The Barracks, Kingston upon Thames

The Barracks was a military installation in Kingston upon Thames.

For The Barracks in Brecon, see The Barracks, Brecon.
The Barracks, Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
The Barracks, Kings Road, Kingston upon Thames
The Barracks, Kingston upon Thames
Location within Greater London
Coordinates51.41930°N 0.29434°W / 51.41930; -0.29434
TypeBarracks
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator British Army
Site history
Built1874–1875
Built forWar Office
In use1875–1959
Garrison information
OccupantsEast Surrey Regiment

History

The barracks were built on agricultural land between 1874 and 1875.[1] Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.[2] The barracks became the depot for the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot and the 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot.[3] Following the Childers Reforms, the 31st and 70th regiments amalgamated to form the East Surrey Regiment with its depot in the barracks in 1881.[3]

Many recruits enlisted at the barracks at the start of the First World War in August 1914.[4] A Regimental Museum was opened in 1928.[5]

The East Surrey Regiment remained at the barracks until they amalgamated with Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) to form the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment in 1959 and the barracks were largely demolished in 1962 although the keep was retained.[1] In 2011 a developer submitted proposals to convert the keep into flats.[6]

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References
  1. "The Regimental depots". Queen's Royal Surreys. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  2. "Echoes of the past in these Army cuts". 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  3. "Training Depots". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  4. "1914: Remembering Kingston at War". Kingston Peace News. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  5. "The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment Museum". Surrey on line. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  6. "Historic barracks could be turned into flats". The Kingston Guardian. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
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