Coffee Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 anyone know the history of the two above the barracks in O'Leary St looks very old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Coffee, The Peninsula Barracks, O'Leary St, (Orford) and originally called Orford Barracks, Warrington, was home to the South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales Volunteers) until 1960. The Barracks still exists today and is now home to the Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Company of the 5/8 King's and Cheshire's Regiment, Territorial Army.In 1873 it was Orford barracks, 14th Brigade (Training) Depot, and housed the 82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales Volunteers). The British Army was reorganised in 1881 and the Barracks became the 40th Regimental District (Training) Depot, South Lancashire Regiment [PWV], the 1st Btn was formerly the 40th Foot (Somerset Regiment), the 2nd Btn being formed from the 82nd Foot. More amalgamation in 1958 & 1970 would see the regiment become part of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment with it's headquarters at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire. The Regimental Museum has transferred from Warrington to Preston and is now part of the Lancashire Infantry Museum 1873 is the earliest date I can find, if you feel inclined you could contact :- The Curator,Lancashire Infantry MuseumFulwood BarracksPrestonPR2 8AA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 There have been quite a few topics on here in the past about Orford Barracks (Peninsula) and the Padgate Camp too Coffee. Try the forum search facility (for Peninsula Barracks etc etc) but be warned some of the much older topics can be a bit confusing when you open them as they display the very first post as the last one so you have to read them all backwards. Not got time at the moment to find all of them as I have to be up again in just under 3 hours but here is one you might find interesting about Orford B... you do have to read this one backwards. Click on last page 3 and scroll to the bottom to 'start' http://forum.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/index.php?/topic/2653-peninsula-barracks/page-3?hl=peninsula barracks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Padgate Camp opened at the beginning of WW2, to provide basic training for RAF recruits. My Dad was amongst the first team of instructors, which included some sporting celebs of the time like - Earnie Roderick, Jack London and Benny Lynch. The CO was Group Captain Insall, now remembered in the road name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 I may have mentioned this before (I very often do ) did you know their was once another barracks for the militia situated on the site where the Police Station is now, in Arpley Street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 That's interesting about Insall Road, I never knew that. I went to Brookacre School and remember an old soldier coming in to give us a talk about the Camp. Us kids used to scare each other saying that the school was haunted by the spirits of dead soldiers . We also used to play where Orange Grove is now (why did they call it that? It's not like the area was ever overgrown with orange trees) and there were still all the roads, building bases etc from the camp. We used to climb trees, make rope swings, have camp fires, catch frogs and the like all over it, a bit like our 70's version of Turkey jack's I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wireboy Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 There isn't much left of RAF Padgate now. There is half a running track (the other half had the Birchwood expressway built on it) that now makes a path. You can see it on google earth. Also if you look hard enough you can find the remains of the firing range but it is just rubble. A few other bricks that used to make air raid shelters are dotted about. There is a good picture in Warrington Museum taken by a German plane in 1940 of the whole camp but it doesn't photocopy very well. I have a picture in my hallway of the camp taken from Padgate lane. The picture is from Francis Firth and is on there website. Algy's recent pictures in the Orford Farm topic shows part of the camp. The barracks are now tiny compared to what they used to be. They used to occupy 16 acre's but now occupy only 5. Penninsula house and the surrounding estate were built on the barrack's land. Still a busy little place though. And with the TA now doubling in size the future may hopefully be bright for these historic barracks. Again Warrington Musuem have the original detailed plans. Well worth a look. When the barracks were built they were surrounded by fields with the old railway line and Orford Hall the only thing nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 TB - I think it was named after a Cllr Orange. The other roads in the area were named after RAF aircraft = Vulcan, Valiant etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Oh, I see, never heard of Cllr Orange I'm afraid. I did know about the aircraft though, I grew up on Valiant Close (lucky, lucky me!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Am now scouring Google Earth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 I believe there is an important TA temporary bridge building operation run from the barracks now. It was mentioned on the local news within the last month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 I believe there is an important TA temporary bridge building operation run from the barracks now. It was mentioned on the local news within the last month. I hope the temporary bridge they build is going to bypass bridge foot and ease the town centre traffic congestion ...... sorry couldn't resist .