Maidenhead

South street
Marlow road

'G' 4 Royal Berks
ds 'A' Squadron Berkshire Yeomanry

Kelly, 1887, records ‘G’ 1st Volunteer Battalion at South street.

‘1st Volunteer Battalion Princess Charlotte of Wales (Royal Berkshire Regiment) (G Company), [had] head quarters [at] 1 York Villas, York road,’ according to Kelly, 1899.

Kelly 1915, records premises at Marlow road.

The Times, Tuesday January 5th, 1904, reported that: ‘LORD GRENFELL yesterday opened a new Volunteer Drill-hall at Maidenhead. ... The hall is 80ft. by 40ft., with two galleries, and the accommodation is for 700 persons. The cost of the hall is £3,200, including architects’ fees.’ Apparently it was built with a £3,000 legacy from Mr. J. D. M. Pearce.

The Drill Hall on Marlow road has been demolished.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Headquarters now occupies the site of the Drill Hall, which was known as Pearce Hall. As the current building was completed in 1972, we know that the photographs (right) predate that by some years.

This is a poignant redevelopment of the site, as the CWGC commemorates many of the soldiers who passed through drill halls prior to and during the Great War.

The photographs are reproduced by permission of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and we are grateful to Ian Small, Media Section, who located them for us in the CWGC Archive.
Marlow road Drill Hall
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.


Marlow road Drill Hall
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.


Marlow road Drill Hall - enlarged view
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
© All material is copyright - refer to the Terms of Use

the first attempt at content

The Drill Hall Project - Charting a neglected legacy