Administrative rights of the East
India Company were transferred to the Crown in 1860
The War office took possession of Warley Barracks in 1861, and a depot battery
of Royal Artillery was stationed there.
In 1864, Warley became a depot for the Guards.
In 1870, the Royal Scots were in occupation and when the Guards were transferred
to Caterham.
In 1873 after the Guards, the 44th and 56th Regiments of Foot were there. *
In 1881 important changes, known
as the Cardwell Reforms, were made. As a result the various infantry units of a
county or district were grouped territorially. In Essex the 44th (East Essex)
Regiment and the 56th (West Essex) Regiment were brought together and called the
1st and 2nd Battalions of The Essex Regiment. The two units of the ancient
militia, the East Essex Militia and the Essex (Rifles) Militia, were
re-designated the 3rd and 4th (Militia) Battalions of The Essex Regiment, while
the depot companies of these four units were brought together at Warley Barracks
and formed into the Regimental Depot. Finally the various Corps of Essex Rifle
Volunteers became the four Volunteer Battalions of the Regiment. In this manner
was the foundation laid for the Territorial Army. **
OFFICIALLY,
the formation of the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Guards dates from the 15th July
1915, when it was announced that His Majesty the King had been “graciously
pleased to approve” of the formation of two additional Battalions of Foot
Guards—the 4th Grenadier Guards, and the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards, which was
to be made up out of the personnel of the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion. And,
officially, on July 18 that formation took place. But those who knew the world
in the old days, and specially the busy part of it that had Warley Barracks for
its heart, know that the 2nd Battalion was born in spirit as in substance, long
ere the authorities bade it to be. The needs of the war commanded it; the
abundance of the reserves then justified it; and, though Warley Barracks had
been condemned as unfit for use by the Honourable the East India Company a
trifle of fifty odd years ago, this was not the hour to stand on ancient
tradition. So the old, crazy barracks overflowed; the officers’ damp and
sweating dog-kennels were double-crammed; and, by sheer goodwill and stark
discipline, the work went forward to the creation.
Warley Barracks is now the Ford administration
centre.
* Warley Magna to Great Warley - George
Harper(1956) - This book is very good, but lacks any references to source
material, and is therefore suspect as to whether information is correct.
**
Chelmsford Museum
The historical trade directory and census listing of all of London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire
Oxfordshire, and Dorset. If you are searching for a historical address, try the census and street directory database. This is a Victorian view on the streets of london and the south of England.
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