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Look what I found! Pathe News Reel from 1957: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-last-parade-aka-last-parade-at-padgate 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Nice one Tracey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffee Posted September 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Look what I found! Pathe News Reel from 1957: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-last-parade-aka-last-parade-at-padgate That is interesting thanks I did do a search but many of the links were not working so I asked Why is it called Peninsula Barracks, was it surrounded by water at some point, I guess there must be another reason Thanks for the info, when was the camp were the police station is closed, the police station must be old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 That is interesting thanks Why is it called Peninsula Barracks, was it surrounded by water at some point, I guess there must be another reason It was possibly named after the Crimean Peninsula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wireforever Posted September 7, 2013 Report Share Posted September 7, 2013 That is interesting thanks I did do a search but many of the links were not working so I asked Why is it called Peninsula Barracks, was it surrounded by water at some point, I guess there must be another reason Thanks for the info, when was the camp were the police station is closed, the police station must be old I would imagine it is named after the Peninsular wars that were foughtagainst the French on the Iberian Peninsular. Sharpe and his merry men were fighting there in the TV programmes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Monday last I attended funeral/celebration life of Bill Mcminnis at St Helens Crematorium, Bill died aged 98 on 21st September and spent most of his 25 years in RAF as senior PE instructor at RAF Padgate. He was instrumental in provision of the 440 yds 'cinder' running track at Padgate camp which was the only one in the area and pre Victoria Park facility in the early 1950s. He had a distinguished athletics career and was a leading Marathon runner, representing England and a winner of the prestigious Windsor to Chiswick Polytechnic Marathon which must have one of the largest trophies in Sport (I think it was taller than the diminutive Bill). His daily training was a run to and from Padgate from his home in Haydock and during one of our 1950s 'pea souper' fogs he escorted a bus and following traffic around Orford by running in front. His club was Sutton Harriers St Helens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Pedro ,i drink with one of the proteges of Bill Mc Minnis , Jim Doyle who was a very good athlete ,do you know him ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Yes Davy, I remember Jim very well - a very good middle distance runner - I think 880 yds/800 metres was his forte - must be close to 80 now. May remember me as a younger Sutton Harrier from a Warrington farming family who left Warrington A,C circa 1952 on advice from Jack Chidlow from Orford who was another Sutton Marathon and Cross Country runner who unfortunately contracted MS in his late 30s and died in his 40s. In I think 1959 I arranged a Cross Country run, Sutton v Warrington on the family farm - put in a lot of 5 bar gates and practised over the course for a couple of weeks - won that day by my biggest margin ever !!! not sure if Jim ran that day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I will be seeing him tomorrow Pedro & i will mention this.If you want to get in touch with him at all just let me know, he lives just across the road from me. He is about 78 now & lost his wife a couple of years ago ,but is well supported by his family .It was only last week he had 3 stents fitted ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Hope you found Jim recovering well from his recent op. I should have met up with him at a Sutton Harriers Reunion some years back but was at Wembley that Saturday for England v Australia R.L test. Tom McIntyre told me about the get together and mentioned Jim being there. I spoke with Tom's wife Barbara (nee Billington - another Harrier) after I had not seen Tom at the Billy Mac funeral - Tom is now 85 and not in best of health. I would like to make contact with Jim but don't know how contact with a third party is made within this forum - perhaps you do Davy ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Pedro.... if you click on Davy51's name (on the blue bar at the top left of his post) a box will pop up and in that you will see an option to 'Send Message'. If you click on that you can send Davy a 'personal message' which only he and you will be able to see. Very useful for giving email addresses or phone numbers which obviously you don't want the world to see When Davy replies you will get notification via email (if you have set to settings to be notified, it doesn't matter if you haven't though as you will also be notified at the very top right of the forum screen in the black bar when you are logged in you will see your name displayed. If you have received a 'personal message' you will see a little red box appear. Just click on it and you will see your message conversation. You can also do all the above by simply clicking on the little triangle to the right of your name (top right of screen) and a menu box drops down for settings, messenger etc. I presume that's what you were asking about but if not... sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Thanks Dizzy - will seek your further advice if any probs in making contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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