Militia And Volunteers Of Northumberland
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The Militia and Volunteers of
Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...
are those military units raised in the County independent of the regular Army. The "modern"
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
dates from legislation enacted during the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754β€ ...
. The volunteers had several forms and separate periods of existence until made a permanent body in 1859.


Militia

After the
invasion scare An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...
of 1745, and the later strain on the regular army during the Seven Years' War, bills for the reform of the militia were brought to parliament, but it was not until 1759 that the act would be passed (30 Geo II c.25). The act continued with the ballot to select men from each county, in numbers based on a return made by the county authorities of men of eligible age, initially between 18 and 50 years of age. As a substitute could be made on a payment of Β£10, the burden fell on the working classes. Subsequent explanatory legislation was required to curb rioting in 13 counties over fears of pay and overseas service, the militia would only be used in England and Wales. This included a
riot A riot is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The property targete ...
in Hexham in June 1761 when about 5000 people were confronted by six companies from the North York Militia. By the end, 51 people were dead and 300 wounded including some militiamen, earning the North York Militia the nickname ''The Hexham Butchers''.Hewitson p. 18 When not embodied (mobilised) for service the men had an annual training requirement of 28 days by 1762.Beckett p. 67 The Legislation was continually amended, for example, by the end of the Napoleonic wars, to permit wider service in the country, fixed terms of service and paying a bounty for volunteering for the regular army. The militia was under the control of the Lord Lieutenant of the county and was to be officered by the local gentry, their rank determined by a property qualification which was gradually reduced or ignored as time progressed. Initially a
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
required an income of Β£400 a year, or be an heir to twice that amount, Lieutenant colonels and Majors, Β£300,
Captains Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
, Β£200,
Lieutenants A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
, Β£100 and
Ensigns An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
Β£50.


General Militia

*''for Local Militia see below'' The regiment of the Northumberland Militia did not form until 1759, it was led by Sir Edward
Blackett Blackett or Blacket is a surname of English derivation. People * Andrea Blackett (born 1976), Barbadian athlete * Basil Phillott Blackett (1882–1935), British civil servant and finance expert * Basil Blackett (1886–1920), British WW1 flyi ...
Bart., and had an initial strength of 560 men, with the headquarters at
Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is on the south bank of the River Aln, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish bor ...
. The militia regiment in its early form was embodied on the following occasions: *During the Seven Years' War from 23 February 1760 to December 1762, it was stationed in
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
. *During the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
from 13 April 1778 to December 1782, when France had joined the Americans. It was commanded by
Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland Lieutenant General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland (14 August 174210 July 1817) was an officer in the British army and later a British peer. He participated in the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Long Island during t ...
, The uniforms had buff waistcoats, and gained the regiment the nickname of the ''Northumberland Buffs''. On 19 May they marched for London, and on 7 June made a 40-mile march, arriving at Holborn to aid the civil power during the Gordon Riots, where they earned praise for their orderly fire on looters and arsonists only.Hewitson p. 20 They then were posted to Dorking, where they shared a camp with the
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
and Sussex Militias, and the
69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot The 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1756. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot to form the Welch Regiment in 1881. History Formation T ...
. The regiment spent the winter of 1781–2 at Southampton returning to Northumberland via Chatham to be disbanded. *During the French Revolutionary Wars from the end of 1792 until May 1802 the regiment was tasked with maintaining order as well as anti-invasion duties and for this purpose they were employed outside of their area of recruitment and kept on the move so as to avoid fraternization with the local population. By June 17989 the regiment was 1300 strong and based in Hornsea. Also that year, the Northumberland Supplemental Militia was raised and designated as the 2nd battalion, serving at Sunderland and South Shields before being disbanded in November 1799. During 1799, 266 men of the regiment transferred to the regular army, the 5th, 17th , 56th and 59th regiments of foot and the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
. *Less than a year later, after the short lived Peace of Amiens, the regiment was once again embodied from 22 April 1803 to 24 June 1814 during the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, with an initial strength of 649. After spending two years in the North east of England the regiment was dispatched to anti-smuggling duties in
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, thereafter moving around the South of England, in turn guarding French prisoners of war in 1810, during which time each man of the regiment subscribed one days pay for the relief of British prisoners of war. While in
Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colches ...
during 1811, the regiment volunteered for a third time to serve in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Γ‰ire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, and as a mark of distinction was granted the title of Light Infantry, becoming the Northumberland Light Infantry Militia, and having its offer accepted, arrived in
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
in August. The regiment returned to England at Bristol on 11 October 1813, and Marched to Scotland, wintering in Haddington, it was disbanded in Alnwick on 24 June 1814. During its embodiment 1,159 men had volunteered for service in the regular army or Royal Navy. Training for balloted men began again in 1820, however desertion was a problem, and again in 1821.Hewitson p. 26 Training was infrequent up to 1831 and then went into abeyance along with the Militia movement as a whole. In 1852 a new act was passed that revived the militia, with voluntary service (and a bounty of six
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...
) but with the ballot remaining an option. Commanded by the earl of Beverly and titled the 27th Northumberland Light Infantry Militia the first training was attended by 850 men out of the enlisted 1122.Hewitson p. 27 During the
Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
it was embodied from 9 January 1855 to 20 June 1856 spending early 1856 in Carlisle, where 395 men transferred to the regular army. It was not among those embodied during the manpower shortage caused by the
Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...
. In 1859 the enthusiasm for the militia had waned and only 200 of the 900 on strength turned up. The revival of the Volunteer forces led to competition with the regular army and Volunteers for the available manpower. The rise of local constabularies meant that the militia would be used less for keeping order than to replace regular soldiers on home service during large mobilizations.


