PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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From the earliest times the defence of the Town was the responsibility of local residents and later, from 1439, the Mayor and Corporation. It was they who, in 1572, made an order whereby every inhabitant should have in some convenient place in his house a 'good black bill or a clubbe' for use in any time of strife. They could even be fined 3s 4d failing to have one. During the reign of King Henry VII, a body of Plymouth men dressed in 'grene jacketts', were sent into Cornwall to oppose the claim of Perkin Warbeck to the throne of England. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Town forces were put on a more organised footing. To be accomplished at archery was not a sport but a legal requirement in those days until replaced by the musket but over time this "trainband" ceased to exist. FRENCH WARS 1778-83 and 1793-1802 But the French Revolution shattered the calm and in 1779 both Plymouth and Dock raised volunteer corps. Two corps were formed in Plymouth, one of which paid for their own clothes and received no pay for their services and the other paid and clothed at Government expense. They kept guard over prisoners-of-war who had been brought to the Town. The first corps was more truly the volunteers, as they were not paid, and Mr Hawker was the colonel and Mr Lockyer the major in charge. Eventually they numbered six companies of some 350 men and must have looked colourful in their red uniforms, turned up with yellow, and their helmets covered with bear skins. A similar corps was raised at Dock through the efforts of Mr William Bastard. Like their Plymouth neighbours, they were used to provide an escort to French and Spanish prisoners-of-war being moved to Exeter. Another body of aristocratic and respectable tradesmen formed the Plymouth Foot Association. They provided their own uniforms, which consisted of blue coats with red collars, white waistcoats and pantaloons. There were about 190 men formed into three companies under Major Culme, Captains R and B Fuge and A Hill. Some 250 of the local Customs men and fishermen formed themselves into the Sea Fencibles, armed with pikes. They were under the command of Captain Clements and other naval officers but were drilled in musketry by the garrison based at the Royal Citadel. "Langmead's Volunteers" were financed by Mr Philip Langmead himself, who paid for their uniform of red faced with yellow. Members were drawn from the local brewery industry and they were said to be the best corps in the Town. There was also a 50-strong rifle corps, dressed in green, and known as "Julian's Rangers". No doubt they were financed by the Julian family of Tothill. Finally there was a small body of cavalry recruited mainly from the local butchers. They were dressed in a uniform of red and yellow and had helmets. Stonehouse was not without its local volunteers. There were two companies, one under Captain Pridham, and the other, the Barrack Artificers, under Captain Scoble. All the above forces were disbanded upon the signing of the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 but the peace was not to last very long. NAPOLEONIC WAR 1803-15 At a meeting on August 15th 1803 in the Plymouth Guildhall, a large number of the inhabitants of the Town gathered 'to consider on the proper and most effectual means of enrolling themselves as Volunteers for the defence of the country against the common enemy.' As a result it was resolved to raise two battalions of infantry under a colonel-in-chief. A Major-General England was to be invited to fill that position. Each battalion was to consist of eight companies of 60 men each, with a lieutenant-colonel, a major, eight captains, ten lieutenants, six ensigns and one adjutant. One battalion was to be commanded by Mr John Hawker and the other by Mr P Langmead. The men were to receive the pay and allowances provided for in the Government's Defence Bill. The two battalions soon reached strengths of 525 and 420 men and at first used the old colours of red with yellow facings as their uniform. However, within a year from their formation the 2nd battalion changed their facings to blue and adopted the title of The Prince of Wales's Own. The 2nd battalion were also renowned for their band, apparently. A rifle company was formed in 1807, their uniform being green. During the last French War [1793-1802], the Dock Local Militia used to be mustered at Mount Wise on a Sunday, when the Reverend Williams of St Aubyn Chapel used to hold a "drumhead" service. The Loyal Dock Volunteers under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Foot comprised some 500 men and also had a good band. Dock also possessed a battalion of artillery known as The Duke of York's Own. This comprised 300 men under the command of Colonel Rawle. There was also in Dock a small body of horse. Altogether in 1804-05 the Volunteers of the Three Towns could muster some 2,000 men towards the defence of the country. When the War was over the military spirit of the area declined and the Volunteers ceased to exist. Apparently the only action they had seen was to occasionally mount guard. An attempt was made in Plymouth by Mr Elford of Bickham to raise a body of Pioneers for the purposes of conveying forage and provisions in the event of invasion. It is said that it was not as popular as Volunteering and the Government had to frequently legislate for requisition when required. VICTORIAN ERA Although Devonport held a meeting to discuss the formation of a band of Volunteers, it was Plymouth that made the first enrolments and so became the 2nd Devons. It was the second battalion formed in the County after Exeter. In 1879 the colours of the old Prince of Wales's Own Volunteers were presented to the Plymouth battalion, cementing the link between the Victorian volunteers and those from the earlier time. Major Duperier was the first Commandant of the Plymouth Corps, which started with 150 members. When he became Adjutant of the 2nd Devon Battalion, he was succeeded by Captain Bewes. In 1861 he became Adjutant of the 4th Devons and he was replaced, temporarily, by Lieutenant-Colonel Hutchinson and then by Lieutenant-Colonel Fisk. In 1869 Colonel Elliott took charge and was later replaced by Major-General Pickard. When General Pickard retired the Corps was placed under the command of volunteer officers, Major M Collier being the first. He was in due course succeeded by Major Pitts and Major Spearman, by which time, at the end of 1890, the Corps had 20 officers and 494 non-commissioned officers and men. A mounted company was formed in February 1883. At first the head-quarters and drill-ground were at the old Grammar School in Catherine Street but when the new Guildhall was being planned, it became necessary to move. A new drill-hall was erected at Prospect Row, West Hoe, in 1871. The Devonport Volunteer Corps was formed in 1859, officially before the Plymouth one but was beaten by Plymouth in enrolling its first member. It thus became the 3rd Devon. Its first commander was Mr J Beer, who was succeeded by Major St Aubyn. Soon afterwards the Devonport Royal Dockyard and Keyham Steam Yard formed their own Artillery Corps, which became the 12th and 13th Devons.
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