The Buckingham Gate drill halls were military installations at 58 and 59 Buckingham Gate, London.
Buckingham Gate drill halls | |
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London | |
Buckingham Gate drill halls Location within London | |
Coordinates | 51°29′53″N 0°08′11″W / 51.49815°N 0.13641°W |
Type | Drill halls |
Site history | |
Built | 1886 |
Built for | War Office |
In use | 1886-Present |
The building was designed as the headquarters of the 13th Middlesex (Queen's Westminster) Volunteer Rifle Corps and completed in 1886.[1] That unit became the 16th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles) in 1908.[2] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.[3]
In 1937, on the break-up of the London Regiment, the unit based at the drill hall was redesignated the Queen's Westminsters, King's Royal Rifle Corps.[4] The regiment amalgamated with the Queen Victoria's Rifles in 1961[4] and moved out to the Davies Street drill hall.[2]
In the 1970s the drill hall was used by the Army Cadet Force Association[5] and, in the late 20th century, it was used extensively by the Metropolitan Police Service.[6] It still survives and is currently used as a conference facility.[7]
The building was designed by John Macvicar Anderson as the headquarters of the 7th (London Scottish) Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps[8] and was opened by the Duke of Cambridge in July 1886.[9] From 1899 to 1901 the All England Open Badminton Championships were held in the drill hall.[10] The 7th (London Scottish) Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps became the 14th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish) in 1908.[2]
In May 1912 the drill hall was used as the location for the inquiry into the sinking of RMS Titanic.[11]
In August 1914, the 14th (County of London) Battalion was mobilised at the drill hall before being deployed to the Western Front.[3] In 1937, on the break-up of the London Regiment, the unit based at the drill hall was re-designated as The London Scottish, The Gordon Highlanders.[12]
In April 1944, during the Second World War, Princess Elizabeth visited a Sea Scouts exhibition at the drill hall.[13] In 1947 the regiment was reconstituted but with its headquarters still at the drill hall.[14]
The drill hall was demolished in 1985[15] and parts of the structure, including the wrought-iron roof, the double-level iron galleries and the war memorials, were relocated to the new Horseferry Road drill hall.[8] The Buckingham Gate site has since been redeveloped for offices and the Swire Group now occupies the office block on the site.[16]
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