Reforms and Amalgamation

New legislation increased ease with which militia officers and men could transfer to the regular army, and resulted it becoming, as Cardwell wanted, more of an auxiliary to the regular line regiments. In 1881, after being brigaded with, but seldom interacting with, the Volunteer units of the County since 1873, but being briefly embodied into the 5th Regiments's Depot in 1878, the Northumberland Light Infantry Militia became the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers. For the first and only time, the militia battalion would not only be embodied, but also see action during the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
. The 3rd battalion was embodied on 12 December 1899, with a strength of 412 officers and men. Of these 151 went to South Africa reinforcing the 2nd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the remainder were part of the
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
garrison where it guarded Boer prisoners, and received the news that with the raising of the 3rd and 4th regular battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers it was to be temporarily renamed the 5th (Militia) Battalion. The South Africa contingent would lose 23 men to disease and fighting.


The Haldane Reforms

In 1908, in large part due to the Militias' resistance to more reform, the militia were reduced to a draft finding and training role. Now renamed the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, it would take over the running of the regimental Depot, being part of the local garrison during a mobilisation. After serving in this role in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, it was not reformed after the war, the role of the original militia no longer existing, and was finally disbanded after a long period of suspended animation in 1953.


Artillery Militia

Raised as a coastal artillery battery in 1854, the Northumberland Artillery Militia was first headquartered on Tyneside, then at
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
. Initially it had an establishment of just 161 men of all ranks in two batteries, later rising to six batteries.Litchfield, pp. 122–5. During its embodiment during the Crimean War (4 April to 2 March 1861) a group of around 30 militiamen rioted in
North Shields North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...
, after two of them had been threatened with imprisonment for a drunken assault the previous night, 14 May 1860. In June 28 militiamen and one woman were turned over to the local Magistrates, and the townspeople requested that militia be removed from Tynemouth. The headquarters was moved to Berwick upon Tweed in 1861. In 1882 it was renamed the 3rd Brigade, Northern Division, Royal Artillery and again in 1889 to the Northumberland Artillery (Western Division) Royal Artillery. After a second, short, period of full-time service from May to October 1900, it was again renamed the Northumberland
Royal Garrison Artillery The Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) was formed in 1899 as a distinct arm of the British Army's Royal Regiment of Artillery serving alongside the other two arms of the Regiment, the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) ...
(Militia). It was transferred to the field artillery in 1908 as part of the Special Reserve and disbanded in 1909.


