Army Barracks Canterbury?

[LizzieW]

On my grandfather's attestation papers, it shows that he enlisted in Hull and was then sent to Canterbury where he stayed for 2 years before going to S.Africa.

Have any of you any info about any army barracks or training schools in Canterbury from approx 1901-1903?  Or was there a music college there, maybe an army one as my grandfather was supposed to have been trained in music whilst in the army.

Any help gratefully received.

Liz

[casalguidi]

Hi Liz

There certainly were (still there) army barracks in Canterbury - outside of the City Walls in the parish of St Gregory the Great.  I'm not aware of any particular musical training facility but I'm not expert so ..................

Casalguidi

[LizzieW]

Thanks Casalguidi, I'll follow that up.

Liz

[kentfallen]

During the 1800's and early 1900's Canterbury was a very large Garrison Town. A number of Cavalry regiments were based in the city as were the Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The cavalry regiments would have had their own bands as would the Buffs. The barracks is still there and is now home and Depot to the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (PWRR) (a forerunner of The Buffs). If you go in Canterbury Cathedral, you will find a number of memorials to the various cavalry regiments with links to Canterbury, you will also find quite a few Buffs memorials. The Buffs has a chapel inside called the Warriors Chapel it displays the various Buffs colours etc...

The PWRR still has it's own band (all it's members are T.A) and this is based in Canterbury too.

Have you had a look at Martin Edward's Roll of Honour? (http://www.roll-of-honour.com)


Best of luck....
Neil

http://www.kentfallen.com

[LizzieW]

Neil

Thank you very much for the information. 

I had seen the Roll of Honour site, but my grandad never actually went to war.  He was in Canterbury from 1901 to 1903, then went to S.Africa 12 May 1903 until 9 February 1904, before going back to Canterbury.  I've no idea what he did in S.Africa, I imagine it was part of clearing up after the Boer War.  He was in the 19th Hussars. 

Interestingly, both his brothers were in the same regiment, the eldest joining up only a few months later than my grandad and originally going to Canterbury, however, he was 5+ years older (age 21) and went to S.Africa on 7 October 1902 until 9 February 1904, which is presumably when the regiment was pulled out again.  I haven't got the attestation papers of the youngest yet, but I know he didn't join until 19 December 1906 when he was 14.  He served in WWI and lost his life at Flanders in 1917.

Liz

[Canuc]

The Royal Military School of Music has been based at Kneller Hall since 1857. Have no idea if this is relevant, or where one might find any records (well TNA at Kew asside). All bandsmen now go through Kneller Hall before being posted to a band, was that the case for granddad in 1901 I don't know

This link
http://www.army.mod.uk/music/kneller_hall/
is a start

Happy hunting
Canuc

[LizzieW]

Hi  Canuc

I've  already checked out Kneller Hall and there is no record of my grandfather being there, even though my aunt (his daughter) said he was there - she said Liverpool which didn't make any sense, as Kneller Hall has always been in London.

I have since found out that he was discharged from the army in 1906 to the Borough Asylum, Hull, but in 1907 he was getting married in Newport, Monmouthshire.  Interestingly one of his witnesses was a musician as was his father (the witness' father that is).

I wonder if my grandfather and grandmother came up with the story of a music college to cover the period he was in the asylum.

He obviously learned his musicianship somewhere as at the time of his death in a road accident he was a musical director for the BBC, so not just an amateur musician.

Thanks for your input.

Liz

[Adi1962]

I spent some time at the Canterbury barracks in the early 80's, but at the moment cannot find any of the photos of the various buildings.

You might try googling for the Buffs museum which is in Canterbury. If they cannot help you they should be able to put you in touch with some of the regiments historians, who may have specific information

[LizzieW]

Thanks Adi1962, I'll try googling the Buffs Museum and see what turns up.

Liz