Phoenix Street drill hall, Lancaster

The Phoenix Street drill hall is a former military installation in Lancaster, Lancashire.

Phoenix Street drill hall
Lancaster
Phoenix Street drill hall, Lancaster
Phoenix Street drill hall is located in Lancaster city centre
Phoenix Street drill hall
Phoenix Street drill hall
Location within Lancaster
Phoenix Street drill hall is located in Lancashire
Phoenix Street drill hall
Phoenix Street drill hall
Location within Lancashire
Coordinates54°03′05″N 2°47′47″W / 54.05127°N 2.79643°W / 54.05127; -2.79643
TypeDrill hall
Site history
Built1894
Built forWar Office
In use1894-1990

History

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The building was designed as the headquarters of the Lancaster Rifle Volunteers and completed in 1894.[1] The building was partially converted into barracks in early 1900 for fifty volunteers who were going to South Africa to fight in the Second Boer War as part of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Lancaster Regiment. The volunteers were drawn from Barrow-in-Furness, Lancaster and Ulverston.[2]

This unit evolved into the 5th Battalion the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) in 1908.[3] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.[4] The battalion was redesignated the 4th/5th (Territorial) Battalion The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) at the drill hall in 1961.[5] The battalion was reduced to a cadre in 1969 but reconstituted as the 4th (Territorial Army) Battalion of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment in 1975.[5]

After the battalion moved to Alexandra Barracks at Caton Road in Lancaster in 1990, the drill hall was decommissioned[6] and is now used as a church.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Records of the 1st/5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment". King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, Lancaster. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  2. ^ "The Volunteers". The Manchester Guardian. 8 February 1900. p. 8.
  3. ^ "King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 4 January 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. ^ "The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b "5th Battalion, The King's Own Royal Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 22 November 2005. Retrieved 5 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Soldiering on since 1797". Lancaster Guardian. 12 March 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. ^ "The King's Community Church, Lancaster". King's Community Church. Retrieved 5 July 2017.