Volunteers

It was initially intended in an Act of 1778 to permit volunteers to augment the militia, however only 14 companies had been added nationwide by 1780. In 1782 a new act
(22 Geo III c.79)
allowed raising of volunteer forces by local subscription, with a wealthy land-owners or businessman providing most of the funding, but with the government paying them for any service and allowing the men to be court-marshalled only under volunteer officers.


Volunteer Corps

Volunteer recruitment early on in the Revolutionary wars proceeded slowly, mostly in the counties most likely to face an invasion. Even with the right to avoid the militia ballot, it remained slow until boosted by the act of 1798 (38 Geo III c 27, called the 'Defence of the Realm act') which allowed the raising of "Armed Associations". These were again raised by local subscription, with local gentry or a rich businessman providing the bulk of the capital who often commanded the formation. The rank of commandant depended on the number of men in the formation, two of three score for a Captain-commandant, up to 500 for a Lt. Colonel-commandant.Ward p. 21 Early formations (1794-5) were:- *The Loyal Newcastle Volunteers, 300 to 400 men strong were self-financing and nicknamed the ''Tinsel Dons'' on account of their bright uniforms of scarlet with large green facings and gilt buttons, commanded by Colonel Thomas Clennel. *The Newcastle Armed Association was government supported and was 800 to 1,000 men strong, and included a light infantry company, commanded by
Sir Matthew White Ridley, 2nd Baronet Sir Matthew White Ridley, 2nd Baronet (28 October 1745 – 9 April 1813), was a Northumbrian landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1768 and 1812. Life He was the son of Matthew Ridley (1716–1778) (Governor of the ...
. *The Loyal Berwick Volunteers were four companies strong by 1797, commanded by Major Commandant, later Lt. Colonel Thomas Hall.Hewitson p. 51 Other units raised in 1798 and later were:- * The Hexham Volunteer Infantry.Hewitson p. 54 * The
Morpeth Morpeth may refer to: *Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia ** Electoral district of Morpeth, a former electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in New South Wales * Morpeth, Ontario, Canada * Morpeth, Northumberland, England, UK ** Morpeth (UK ...
Associated Volunteer Infantry commended by John Bell was 125 strong in 1801. It did not reform in 1803. *The Wallington and
Kirkharle Kirkharle (otherwise Kirk Harle) is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Kirkwhelpington, in the county of Northumberland in Northern England located about west of the town of Morpeth, just to the west of the crossroads of th ...
Volunteer Troop of Cavalry *The
Corbridge Corbridge is a village in Northumberland, England, west of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle and east of Hexham. Villages nearby include Halton, Northumberland, Halton, Acomb, Northumberland, Acomb, Aydon and Sandhoe. Etymology Corbridge was kno ...
Volunteer Corps of Infantry from 1804, had a uniform of red with yellow facings and white breeches. *The
Seaton Delaval Seaton Delaval is a village in Northumberland, England, with a population of 4,371. The largest of the five villages in Seaton Valley, it is the site of Seaton Delaval Hall, completed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1727. In 2010 the armed robbery of ...
Associated Corps of Volunteer Infantry, 72 men strong, were funded by
Lord Delaval John Hussey Delaval, 1st Baron Delaval (17 March 1728 – 17 May 1808), known as Sir John Delaval, Bt, between 1761 and 1783, was an English landowner and politician. Background and education Delaval was the son of Francis Blake Delaval (1692β ...
and had plans to evacuate the town and parish by cart. *The Cheviot Legion combined infantry and cavalry, in 1804 the Legion turned out in full during an invasion scare, despite its seven officers and 84 troopers being scattered over a wide area, and received the title Royal Cheviot Legion as a consequence. It also volunteered to served outside the county and in 1805 marched to Yorkshire. It was commanded by lt. Colonel Horace St Paul.Hewitson pp. 44-45 *The
Coquetdale The River Coquet runs through the county of Northumberland, England, discharging into the North Sea on the east coast at Amble. It rises in the Cheviot Hills on the border between England and Scotland, and follows a winding course across the l ...
Rangers were raised in 1799 and continued in existence until 1821. They also responded to the scare of 1804, with the commander, Thomas Selby, riding from Edinburgh to the assembly at
Glanton Glanton is a small rural village, in the county of Northumberland, England. Agriculture dominates the surrounding area. Governance Glanton is in the parliamentary constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed. As a district, it is a part of the unita ...
