Wellesley Barracks

Wellesley Barracks is a former military installation in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.

Wellesley Barracks
Halifax
Wellesley Barracks
Wellesley Barracks Location within West Yorkshire
Coordinates	53.72299°N 1.89331°W / 53.72299; -1.89331
Type	Barracks
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	1881
Built for	War Office
In use	1881–1961
Garrison information
Occupants	Duke of Wellington's Regiment

History

The barracks was built in the Fortress Gothic Revival Style as a depot for the 33rd and 76th Regiment's.^[1] On 1 April 1873 the depot was established, with construction completed in 1877. On 1 September the Depot Companies of the 33rd and 76th Regiments marched in.^[2] Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.^[3] Following the Childers Reforms, the 33rd and 76th Regiments amalgamated to form the Duke of Wellington's Regiment with its depot at the barracks in 1881.^[2]

A Regimental Museum was established at the barracks in 1921.^[4] The barracks was demoted to the status of out-station to the Yorkshire Brigade depot at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall in 1958 and the regimental museum collection was rehoused in the Bankfield Textile Museum in 1961, with the regimental archives and library remaining onsite.^[4] Although many of the buildings on the site were subsequently demolished, the keep was retained and is owned by Calderdale Council, with no public access. In 2005 the barracks became the site of the new Halifax High School (now The Halifax Academy).^[5]

See also

• Listed buildings in Warley, West Yorkshire

References

1. "Training Depots". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
2. "Preamble to history". Duke of Wellington's Regiment Association. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
3. "Echoes of the past in these Army cuts". 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
4. "The Regimental Museum". Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) Association. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
5. "First look at the new Halifax High School". 1 July 2005. Retrieved 13 November 2014.

External links

• Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion - Wellesley Barracks historical images