Tower Street drill hall, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower Street drill hall |
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York | |
![]() Tower Street drill hall
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Location within North Yorkshire
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Coordinates | 53°57′22″N 1°04′52″W / 53.95619°N 1.08100°W |
Type | Drill hall |
Site history | |
Built | 1885 |
Built for | War Office |
In use | 1885-Present |
The Tower Street drill hall is a special building in York, a city in England. It's located right in the city center on Tower Street. For many years, this building has been an important place for military training and history.
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What is the Tower Street Drill Hall?
A drill hall is a building where soldiers train and practice their military skills. The Tower Street drill hall was built a long time ago, in 1885. It was first designed to be the main office for two groups of artillery volunteers. Artillery volunteers were people who trained to use large guns.
A Look Back: The Hall's History
Over the years, many different military groups have used the Tower Street drill hall.
Early Beginnings
The building was finished in 1885. It was made for the 6th and 7th companies of the 1st East Riding of Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers. These groups were part of the military that used large cannons.
Later, in 1920, this unit changed its name. It became the 9th (West Riding and Staffordshire) Medium Brigade. Then, in 1921, it changed again to the 54th Medium Brigade. This group moved to a different building in York in 1924.
New Units Arrive
Around the early 1900s, another important group moved into the drill hall. This was the Yorkshire Hussars. They were a type of cavalry, which means soldiers who rode horses.
In 1956, the Yorkshire Hussars also changed their name. They became the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry. This group later moved to a newer building in York.
After that, in 1958, the building became the home of the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire. This regiment was a famous infantry unit. In 2006, their successor, the Yorkshire Regiment, took over the building.
Discover the York Army Museum
The Tower Street drill hall is also home to a military museum. This museum is called the York Army Museum. It opened in 1984.
What's Inside the Museum?
The museum collects and shows items from different military groups. It has collections from the Royal Dragoon Guards. It also has items from the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire. The museum is also building a collection for the Yorkshire Regiment.
The museum was made bigger and better with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This fund helps pay for important historical projects. In May 2015, a special visitor, the Duke of York, came to see the improved museum.