. *The Coquetdale Troop of Volunteer Cavalry. *The Loyal
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
Rangers raised in 1801 at platoon strength were re-raised in 1803 as the larger Glendale Volunteer Infantry together with the Glendale Volunteer Cavalry, both commanded by Major Lord Ossulston. *The
North Shields North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...
and Tynemouth Volunteer Infantry.Hewitson p. 56 *The
Wallsend Wallsend is a town in North Tyneside, England, at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 43,842 and lies east of Newcastle upon Tyne. History Roman Wallsend In Roman times, this was the site of the fort of Segedunum. This f ...
Volunteer Rifle Corps trained as light infantry, wearing green tunics with black facings. *The Berwick Gentlemen Independent Volunteers served without pay and were 89 men strong. *The Berwick Volunteer Artillery. *The
Bywell Bywell is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne opposite Stocksfield, between Hexham and Newcastle. The parish has a population of around 380 and Newton is now its most populo ...
Volunteer Yeomanry Cavalry.Hewitson p. 58 The largest group was the Percy Tenantry Volunteers raised by
Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland Lieutenant General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland (14 August 174210 July 1817) was an officer in the British army and later a British peer. He participated in the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Long Island during t ...
in 1798 from his estates in Northumberland and Tyneside, and consisted of two divisions of the Armed Association of the Percy Tenantry Infantry, the Northern, four companies strong, and the Southern, eight companies, and a Percy Tenantry Volunteer Cavalry of five Troops. An attempt by the town of Alnwick to raise an Armed Association met with a hostile, almost
feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a wa ...
, response from the Duke, to the effect that volunteers either joined the Tenantry Volunteers or be "...deprived of his custom, r dischargedfrom his employment...". On the reformation of the volunteers in 1803 the strength rose further to six troops of cavalry (at Alnwick,
Lesbury Lesbury is a small rural village in Northumberland in the north of England. It is built on the main coastal road southeast of Alnwick, on the north bank of the River Aln. Alnmouth railway station is about half a mile away. History The village ...
,
Newham The London Borough of Newham is a London borough created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. It covers an area previously administered by the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, authorities that were both abolished by the ...
,
Newburn Newburn is a semi rural parish, former electoral ward and former urban district in western Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. Situated on the North bank of the River Tyne, it is built rising up the valley from the river. It is situated ...
,
Rothbury Rothbury is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the River Coquet. It is northwest of Morpeth and of Newcastle upon Tyne. At the 2001 Census, it had a population of 2,107. Rothbury emerged as an important town be ...
,
Prudhoe Prudhoe ( ) is a town in south Northumberland, England, about west of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and just south of the River Tyne. Situated on a steep, north-facing hill in the Tyne valley, Prudhoe had a population of 11,675 at the 201 ...
, and Tynemouth, a total of 304 men) and 17 companies of infantry (at Alnwick,
Chatton Chatton is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is roughly to the east of Wooler. History Chatton has been occupied for many centuries. There has been a church on the site since the twelfth century. There is evidence of occupation in ...
, Guyzance, Thirston, Lesbury, Newham, Rothbury, Shillbottle, Walkworth,
Barrasford Barrasford is a village in Northumberland, England. It is situated to the north of Hexham, on the North Tyne. Barrasford is an ancient village that lies within the shadow of Haughton Castle. The village is notable for being the location of a ...
(two),
Lemington Lemington is an area and electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. History Lemington has a strong industrial history. It is famous for its brick glassworks cone, built in 1787. The River Tyne used to pass very close to Lem ...
, Newburn (two), Prudhoe (two) and Tynemouth, a total strength of 1,195 men). In 1805 a Percy Tenantry Volunteer Artillery Company was formed, attached to the cavalry, with two brass 3-pounders and other equipment supplied by the government. The artillery would not be disbanded with the rest of the tenantry in 1814, but continued with its drills with guns provided by the Duke, becoming the core of the 2nd Northumberland (Percy) Artillery Volunteers in 1860.


