city, (I don’t tend to ‘do’ shops), and the light was quite nice (early spring morning) I took some pictures, including these. My better ones are in my proper camera but this is a selection of very basic rubbishy digital images. I haven’t cropped out anything such as yellow lines or cars, and they are very compressed for download, but they may give a flavour of the Drill Hall and its surroundings. ‘Pologies for the defective quality.

I have some information which I’ll mail you rather than boring your public!

The Drill Hall was constructed in 1865 along with the surrounding houses and a Welsh chapel.

Gwyn

The street where it lives - Albion Street, with the Albion pub, which is Victorian and very traditional. This is from the Walls of Chester (hence the horrible railing). The Albion prides itself on being family hostile and refusing to sell designer drinks.

The Drill hall is at the end of the street at the left hand side. I can imagine the young men visiting the Albion for a last drink in their home city before setting off to their destiny.

I think it's most atmospheric at the evening end of a long summer day when you walk round the Walls in the chiaroscuro of slanting lights and shade and drop down off the Walls (not literally) for drinks in the various pubs and bars in their vicinity, such as this one. It interests me that just on the other side of the Walls from here are remains of buildings where the Roman soldiers would have passed their time. Soldiers from two millennia, a wall apart.

Gwyn

Captain Grumpy reporting for duty as ordered.

How nice to see we are back on thread, after a brief but civilised spat.

Should the mortal combat ensue, surely a more neutral weapon than a harp might be chosen. Custard pie, anyone.

Lovely photos.

Thank you, David. It's nice of you to say so.

As for pies, I am not very keen. However: Henry V, Act V, Scene 1, lines 38-9. (Fluellen to Pistol)

Gwyn

Welshness...........

Thank you to Gwyn for the photos, the travel, the time. Not at all duplicated, and well receiv'd. Shall give my custom to the Albion on next visit and leave family in street.

LB - spats? Very smart, but not quite 'now', sir. bring on the custard, or a flan..........

Graeme

Hello Graeme

What is the difference between a drill hall and a drill station?

Cheers

Gwyn

Gwyn,

a drill hall is a purpose-built structure, funded by public subscription (pre 1908) or by Territorial Force Association. Primarily for the use of those units based there, with other community use by arrangement.

A drill station is a term that suggests premises hired or borrowed; village halls, hotels, town halls and market halls. Many of the detachments of Territorial or Volunteer units were not large enough to justify their own premises, particularly sections of units in rural areas.

Trust this clarifies a little.

Graeme

HURRY UP!

Gillingham Kent's old drill hall on the A2 Watling Street has been boarded up and is awaiting demolision. It is the old Royal West Kent's Medway base.

Ashford's drill hall in Newtown road was demolished in 1996 to make way for the International Rail Terminal.

These things are being lost at an alarming rate and nobody gives a toss except for us saddies!

Ah, Neil..........

With foresight, this project would've started ten years ago.

Get down there now with a camera and save Gillingham! They're crumbling every day. I can't get round them all in time so rely on you lovely people to do it for me (unless you can get me some lottery funding for the helicopter/Bentley/peasant to help the project, oh, and £50k a year expenses...)

If you get the chance, take a snap. No David Bailey stuff, just a moment in time before the bulldozers hit. It's that simple, and that important.

Thank you, Neil.

Graeme

Graeme
I can send you a photo of the Cleckheaton Drill Hall ( West Yorks)if you wish. It housed the Cleckheaton Coy of the 1/4th DoW West Riding Regt and is now used for storage of shopfitting items.
Charlie

Thanks Charlie, that would be brilliant.

Either pop it on this thread or email me direct (click on members to contact me).

Another one saved for the future......

Thanks

Graeme

Lovely pic.

Who lived next door? 'It's the bl**dy Terriers, again, Charlie, have a word with the sergeant in the morning.......'

The next day, they assembled, and marched for France and the Hun.

Perhaps, years later, the silence of those who fell was louder than boots on concrete.

Perhaps Conscript Charlie was also missing, just another name on the Thiepval memorial.

Thanks, my old Dragon.

Graeme

Graeme,

For once I can blame circumstances beyond my control for this dreadful example of photography. I spent a few days in Caithness last month. Underwhelmed with John O'Groats, where the shop staff should sue for being exposed to non-stop accordion tunes all day, I got on a bus and stomped around Dunnet Head, a wonderfully dramatic place which was all mine for a while. I boarded another double decker and juddered on to Thurso through flurries of rain. The bus pulled up at the stop in Castletown, opposite a large building with a sign announcing 'Castletown Drill Hall'. "Aargh!! Quick! Graeme!" thought I, scrambling for my camera, switching on and shooting, by which time the bus had pulled away. So, this is the best I can offer at present, but by clicking here, you will get a better image and information

http://www.caithness.org/community/villagehalls/castletown/

Makes you smile inside, this power over lovely lady holidaymakers!
Poor old Mr. O'Groats. Underwhelmed indeed.

Sounds like a soggy place, full of Tartan tweeness. Still, I am more than chuffed with the picture. Imagine marching out of there in cap and cape, in the rain, to four years of hell.

Thank you, Kate.

Hello Graeme

I'm going into North Wales on Saturday, for something I want to do, and I'll take any pics I see. I'm a bit confused about the addresses, cos I sourced Rhyl as High Street, Holywell as Brynford Street and Mold as something elsde (got it down somewhere)?

I have also got Wrecsam.

