High Street drill hall, Paisley explained

High Street drill hall
Type:	Drill hall
Map Type:	Scotland Renfrewshire
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location within Renfrewshire
Location:	Paisley, Scotland
Built:	1896
Used:	1896-1921
Built For:	War Office

The High Street drill hall is a former military installation in Paisley, Scotland.

History

The building was designed by Thomas Graham Abercrombie as the headquarters of the 2nd Renfrewshire Rifle Volunteers and completed about 1896.^[1] This unit evolved into the 6th Battalion, the Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) in 1908.^[2] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.^{[3] [4]} The 6th Battalion amalgamated with the 5th Battalion to form the 5th/6th Battalion in 1921.^[5] The building continued to be used as a drill hall until 1996.^[6] It was subsequently decommissioned and sold to the University of the West of Scotland for academic use.^[7]

On 11 March 2020, a fire broke out in the building causing extensive damage to the roof.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Paisley, 76 High Street, Drill Hall. Canmore. 27 June 2017.
2. Book: Westlake, Ray . Tracing the Rifle Volunteers: A Guide for Military and Family Historians. 2010. Pen and Sword. 978-1848842113 .
3. Web site: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders . The Long, Long Trail. 31 May 2016.
4. Web site: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalions during WW1. The Argylls. 27 June 2017.
5. Web site: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Regiments.org. 27 June 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20051230132647/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/091ASH.htm. 30 December 2005.
6. Web site: 76 High Street, Former Territorial Army Centre including boundary wall and railings, Paisley. Historic Environment Scotland. 9 August 2019.
7. Web site: TA drill hall up for sale. Daily Record. 27 June 2017.