Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918

Gidea Hall, 1797 from an engraving made by Humphrey Repton.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Gidea Hall, 1930, prior to demolition.
Studies and Family History Centre.
Courtesy of Havering Local
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Balgores House, off Hare Street (now Main Road), Gidea Park, circa 1910.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Gidea Hall, 1908 by Cornell. Note the stable block on the right hand side.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Gidea Hall, 1914, from the meadows on the south side. This was taken around
the outbreak of World War One. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family
History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Postcard of Gidea Hall, sent during World War One. Courtesy of Havering Local
Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Gidea Hall, taken during World War One. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and
Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
The Unicorn and The Ship on Hare Street, circa 1910. These pubs were used
by The Artists Rifles. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History
Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Hare Hall, 1791. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History
Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Hare Hall, 1914, prior to the Sportsman Battalion arriving. Courtesy of
Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Hare Hall, South Front, circa 1910.
Family History Centre.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
The Royal Liberty School, formerly Hare Hall, Romford.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
The Romford Union workhouse and infirmary circa 1900. Some of the
Artists Rifles would have stayed here. Courtesy of Havering Local
Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
The staff from the Romford Union workhouse and infirmary, circa 1900.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Romford Market Place, 1905. The Artists Rifles would have been familiar with the
market.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Postcard of Romford Market, 1910. This may have been a familiar meeting place for the
Artists Rifles.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Romford Market Place, 1905. The Artists Rifles would have been familiar with the
Market. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Romford Railway station, circa 1910. The Artists Rifles would have travelled to and
from London via Romford station. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family
History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Romford Railway station circa 1900.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Gidea Park Station was originally known as Squirrels Heath & Gidea Park Station and
when it opened on 1st December 1910 . The Artists Rifles would have used this station
which was close to the Hare Hall and Balgores House. Courtesy of Havering Local
Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Members of the Artists Rifles lining up outside the huts at the Hare Hall camp,
circa 1916. Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
These soldiers are marching by Albert Road School. Just part of a
tidal wave of troops accommodated at various locations in the town
while waiting to move elsewhere for training or posting to the Front
in France or Belgium. No doubt the children were thrilled to witness
soldiers with their uniform and weapons at close hand. Even so,
many of their own fathers were being posted elsewhere in England
for training. Reproduced with permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
A welcome refreshment break in the Refectory hut in 1916. The YMCA
provided some of the extra facilities for recreation. The hut is like the
living spaces, quite commodious in comparison with what the Army
provided elsewhere. It would be remembered later as heavenly compared
with the conditions on the front line in France. Reproduced with
permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
An opportunity to rehearse for the Artists with musical ability. A band would
often lead marching columns to and from the railway station and also on
ceremonial occasions – even precede work parties into the local countryside
for trench digging practice. Notice the rarely mentioned female assistant
outside the door marked ‘Sergeants’. Reproduced with permission of Brian
Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Raphael Park gates – a meeting place for soldiers and their lady friends. The
Park which had only opened ten years before the War started provided a
pleasant promenade within easy distance of Hare Hall Camp. Reproduced with
permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
A First World War scene on Hare Street. The Unicorn Inn on the left still
stands on the edge of the highway. After the war it was rebuilt considerably
farther back. The taxi stands ready to ferry soldiers into town for a brief
respite from training. Two Artists Rifles are seen approaching, coming from
the Hare Hall camp which lies behind the distant trees on the fight. Another
soldier stands in the shadows of the right hand building. Reproduced with
permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
A graceful memorial befitting
the Artists can be seen today at
the Royal Academy in Piccadilly
– scene of early recruiting to the
Corps. It was a natural meeting
place for the Artists fraternity.
As it says 2,003 members gave
their lives but many more were
injured or disabled or mentally
scarred by the conflict. The
survivors often flourished using
their talents in professional
occupations. Reproduced with
permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Edward Thomas in his
walking days before the
war. His love and delight
in the countryside of
England led him to
compose a famous poem,
even while he was
training hard at Hare
Hall. The opportunity
arose out of the mapreading element of the
training regime which
introduced him to the
delightful names of
places in Essex nearby:
Roses Lapwater, Pyrgo,
Cockridden etc.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Following the vacation of the Hare Hall camp by the Sportmen’s Battalion,
who occupied it earlier in the war, this view may show additional huts
being built to accommodate the growing numbers of Artists Rifles trainees
as the Regiment became an outstanding training establishment, promoted
by Sir John French, for this purpose. Reproduced with permission of Brian
Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Assault at Arms – bayonet practice in the camp on Hare Hall fields under the
watchful eye of instructor and senior officer. Notice the carefully erected tents of the
time. A Romford entrepreneur made a different kind of ‘killing’, selling thousands of
tents to the Army during the conflict and was knighted for his services to the nation
at the end of the war. Reproduced with permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
‘Balgores’ house on the left, shaded by walls and the large tree which
stood at the entrance to Balgores Crescent, Officer Cadet Wilfred
Owen was accommodated in Balgores while under training. He
shared a room just out of view to the left on the first floor above the
guardroom on the ground floor, in company with about 7 others.
They had the services of a shared batman who would at least provide
a mealtime spread at the table in a civilised manner. Much of the rest
of their living conditions were rather basic. Reproduced with
permission of Brian Evans.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
The Artists, having quarters in the grounds of Hare Hall, were
reasonably superior to any other housing for troops around Romford
and elsewhere. Note the width of the hut. Generally speaking, this
group can be seen to contain a fair sprinkling of more mature recruits
than the average battalion. The official photographer has grouped the
personnel with great care and it shows the determination in the faces
and bearing of the men. The tables and benches have quite possibly
been made by the Artists themselves. Reproduced with permission of
Brian Evans. Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Troops marching along South Street, during World War One.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918
Passing out inspection of new officers at Hare Hall, 1917.
Courtesy of Havering Local Studies and Family History Centre.
Art and War: The Artists Rifles and Romford, 1915 - 1918