Local Militia

Due to the large numbers of small units, and the radical politics of a number of them around the country, they were encouraged to merge into larger Local Militia battalions by the gradual withdrawal of financial support. Three regiments of the Northumberland Local Militia were formed:- *Northern Regiment, commanded by Lt.Colonel Horace St Paul, headquartered at Alnwick, 761 men in ten companies. *Western Regiment, commanded by Lt Colonel Thomas Wentworth Beaumont, headquartered at Hexham, 788 men in ten companies. *Southern Regiment, commanded by Colonel Commandant
Charles William Bigge Charles William Bigge (28 October 1773 – 8 December 1849) was an English merchant and banker in Newcastle on Tyne. Life The son of Thomas Charles Bigge, he was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford (M.A. 1795). He then stu ...
, headquartered at Morpeth, 765 men in ten companies. The volunteer associations distant from these locations remained in existence. Aside for training and exercising, none were called out, except for those in 1804 for a false alarm, and by 1818 all of the infantry cavalry and artillery volunteers had disbanded.


Yeomanry

In 1819, in a climate of economic unrest following the end of the war, the landowners and businessmen raised a corps of Yeomanry, the Northumberland and Newcastle Volunteer Corps of Cavalry, made up of six troops. It was called out on a number of occasions to aid the civil power in keeping the peace, and in 1822 after its annual training was on duty for 23 days during strikes and riots by Tyne
keelmen The Keelmen of Tyne and Wear were a group of men who worked on the keels, large boats that carried the coal from the banks of both rivers to the waiting collier ships. Because of the shallowness of both rivers, it was difficult for ships of any sig ...
, and again for 33 days in 1831 during pitmen's strikes. While it received official praise for its duty from the Home Secretary, the view from the street was different: The annual training continued, with a riding school being built in Newcastle in 1847. The annual training became a major social event for the upper classes in the North-East, and the corps roles became ceremonial and social. In 1876 the corps was renamed the
Northumberland Hussars The Northumberland Hussars was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army, transferred to the Royal Artillery for the duration of the Second World War. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of t ...
. During the Boer War 355 men from the Northumberland Hussars and volunteers from Northumberland and Durham saw service in the 14th, 15th and 55th squadrons of the
Imperial Yeomanry The Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer mounted force of the British Army that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Created on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but su ...
.


