Peninsula Barracks

[xris]

I for some reason came across this debate and have a passing interest in Warrington Barracks as I was in the Army Cadets and the Kings TA there for several years.

I thought you readers may be interested in some other bits of information.

The properties of Cabul Close,Quebec Road and Penninsular House are built on the grounds of the Barracks and those names were in fact Battle Honours bestowed on the South Lancs Regiment in its earlier Foot Regiment days .Suez Street and Cairo Street were also named for the same reason.

A reader has mentioned Canberra Square,Orford,that street together with Meteor Crescent were originally built for permanent RAF personnal based at RAF Padgate (and I believe for staff who were in a barrage balloon unit based in that area),as were the houses in Horseshoe Crescent area ( these were for officer staff in the main ) .Canberra and Meteor housing was last used in the 70's,that I can remember ,for Army personnel based at Saighton Barracks,Chester.

Canberra and Meteor were both planes,the RAF connection - which leads me onto another quirk in names.Sutton Trust Housing Estate off Hilden Road and the estate on the opposite side of the road are built on the site of what was RAF Padgate,the estate to the south is named after RAF bases and the estate to the north named after combat planes.As were those that were knocked down,Vulcan,Valiant.

I have also noticed a comment on Bank Street,Glazebury,the ruins there were once part of HMS Gosling which consisted of several sites of which remains can still be found.

To my knowledge.

One site was at the rear of Taylor Industrial Estate of Warrington Road,Risley.

There are two further sites in Lady Lane,Croft,one near to the junct of Mustard Lane,there was also another site opposite the Church in Lady Lane,years ago that land was locally known as the battlefields.Gosling Road,Croft is named after HMS Gosling.

Warrington during the last war was heavily covered by the military.

There was a Naval Depot at the rear of the Noggin pub,Risley.

Americans were based at the now defunct Police Camp at Bruche.

Canadians were based at the site of Padgate College their presence remembered by Canada Close off Fearnhead Lane.

The Fleet Air Arm had an airfield at Stretton.

Going back to Warrington Barracks,I actually did my school History Project on the South Lancashire Regiment and was quite luckily to have spent quite a few weekends at the Museum at the Barracks,the Museum is actually in the foreground of the photo supplied by Mr Grundy ( who I remember from my TA days ) where the troops are loading up into the coaches.I was quite saddened when I found out the Museum had closed down.I did find out that,besides Fullwood Barracks Museum,items from Warrington had ended up in the Lancashire Museum at Preston,01772 534079 ( next to Preston Prison) which has a section on Lancashire Regiments.

I hope the above is of interest to yourselves.

By the way does anyone know why O'Leary Street and Insall Road are called as they are..........

[Dizzy]

Absolutely fascinating info xris and welcome to the forum

 

I've driven past or down many of those roads and never realised the significance of their names until now. I didn't know about all the different camp bases either.

 

I've no ida why O'Leary Street and Insall Road are called what they are.... please tell us more

 

Like you say, it's such a pitty that the museum has closed down but thanks to you and Wireboy a bigger picture of the Barracks is now emerging and it's all very interesting. Thanks

[Gary]

Great first post Xris! Brings back childhood memories for me from my time playing on the battlefields at Croft in the location of HMS Gosling.

We used to find bullet heads in the local stream and plenty of soldiers tin hats!

This was all in the 1970s and was fascinating for us local youngsters - I had a garage full of army helmets and bullet heads - I would probably get arrested for possessing stuff like that now!

[Wireboy]

I believe O'Leary Street is called as such because of Colonel O'Leary of the Boer war. His statue is in Queens?s gardens I believe.

 

Insall road is named after the Commander of RAF Padgate.

 

I read that information somewhere sometime ago but can't remember where. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Bazj]

apparently....

 

"Colonel O'Leary died leading the Warrington Volunteers against the Boers in South Africa. "

[Peter T]

Geoff, I hope you read this thread, because that is why names shouldn't be changed as per your campaign a couple of years back. It is part of the town's history and should remain as such.

 

Re-branding is a no-no in any walk of life.

[xris]

Wireboy you are quite correct,Insall Road was also where the main entrance had originally been....

[Wireboy]

For anybody that is still interested. I went to St Elphins church today and that church has a separate annex belonging to the South Lancashire Regiment. After I saw several old newspaper reports of the close ties behind the regiment and the church I went to investigate.

 

Again well worth a visit. There are too many to count battle colours hanging up in the church. Some of them look very old and battle worn. Also information on any soldier who had the misfortune to die whilst serving there country.

 

The church tells me that they still hold annual services in there for the Duke of Lancaster?s regiment.

 

An elderly man told me that the South Lancashire Regiment used to march from Peninsula barracks down Battersby lane to St Elphins church every Sunday for service. Imagine that today with the closure of Battersby Lane every Sunday I'm sure every one would complain about the hold up of traffic.