Then my PC said it had had enough and had a kip.

How do I clarify?

Gwyn

Take care, Gwyn, and your passport.......

I offered those addresses cos I'd gleaned them from somewhere.

But, because of the nature of this project, I'm happy to be shot down in flames or corrected. Especially if you share your sources....

Clarification? Don't know, other than walking the streets or raiding the archives.

Whatever you find is way more than I have now, even if it's only to say 'you're wrong'. To have duff info confirmed as duff, is as valid as finding a drill hall.

Have a nice day, beware of Dragons!

Graeme

Cleckheaton Drill Hall (West Yorks) 2004. The home of The Cleckheaton Company of the 1/4 Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment.
See also next post.

The Cleckheaton boys outside the Drill Hall in early 1915. They suffered severe losses throughout the war, with about a quarter of them dying during their long spell in the Ypres Salient ( Boesinghe area ) from July to December 1915.

A couple of great pictures.

Whilst the first is of a fairly unassuming building, ignored daily by most passers-by, coupled with the second photo and its' ensuing, tragic history, suddenly the building takes on a new importance.

This was the start point of the Cleckheaton boys' Great Adventure. And perhaps the last familiar building they saw......

Thank you.

Graeme

This is all that there is: an enamelled metal footnote in the death-story of the men whose lovers, children, parents, wished beyond anything that they could see them one more time.

This is all that there is: the drill hall in Mold / Yr Wyddgrug, Clwyd, in yesterday’s torrential rain.

Gwyn

Gwyn

Thanks for taking a photo of - well, nothing. Actually, it's way more than that. At least all that history has been recorded in a sterile plaque.

And that's a lot more than some do. I suppose the rain was quite fitting.

Ta for drowning.

Graeme

Does anyone know the age of the old drill hall in Oxford Road,Aylesbury.I understand it was used by the Ox and Bucks,as was the Slade barracks in Headington,Oxford,any info please or of any in this area.

Nick.

Nick - thanks for the address.

the database has nothing on Aylesbury, save that it was occupied by HQ and D Company, Bucks Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, and possibly 'B' Sqn Royal Bucks Hussars.

I assume that Slade barracks in Headington was for regular units.

I'll contact you off-forum with what little I have for this area.

Graeme

Graeme,

Photo of the Drill Hall on the A2, Gillingham, was sent by email earlier. I had some problems before it left my Outbox so please advise if you dont receive it.

Regards,

Jon

Thanks, Jon.

Picture safely received and added to database!

Graeme

Question for the Guru:

Are Drill Halls a peculiar British eccentricity?

I can’t imagine that people elsewhere enjoyed marching around in the rain any more than British men did. So…

Gwyn

Answer for the Dragon;

no, there are a number of countries that use drill halls. South Africa, Australia and particularly Canada, who have some marvellous structures. A Google worldwide image search will offer up a few.

Graeme

I havnt got the time to read through and see if anyine else has given you the following details:-

Drill hall in Hudersfield (st Pauls street) still used by MOD East/west Yorks but was origianllly built for 5th (DWR)west riding regiment

Drill hall for 7th (DWR)west riding regiment headquaters loacted in Milnsbridge (near Huddersfield west yorks) now owned by gentleman who is thankfully preserving it and has almost a private museum. I can get you his name if inteested and have some photos

Drill hall for 7th (DWR)west riding regiment at Slaithwaite near huddersfield, demolished in the 70's and built on with houses, I have some B&W phots if your interested.

When I lived in Stafford there was also a drill hall in Hednesford for V Staffs regt, this is or was a bingo hall about 4 years ago. similarly there was a drill hall in Walsall next to sainsbury's used as a night club.

Hope this helps

Ian

Thanks, Ian.

I'm familiar with Walsall and Hednesford, but I'm well pleased with the West Riding stuff!

Photos would be brilliant, at your leisure.

Milnsbridge is intruiging! What's in the museum, and how do you know?

Cheers

Graeme

Graeme

7th DWR area consisted of the colne valley from Milnsbridge westwards and just over the top into what is now greater Manchester but even when i went to school used to be west yorks ie Uppermill(there may have been a drill hall here).

The btn headquaters off scar lane Golcar/Milnsbridge was a carpet factory and lots of thing until I met the present owner last year on a visit back to my mothers. His name is Garside and is an avid amateur historian/collector of all things military in the Colne valley. He showed me around the old hall which is piled high with books, militaria etc. In what was the armoury he has an extensive collection of really rare books including a German Pickelhaub which had been left in the attic and not discoverd untill he bought the hall.

The drill hall in huddersfield is also very interesting ( I served ther as a young boy many years ago), it was paid for by private subscription so the MOD doesn't actually own it, this is probably the reason why it hasnt been closed down. It also inherited most of the rolls of honour documents and pictures from the 7th DWR when it was disbanded (where I got copies of drill hall in slaithwaite).

I'll get you copies of photos of Milnsbridge and Salithwaite drill halls over weekend.

Ian

Indebted to you, Ian.

Mr. Garside sounds like a bit of an eccentric, but a very interesting one! Let's hope he's made suitable arrangements for all that stuff (and the drill hall) on his demise.

I'm looking forward to the photos.

Graeme

Hi Graeme,

Another drill hall for your file, the link below is a direct link to a compressed file containing the info from an article from my research into Little Cornard, near Sudbury, Suffolk.

click here

Hope this is of interest,

Stewart