Rifle Volunteers

In another invasion scare in 1859 circulars were issued by the government based on the provisions of the 1804 Volunteer Consolidation act for the raising of corps of volunteers in the counties. As an inducement 25 Long Enfield rifles were to be issued by the government for every 100 volunteers, with a corps needing 60 men (effectives) to become established, and candidates for membership having to be approved by the corps committee. membership required a subscription to be paid,Hewitson p. 88 with "effectives" who were the backbone of the corps, contributing 10s a year (assistance for the uniform and equipment was given from the general fund if required). A Simple uniform could cost Β£1 14s, and a rifle Β£4 10s, with additional costs for other equipment. As the volunteer corps were predominantly middle class, this placed them in direct competition with the non balloted militia and enticed many of the landed gentry in search of commissions away and left the militia almost the preserve of the working class. The new volunteer corps, raised between 1861 and 1878 included:Westlake, pp. 186, 191–4. *1st
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
*1st
Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
* 1st Northumberland, Tynemouth *2nd Northumberland, Hexham *3rd Northumberland, Morpeth *4th Northumberland,
Wooler Wooler ( ) is a small town in Northumberland, England. It lies on the edge of the Northumberland National Park, near the Cheviot Hills. It is a popular base for walkers and is referred to as the "Gateway to the Cheviots". As well as many shops ...
-in-Glendale (later at Belford) *5th Northumberland, Alnwick *6th Northumberland, Bellingham *7th Northumberland, Allendale * 8th Northumberland,
Walker Walker or The Walker may refer to: People * Walker (given name) *Walker (surname) * Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer Places In the United States *Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County *Walker, Mono County, California ...
* 9th Northumberland,
Cramlington Cramlington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, 6 miles (9 kilometres) north of Newcastle upon Tyne, and 10 miles (16 kilometres) north of its city centre. The name suggests a probable founding by the Danes or Anglo-Saxons. T ...
*10th Northumberland, Lowick *11th Northumberland, St John Lee (later at
Sandhoe Sandhoe is a hamlet and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It lies about 3 kilometres (2 mi) northwest of Corbridge and 3 kilometres south of Hadrian's Wall. The parish touches Acomb, Corbridge, Hexham and Wall. History The name "S ...
then
Corbridge Corbridge is a village in Northumberland, England, west of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle and east of Hexham. Villages nearby include Halton, Northumberland, Halton, Acomb, Northumberland, Acomb, Aydon and Sandhoe. Etymology Corbridge was kno ...
) *12th Northumberland,
Haltwhistle Haltwhistle is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, east of Brampton. It had a population of 3,811 at the 2011 Census. Stone-built houses are a feature of Haltwhistle. It is one of two settlements in Great Britain which c ...
In August 1861 these formed (on paper) the 1st and 2nd Administrative Battalions of the Northumberland Rifle Volunteers.Royal Northumberland Fusiliers Museum Forming another administrative battalion was the large 1st Newcastle upon Tyne Rifle Volunteer Corps, with a uniform of steel grey with black facings, based on an earlier Armed Association raised in 1839, which already included a Highland sub-division.


Volunteer Artillery

Alongside the Rifle Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers were also formed: * 1st Northumberland (Tynemouth) Artillery Volunteers. Formed in August 1859 in Tynemouth, it was first in order of precedence for the artillery volunteers. Its first practice in November was on two muzzle loading 12-pounder cannon at
Tynemouth Castle Tynemouth Castle is located on a rocky headland (known as Pen Bal Crag), overlooking Tynemouth Pier. The moated castle-towers, gatehouse and keep are combined with the ruins of the Benedictine priory where early kings of Northumbria were buri ...
that had not been fired for 70 years. They originally wore the same grey uniform as the Newcastle Rifle Volunteers as they were raised at the same time of one of its original companies (Tynemouth). By the end of the 1870s, six batteries had been raised. During the Boer War the Corps supplied 130 men for the Elswick Battery which was the only Volunteer Arillery unit to serve there. The men of the battery won one D.S.O., one D.C.M. and two M.i.D.s. *2nd Northumberland (Percy) Artillery Volunteers Formed in February 1860 from the remains of the Duke's Tenantry Artillery of 1805, it initially using a 32-pounder for practice on the sands of
Alnmouth Alnmouth () is a coastal village in Northumberland, England, situated east-south-east of Alnwick. The population of the civil parish at the 2001 Census was 562, reducing to 445 at the 2011 Census. Located at the mouth of the River Aln, the vill ...
, and recruited from the rural areas around Alnwick. In 1882 a detachment competed at Shoeburyness winning the Challenge Cup, the Lords and Commons Prize and Her Majesty the Queen's Prize. In January 1901 the Corps was re-designated 2nd Northumberland (Percy) Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteers, this change in role together with the changing population patterns in an increasingly mechanised agricultural industry, caused the disbanding of the Corps in October 1902. *3rd Northumberland (Newcastle) Artillery Volunteers. Formed in the Spring of 1860 the Corps quickly reach six batteries by 1863. It was initially armed with 18 and 24 pounder muzzle loading cannon. It was later to receive two 40-pounder breach loading guns. *1st Berwick-on-Tweed Artillery Volunteer Corps. Formed in February 1859 the corps consisted of only two batteries.


