Canterbury Street drill hall

Former military installation in Blackburn, Lancashire, England

53°44′39″N 2°29′04″W / 53.74425°N 2.48440°W / 53.74425; -2.48440TypeDrill hallSite historyBuilt1870Built forWar OfficeArchitectStevens and RobinsonIn use1870 – 2010

The Canterbury Street drill hall is a former military installation in Blackburn, Lancashire. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

History

The building was designed by Stevens and Robinson as the headquarters of the 2nd Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps and was completed by Richard Hacking, a local builder, in 1870.[1] The unit evolved to become the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment in 1889 and 4th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment in 1908.[2] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to Gallipoli and ultimately to the Western Front.[3] The Battalion amalgamated with the 5th Battalion to form the 4th/5th Battalion at the Canterbury Street drill hall in 1921 but the 4th Battalion was reformed there again in 1939 just before the Second World War.[2]

Following a re-organisation, the battalion converted to become the 93 (East Lancashire) Signal Squadron, 38 Signal Regiment (Volunteers) in 1971.[2] The squadron was disbanded in March 2010.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Blackburn Drill Hall". English Heritage. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "4th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment". Regiments.org. 15 July 2000. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  3. ^ Chris Baker. "The East Lancashire Regiment in 1914 – 1918". The Long, Long Trail The British Army of 1914-1918. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  4. ^ "Blackburn TA squadron still doomed despite Prime Minister u-turn". Lancashire Telegraph. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2017.