St Mary's Barracks Reading Room, 1856
This engraving, entitled "Soldier's Reading-room, St. Mary's Barracks, Chatham" appeared in the Illustrated London News of Saturday 8th March 1856. The accompanying article reads:
SOLDIERS' READING-ROOM, ST. MARY'S BARRACKS, CHATHAM.
THIS extended line of Barracks was built during the Peninsular War, and was first used to accommodate the French prisoners: here it was so many expressed their sense of the great consideration shown them by the Government of this country. When the barracks ceased to be in requisition for the above purpose they underwent material alteration, and, after being rendered bomb-proof were converted into extensive powder magazines, continuing to be used as such for many years. Being at a considerable distance from the other buildings occupied by troops, and great inconvenience arising from this cause, detached powder magazines, more compact and contiguous to the different stations, were erected; when St. Mary's Barracks were used as stores for the Royal Engineers. As our Indian territory increased a corresponding supply of well-trained young men from the Provisional Battalion became necessary; in consequence of which. during one period of the year especially, the entire space of Chatham Barracks was required for this additional influx, and then it was thought expedient to appropriate a part of St. Mary's for the reception of such regiments as might arrive from foreign stations, or as a temporary barrack for a part of the Provisional Battalion instead of sending them to Canterbury.
The annual return of between three and four thousand soldiers from India and the British Colonies - who, either from impaired health, or, having served their full term, were considered exempt from further active service - induced the authorities to decide upon St. Mary's Barracks as the fittest place for them, and since the year 1844 they have been exclusively set apart for the temporary quarters of such previous to their final disposal.
The situation of St. Mary's Barracks is remarkable for salubrity of air, and the surrounding scenery is exceedingly picturesque. On the east, the river Medway extends as far as the eye can reach, studded with numbers of men of-war, and enlivened by the constant passing of vessels. Towards the south, the rich valley of Gillingham and Rainham presents a pleasing view, which, during summer and autumn, is rendered still more attractive by its numerous cherry and apple orchards. On the west, Upna Castle, with it surrounding panoramic scenery, and the river in the foreground, invariably offers a pleasing prospect. Indeed, St. Mary's Invalid Barracks, standing on a light loamy soil, within the line of fortifications, are capable, with their many natural advantages, of being rendered by a little taste a most desirable station.
St. Mary's Barracks have, of late, been a place of special interest, they having been the receptacle of so many thousands of men - some, after a long and honourable career, to return to the place of their birth, carrying with them the rewards of merit; some, less fortunate, to whom loss of health in a tropical clime has proved a barrier to their promotion; and last, though not least, the fearful number of the wounded, whose military career has been arrested by those many casualties war so necessarily entails. The Barracks have lately been honoured with the visits - first of his Royal highness Prince Albert, when he became a spectator of the mode of attack, scaling of walls, hand•grenading, and the explosion of mines, attending a siege; and next by that of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen to such of her brave army as returned invalided from the seat of war.
For the use of the invalids in the Barracks, a Library is now being fitted up in one of the rooms of the Upper Gallery, and will form a most important feature of attraction to the soldiers, and a general acquisition to these Barracks. About 800 volumes of historical and miscellaneous works have already been provided. Bookshelves are to be arranged on each side, a table extending down the centre, and the apartment will be lighted with gas. The heads of the different departments of the garrison have been very anxious for this important object; and it will, doubtless, be a great inducement for numbers of the invalids to remain quietly in barracks instead of passing their time so unprofitably in the town.
The accompanying illustration shows the Reading-room, as far as this very desirable improvement has progressed.
This gives a very different impression of the barrack than is seen in an account by George Russell Dartnell (1799-1878), an army surgeon who was, at that time, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals. He wrote a manuscript entitled “A few brief Anecdotes connected with Her Majesty’s visit to the Hospitals at Chatham, 1855-6, written by G. R. Dartnell, D.I.G.H.” from which the following extract is taken recounting Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's visit to the barracks in June 1855:
After inspecting the men on the ground the Queen and party walked across to see the Casemate Barracks, about which so much has been said and written of late. She went into one or two of the upper rooms and was quite horrified at them. “Are these really the barrack rooms of these Invalids?” she said to me: I said, “Yes indeed they are your Majesty” And Prince Albert, looking over towards the splendid Convict Prison recently built in view of the Casemate Barracks, said “Well it seems very extraordinary that there should be no difficulty in obtaining money to erect a magnificent building like this for convicts, and that it should be impossible to find the means of building a commonly comfortable Barrack for convalescent soldiers.
