Victoria Street North drill hall, Grimsby explained

Victoria Street North drill hall
Type:Drill hall
Map Type:Lincolnshire
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Lincolnshire
Location:Grimsby
Coordinates:53.5734°N -0.0797°W
Built:1891
Used:1891–1930s
Architect:Ernest William Farebrother
Built For:War Office

The Victoria Street North drill hall is a former military installation in Grimsby. It is a Grade II listed building.

History

The building was designed by Ernest William Farebrother as the headquarters of the 1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers and completed in 1891.[1] With the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908, the drill hall became the home of the 1st North Midland Brigade Royal Field Artillery as well as two of its three batteries (the third was at Main Ridge in Boston).[1] The brigade was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 and, after being deployed to France and being re-designated 230th Brigade Royal Field Artillery in May 1916,[2] it saw action during the Operations on the Ancre in early 1917, the Battle of Hill 70 in August 1917 and subsequent engagements.[3] The unit was placed in suspended animation in 1919.[4]

The drill hall was converted for industrial use by Albert Gait Limited, a printing business, in the 1930s.[5] [6] The printing business was acquired by Wyndeham Group in 1993 and subsequently renamed Wyndeham Gait.[7] The business closed in April 2015[8] and, following a change of ownership of the property in January 2016,[9] plans were submitted for conversion of the premises into retail space in August 2017.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grimsby. The Drill Hall Project. 28 January 2018.
  2. Web site: Royal Field Artillery Brigades. The Long, Long Trail. 28 January 2018.
  3. Web site: 230th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Wartime Memories Project. 28 January 2018.
  4. Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. The Territorial Artillery 1908-1988, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p. 142.
  5. Web site: Plans unveiled to turn historic Grimsby printers building into retail space. Grimsby Telegraph. 10 August 2017.
  6. Web site: Castle Press. Images of Grimsby. 28 January 2018.
  7. Web site: About us. Wyndeham Group. 28 January 2018.
  8. Web site: Wyndeham closes Gait in multi-site revamp. 22 April 2015. Print Week. 28 January 2018.
  9. Web site: Sold: Castle Press, Victoria Street, Grimsby. Clark Weightman. 28 January 2018.