|
These are my stories They are
pieced together from many
sources - but all the mistakes are my own Rosemary Hawkes |
SECRET TROWBRIDGE local histories inspired by original research
into the history and pre-history of Trowbridge Town Hall |
from a private
collection |
|||
|
SOURCES Wiltshire Times, February 1900 The Annals of The Yeomanry Cavalry of Wiltshire, H. Graham, 1908 Trowbridge in Pictures 1812-1914, ed. M. Landsdown,
M. Marshman, K. Rogers, 1979 Trowbridge
Postcards & Ephemera www.flickr.com/photos/93838966@N02/ |
The Imperial Yeomanry in Trowbridge The Colonel of the Wiltshire Yeomanry in 1899 was Col. W.H. Long of
Rood Ashton. He was a well-liked
member of the local gentry, and a prominent national politician. Viscount Long was one of those colonels who had first raised the possibility to the
War Office of deploying the Yeomanry regiments in South Africa. As soon as the royal warrant for the
formation of the Imperial Yeomanry was issued, he applied to use the empty
Royal Artillery Barracks at Trowbridge, and took possession on the 26th December,
1899.
A note from Col. Long, on Imperial Yeomanry headed paper, addressed Trowbridge Barracks TROWBRIDGE
POSTCARDS AND EPHEMERA (www.flickr.com/photos/93838966@N02/ Most of the regimental officers joined him in the barracks over the next
few days, some of them so keen that they rode into Trowbridge on the day they
got their telegrams, fresh from the Boxing Day hunt, and still wearing their
hunting pinks. Within a week, some two
hundred men had enlisted, and by the middle of January there were upwards of
three hundred men and two hundred and fifty horses. So many men volunteered that three
squadrons were formed. This was more
than twice the number that could be accommodated in the barracks. Many of the volunteers to be billeted out in the town, and a large
number were quartered in the military hospital. The weather throughout January
and February 1900, when the new recruits were training, was dreadful, with
incessant rain making the parade ground completely unsuitable for cavalry training. Col. Long showed his determination and
ingenuity by hiring in a circus tent to provide a riding school under cover.
Colonel Long in military uniform, standing
outside the improvised riding school THE ANNALS OF THE
YEOMANRY CAVALRY OF WILTSHIRE (H. Graham, 1908) The three companies of Wiltshire Imperial Yeomanry were paraded on 26th
February 1900, the day before embarkation.
Colonel Long took the salute, before making the journey to Southampton
Docks, to wave them off on the troopship Cymric.
The final parade of the Wiltshire Imperial
Yeomanry at Trowbridge Barracks TROWBRIDGE IN
PICTURES 1812-1914 (ed. M. Landsdown, M.
Marshman, K. Rogers, 1979) The people of Trowbridge gave the
whole contingent of volunteers a magnificent send off, with a hundred torch bearers lighting
their way to the station, and the whole route lined with cheering crowds. On what was a cold and dark
February evening, the men of the Wiltshire Imperial Yeomanry marched off to the South
African War, with the band of the Volunteer Regiment marching behind. The Wiltshire Times reported the scene as the train
departed Trowbridge Station: “Mr Wilcox, the station master at Trowbridge,
made capital arrangements for the relatives and friends to say goodbye to the
local members of the company; the carriages being drawn up to the widest end
of the departure platform. The
Volunteer band, under Bandmaster Papps, played
lovely tunes, and as the engine streamed ahead, the dense crowd cheered and
hoorayed their very hardest, the scene being one of wildest enthusiasm.” The
first stop was Devizes, where the Wiltshire volunteers who had trained at Le
Marchant Barracks were waiting to get aboard, before the train continued down
to Southampton. The Wiltshire Times
correspondent must have gone with them: “All the way down from Devizes to Southampton,
the warmest of greetings were extended to them, crowds assembling at the
railway stations to express their admiration for the 113 citizen soldiers who
are each of them doing his country’s work. “ Amid continuous cheering, and accompanied by
heartfelt good wishes, the Service Company of Wiltshire Volunteers sailed
from Southampton on Saturday for Capetown on route
for the scene of hostilities in South Africa. |
A happy incomer from London, with an academic background and a very
supportive husband, I started by
researching the history of Trowbridge Town
Hall. I was soon
beguiled by the colourful history and curmudgeonly
character of this under-appreciated, and
quietly beautiful, West Wiltshire
town. All My Life (Lennon &
McCartney) There are places I remember All my life – though some have
changed Some forever – not for better Some have gone – and some
remain All these places have their
moments With lovers and friends – I
can still recall Some are dead – and some are
living In my life – I’ve loved them
all |