St Mary's Barracks Reading Room, 1856
This engraving, entitled "Soldier's Reading-room, St. Mary's Barracks, Chatham" appeared in the Illustrated London News of Saturday 8th March 1856. The accompanying article reads:
SOLDIERS' READING-ROOM, ST. MARY'S BARRACKS, CHATHAM.
THIS extended line of Barracks was built during the Peninsular War, and was first used to accommodate the French prisoners: here it was so many expressed their sense of the great consideration shown them by the Government of this country. When the barracks ceased to be in requisition for the above purpose they underwent material alteration, and, after being rendered bomb-proof were converted into extensive powder magazines, continuing to be used as such for many years. Being at a considerable distance from the other buildings occupied by troops, and great inconvenience arising from this cause, detached powder magazines, more compact and contiguous to the different stations, were erected; when St. Mary's Barracks were used as stores for the Royal Engineers. As our Indian territory increased a corresponding supply of well-trained young men from the Provisional Battalion became necessary; in consequence of which. during one period of the year especially, the entire space of Chatham Barracks was required for this additional influx, and then it was thought expedient to appropriate a part of St. Mary's for the reception of such regiments as might arrive from foreign stations, or as a temporary barrack for a part of the Provisional Battalion instead of sending them to Canterbury.
The annual return of between three and four thousand soldiers from India and the British Colonies - who, either from impaired health, or, having served their full term, were considered exempt from further active service - induced the authorities to decide upon St. Mary's Barracks as the fittest place for them, and since the year 1844 they have been exclusively set apart for the temporary quarters of such previous to their final disposal.
The situation of St. Mary's Barracks is remarkable for salubrity of air, and the surrounding scenery is exceedingly picturesque. On the east, the river Medway extends as far as the eye can reach, studded with numbers of men of-war, and enlivened by the constant passing of vessels. Towards the south, the rich valley of Gillingham and Rainham presents a pleasing view, which, during summer and autumn, is rendered still more attractive by its numerous cherry and apple orchards. On the west, Upna Castle, with it surrounding panoramic scenery, and the river in the foreground, invariably offers a pleasing prospect. Indeed, St. Mary's Invalid Barracks, standing on a light loamy soil, within the line of fortifications, are capable, with their many natural advantages, of being rendered by a little taste a most desirable station.
St. Mary's Barracks have, of late, been a place of special interest, they having been the receptacle of so many thousands of men - some, after a long and honourable career, to return to the place of their birth, carrying with them the rewards of merit; some, less fortunate, to whom loss of health in a tropical clime has proved a barrier to their promotion; and last, though not least, the fearful number of the wounded, whose military career has been arrested by those many casualties war so necessarily entails. The Barracks have lately been honoured with the visits - first of his Royal highness Prince Albert, when he became a spectator of the mode of attack, scaling of walls, hand•grenading, and the explosion of mines, attending a siege; and next by that of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen to such of her brave army as returned invalided from the seat of war.
For the use of the invalids in the Barracks, a Library is now being fitted up in one of the rooms of the Upper Gallery, and will form a most important feature of attraction to the soldiers, and a general acquisition to these Barracks. About 800 volumes of historical and miscellaneous works have already been provided. Bookshelves are to be arranged on each side, a table extending down the centre, and the apartment will be lighted with gas. The heads of the different departments of the garrison have been very anxious for this important object; and it will, doubtless, be a great inducement for numbers of the invalids to remain quietly in barracks instead of passing their time so unprofitably in the town.
The accompanying illustration shows the Reading-room, as far as this very desirable improvement has progressed.
This gives a very different impression of the barrack than is seen in an account by George Russell Dartnell (1799-1878), an army surgeon who was, at that time, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals. He wrote a manuscript entitled “A few brief Anecdotes connected with Her Majesty’s visit to the Hospitals at Chatham, 1855-6, written by G. R. Dartnell, D.I.G.H.” from which the following extract is taken recounting Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's visit to the barracks in June 1855:
After inspecting the men on the ground the Queen and party walked across to see the Casemate Barracks, about which so much has been said and written of late. She went into one or two of the upper rooms and was quite horrified at them. “Are these really the barrack rooms of these Invalids?” she said to me: I said, “Yes indeed they are your Majesty” And Prince Albert, looking over towards the splendid Convict Prison recently built in view of the Casemate Barracks, said “Well it seems very extraordinary that there should be no difficulty in obtaining money to erect a magnificent building like this for convicts, and that it should be impossible to find the means of building a commonly comfortable Barrack for convalescent soldiers.