Northumberland Volunteer Artillery Corps

Coquet · #1 09-08-2015, 08:38 AM

We've added a couple of pages on the Volunteer Artillery, 1805 -1902
I'll link the pages to this thread for any future comments/observations anyone might care to add.

There's also some interesting reports in the newspapers regarding the doings of the Local Artillery over the years. Something to transcribe in the future and add to the gallery page below.

The Volunteer Artillery (Our misc. gallery)

History of the 2nd Northumberland (Percy) Volunteer Artillery Corps by Lt Col Hicks (book, published 1899)

One of the old Alnmouth battery guns in Alnwick Castle:

Coquet · #2 09-08-2015, 08:46 AM

Janwhin pointed out a newspaper report mentioning the target area of the guns, one of which was the Coquet Road! looks like one hell of a distance for a smooth bore gun. However, coastal artillery and the navy are famous for their water skimming technique with cannon balls so perhaps that's how they were effective in that area!

Coquet · #3 09-08-2015, 08:54 AM

There's some interesting stuff in Hicks' history as well, such as the Broomhill Station guys winning third prize during a competition shoot in 1889 with 64 pounder rifled muzzle loading Palliser guns. Broomhill guys with big guns!

Here's a picture of some Northumberland Artillery Volunteers at Tynemouth (So probably the 1st Northumberland rather than our guys who were the 2nd Northumberland)
they are pictured here in 1870 with a 64 pounder.

Coquet · #4 11-08-2015, 04:58 PM

In Hicks book he has a list of the guys receiving long service awards. The (other ranks) medal they would have received is shown below. Never seen one to the 2nd Northumberland AVC, but that is to be expected looking at how short that medal roll is! (but I've just been looking for 40 years, so there is time yet.) I do know a dealer with one to the 1st Northumberland AVC (Tynemouth) though.

I see our Warkworth brewer Henry Lamb received one of these but handed it back in in exchange for the officers' type decoration when he got promoted.

janwhin · #5 12-08-2015, 10:07 AM

Nice work, Coquet. I wonder how many generations have had their photograph taken on those guns at Alnwick Castle (I wish one had been lit at the Tom Jones concert

)

My great grandfather is listed in Hicks book as a silver cup winner in 1875 at Shoeburyness and a LSM too. We have a family recollection of the cup at my grandparents home and I'm on the case to discover what happened to it.

Coquet · #6 12-08-2015, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Nice work, Coquet. I wonder how many generations have had their photograph taken on those guns at Alnwick Castle (I wish one had been lit at the Tom Jones concert )

My great grandfather is listed in Hicks book as a silver cup winner in 1875 at Shoeburyness and a LSM too. We have a family recollection of the cup at my grandparents home and I'm on the case to discover what happened to it.

Lovely mementos of a bygone era if you could find them. I see Gunner Common and his pals from Warkworth were quite a successful bunch. They got a £25 prize presented by the Secretary of State for War no less one year. (Gathorne Hardy)

janwhin · #7 14-08-2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janwhin

My great grandfather is listed in Hicks book as a silver cup winner in 1875 at Shoeburyness and a LSM too. We have a family recollection of the cup at my grandparents home and I'm on the case to discover what happened to it.

Well, I've tracked the cup down, and here is one of the 10 silver cups won by the Warkworth detachment at Shoeburyness in 1875.