Church Parade?

[HawkesFH]

This is a very interesting image, photo undated, taken by James Thorley Wrench, Saville studios, Hoghton street, southport (business stamp in reverse). Wrench and his parents emigrated to Canada in april 1911 and lived in torontoi. In 1917, James Thorley Wrench attested for the Canadian Expeditionary Force, no record as yet of if he ever went overseas.
The shop in Southport will have closed when they emigrated and so this image may well be pre-WW1.
Unless James had kept some of his old printing cards and used them later on when he was serving, anyway, I have looked at various possible locations in Lancashire but nothing matches, also looked at Salisbury Plain camps but many of those only popped up when War broke out and this photo may well pre-date 1914.

Any ideas please?

[Jool]

What a fascinating photo!  The first thing I noticed is what appears to be clergymen of some kind in the middle of the field (or horse racing track?).  Also, when you scroll across the photo there are men in what seems to be Arabic style head wear.  Very interesting, I will have a mooch to see what I can find.  I am sure other Rootschatters will be interested in this photo too.

[km1971]

I think the arabian dress are men using towels to protect their necks. So a really hot summer for a date.

Assuming a morning service the camera is looking north. So an east-west valley.

Ken

[MaecW]

Yes, definitely a church parade of some kind. It looks like a temporary camp under canvass, not directly associated with the "Big House" ( though perhaps that is where the Colonel lives  ).
There's a railway line immediately behind the assembly and beyond that a waterway that looks like the remains of an old canal.
Judging by the military uniforms and the ladies' attire I'd date this as c 1910, certainly pre - WWI, though the absence of motor vehicles suggests earlier rather than later in the period between the introduction of Khaki Service Dress and the outbreak of the War.
I agree with Ken that the "towels" look like an attempt to avoid sun-strike, which suggests that those wearing them are either ex- India, or South Africa, veterans or are unused to being out in the summer sun even in Britain (!).
To sum up my interpretation of the evidence so far I'd say that this is a Territorial Army annual camp somewhere in Britain, which suggests between 1908 when the T.A. units were formed and 1911 when the photographer left the country. As he was based in Southport the chances are that either the location is in the Lancashire/Cheshire area or that the unit is a Liverpool or Lancashire regiment. I'm presuming they are Infantry as I can see no sign of horse-lines.
Have I missed anything ?

Maec

[macintosh]

Looks like a Drumhead service, perhaps a naval contingent behind the clergy.

James

[km1971]

Somewhere near Llangollen? It has the hills, canal and railway lines. Or would that be too far from Southport?

The width under the railway bridges would allow for two lines.

It must be a special occasion has it has brought a small group of four out from the big house to watch.

Ken

[HawkesFH]

replies much appreciated, it is a photo with lots of clues isn't it?  It is scanned in at a decent resolution and so some detail does stand out.  I have also looked at the Seaforth Barracks in Liverpool to see if they had any training camps outside of the city and none have been found, the Barracks was built in the 1880s and was being used well before WW1.  The big house is also a good clue but each time I come across a training camp using a private estate the modern image does not fit the house in the picture. Thanks so far, the answer is out there somewhere! I'll look at Welsh camps there was one at Beaumaris from 1902 actually.  Thanks for the idea!

[macintosh]

A potential.......Slonk Hill army camp Shoreham housed for 15 Infantry regiments and Rough Riders, could the house be Buckingham House Buckingham Park, Shoreham.

James