Maryhill Barracks was built on of the

Ruchill Ruchill () is a district in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies within the Canal Ward of north Glasgow in the Ruchill Community Council area between the Maryhill and Possilpark areas of the city. It has traditionally been characterised by a ...

estate, in the

Maryhill Maryhill ( gd, Cnoc Màiri) is an area of the City of Glasgow in Scotland. Maryhill is a former burgh. Maryhill stretches over along Maryhill Road. The far north west of the area is served by Maryhill railway station. History Hew Hill, t ...

area of northern

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Scotland.

History

The barracks were opened as Garrioch Barracks in 1872. Built to accommodate an infantry regiment, a squadron of cavalry and a battery of field artillery, it dominated the area which is now the

Wyndford Wyndford is an area of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Located northwest of the city centre in Maryhill, Wyndford is bounded by Maryhill Road to the north and the River Kelvin to the south. The area comprises council housing that is typical of t ...

housing estate. The barracks replaced the previous Infantry Barracks at Duke Street in the East End of the city. Glasgow City Corporation had been petitioning the government since the early 19th century for more military protection from their fear of "riot and tumult" in the growing industrial city. Despite the fact that Maryhill at the time was an independent

burgh A burgh is an autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland and Northern England, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burg ...

, it agreed to the erection of Glasgow's new barracks, with the greatly enlarged complex opening in 1876. Higher quality than normal, the barracks engendered a sense of community. The Glasgow Soldiers' Home, where those on leave could entertain relatives, and public houses with names such as the

Highland Light Infantry The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First and Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to form the Royal Highland Fusi ...

(HLI) and the Elephant and Bugle (the HLI emblem) gave Maryhill the feel of a garrison town. Vandalism was also reduced. Married quarters were added to the barracks in 1911. During the 1919 40-hours general strike in Glasgow, the soldiers at Maryhill Barracks were deemed to be unreliable and were confined to barracks while troops from elsewhere were brought in to re-impose order. It was in 1919 that Maryhill Barracks was used as a marshalling place for the

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

before embarking for

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Maryhill Barracks became the

depot Depot ( or ) may refer to: Places * Depot, Poland, a village * Depot Island, Kemp Land, Antarctica * Depot Island, Victoria Land, Antarctica * Depot Island Formation, Greenland Brands and enterprises * Maxwell Street Depot, a restaurant in ...

of the

(City of Glasgow) regiment in March 1921. In May 1934 a bomb exploded in the barracks, which was alleged to have been set off by the same person as bombed the Army Recruiting Offices, 139 Bath Street, a fortnight previously. It was also home to the

Scots Greys The Royal Scots Greys was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1707 until 1971, when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) to form the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard ...

and famously held

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

's second-in-command

Rudolf Hess Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position unt ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

after his supposed "Peace" flight to the UK in 1941, at a time when it was used as a prisoner of war camp. In 1942, the

Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...

leader, General

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

, visited French troops there. The barracks were decommissioned in 1959 after the amalgamation of the

into the

Royal Highland Fusiliers The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Prior to 28 March 2006, the Royal Highland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment in its own right, c ...

and were largely demolished in 1961, then transferred to

Glasgow Corporation The politics of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city by population, are expressed in the deliberations and decisions of Glasgow City Council, in elections to the council, the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament. Local government As one of ...

for the development of the

housing estate, although the guardroom and boundary walls remain. A Territorial Army unit, the 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion, The

Royal Regiment of Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the British Army Order of Precedence, senior and only Scottish regiment, Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (formerly five) and two Army Reserve (United ...

, continues to be based at the adjacent

Walcheren Barracks Walcheren Barracks is a drill hall located at Hotspur Street in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland. It is located adjacent to the site of the former Maryhill Barracks. History The current building was originally constructed in 1935 as the new headquar ...

References

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External links

*{{Canmore , num=166210 , desc=Glasgow, Maryhill Barracks Barracks in Scotland Residential buildings completed in 1872 Buildings and structures in Glasgow Demolished buildings and structures in Scotland 1872 establishments in Scotland 1960s disestablishments in Scotland Maryhill