Wellington Barracks, Bury Explained

Wellington Barracks
Type:Barracks
Map Type:Greater Manchester
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Greater Manchester
Location:Bury
Ownership:Ministry of Defence
Built:1845
Used:1845-1968
Built For:War Office
Occupants:Lancashire Fusiliers

Wellington Barracks was a military installation on Bolton Road in Bury, Greater Manchester.

History

The barracks were completed as part of the response to the Chartist riots in 1845.[1] In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted under the Cardwell Reforms and the barracks became the depot for the two battalions of the 20th (East Devonshire) Regiment with the Bury-based 7th Royal Lancashire Militia (Rifles).[2] Following the Childers Reforms, these regiments merged (with the addition of local Volunteer battalions) to become the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1881, with its depot in the barracks.[2]

The Regiment amalgamated with several other regiments to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1968 and the barracks were demolished in 1969.[1] The Regimental Headquarters were retained and used as the Fusilier Regimental Museum until 2009 when the collection moved to Moss Street in Bury.[3] The Regimental Headquarters was then converted into a business complex in 2013.[4]

The Lancashire Fusiliers War Memorial stood outside the entrance to the barracks until 2009, when it was moved to Gallipoli Gardens, next to the relocated regimental museum.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wellington Barracks,Bury. BBC. 9 November 2014.
  2. Web site: Training Depots. https://web.archive.org/web/20060210172841/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/1873.htm. dead. 10 February 2006. Regiments.org. 16 October 2016.
  3. Web site: Fury over plans to turn historic Wellington Barracks in Bury into apartments. Manchester Evening News. 22 March 2012. 9 November 2014.
  4. Web site: Former Fusiliers barracks to be turned into business complex. Bury Times. 30 July 2013. 9 November 2014.