Volunteer Engineers

In September 1860 a Corps of Engineer Volunteers was raised from men of the Armstrong factories at Elswick and attached to the Newcastle Rifle Volunteers. It would eventually become the 1st Newcastle Engineers.


Reform and Amalgamation

After being brigaded with the militia and the regulars' depot from 1873, but still having little interaction with them, and still with each other, in 1881 the Administrative battalions were renamed from: *1st Administrative Battalion, Northumberland Rifle Volunteers β€” Northumberland & Berwick upon Tweed Volunteers *2nd Administrative Battalion Northumberland Rifle Volunteers β€” 2nd Northumberland Volunteer Battalion *1st Newcastle upon Tyne Rifle Volunteer Corps β€” 1st Newcastle Volunteer Battalion In 1881 with the amalgamation of the regulars, militia and volunteers into the Northumberland Fusiliers, the use of regular officers (occasionally from the Northumberland Fusiliers) as battalion adjutant began, beginning a closer connection to the regulars of the new territorial regiment. In 1887 the Rifle Volunteers were renamed as ''Volunteer Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers'' in numerical order: *Northumberland & Berwick upon Tweed Volunteers β€” 1st Volunteer Battalion *2nd Northumberland Volunteer Battalion β€” 2nd Volunteer Battalion *1st Newcastle Volunteer Battalion β€” 3rd Volunteer Battalion About this time annual battalion camps became usual, with the 1st Volunteer battalion being part of the first brigade camp (with the 1st, 2nd and 4th volunteer battalion of the D.L.I. forming the Tyne and Tees Brigade) held at Ripon in May 1893. During the Boer War each of the three battalions provided 70 to 80 volunteers for a special service company, for one years service to reinforce the county regiment in South Africa. These attachments greatly increased the connections between the volunteers and the county regiment, and coupled with another invasion scare caused by the small numbers of regular troops left in the country, caused a surge in volunteer numbers.


Haldane Reforms

As part the reforms to the volunteers, and in return for increased financial support on an often heavy burden on the commanding officer, the volunteer would undertake a regular annual camp and a training obligation of six months if mobilised, with the volunteer battalions coming under the control of the newly formed county association. As the reforms were announced in the prelude to the formation of the
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry ...
there was a fall in numbers joining the volunteers. On 31 March the Volunteer Force was dissolved and the next day the Territorial Force put in place with the battalions under the control of the county association. The volunteer battalions were renumbered, in sequence after the old militia battalion, (the 1st Volunteer Battalion being split to form the 4th and the 7th battalions) as the 4th to 7th Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers. They were formed into the Northumberland Brigade, part of the Northumbrian Division. On this day the 1st (Tynemouth) Volunteer Artillery became the Tynemouth Garrison Artillery,Hewitson p. 104 and the remainder, together with the volunteer artillery from County Durham, became the artillery brigades of the Northumbrian Division.


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * * Litchfield, Norman E.H., (1987). ''The Militia Artillery 1852–1909 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, . * Ray Westlake, ''Tracing the Rifle Volunteers'', Barnsley: Pen and Sword, 2010, . {{British Militia Regiments Military history of Northumberland Military units and formations in Northumberland Military units and formations disestablished in 1908
Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...