Volunteer Camp 1880
Manchester Evening News, May 1880
THE VOLUNTEER CAMPS AT LYTHAM.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTOR.
Our
welcome friends, the volunteers, are again with us, and the streets
of Lytham are gay with scarlet, two battalions being now in camp
here—the 1st Manchester and the Bolton. Fatigue parties from both
arrived at the latter end of last week, and by Saturday evening the
canvass towns were laid out and erected and everything ready for the
occupants. I shall have a word or two more to say about the camps by
and bye.
At
six o'clock a train of about fifteen carriages brought in the 1st
Manchester, and they formed in companies just outside the
station, and with wonderfully little delay marched away, under
command of Col. Bridgford, by way of Queen Street, Central
and East Beach, and Station-road, accompanied by a large crowd of
spectators. Remarkably well the battalion looked, the men all being
in their new scarlet, and wearing the glittering spiked helmet just
adopted. Arrived on the ground, the numbers of the respective tents
were apportioned to the men, and each man was soon busily engaged in
making himself “at home" in his new quarters. Tea was then served,
and the evening was passed in strolling about the town and beach.
The Bolton battalion (27th Lancashire)
arrived about seven o'clock, but their train was drawn up at the old
station, and here again a large crowd had assembled to see them
arrive. They formed up on the siding platform, and thence marched,
headed by their band, to the camp field, which was only at a short
distance. The Bolton battalion is under command of Col. Bailey.
The men, most of whom have had previous camp experience, soon
completed their arrangements for the night, and then made their way
into the town to spend an hour or two before nightfall.
When
the Manchester (1st) and the Bolton volunteers arrived at Lytham on
Saturday last, their separate encampments were as well pitched as
men could reasonably wish.
The Manchester camp is in a field just over the railway bridge,
and to the right of the road which leads from the beach ; almost, in
a straight line; until it runs into Ballam-road, a short distance on
the Lytham side of the Green Drive entrance to Lytham Hall park.
The Bolton camp is a little farther north on the same road.
In a
military sense the two encampments are only one. Their situation can
be briefly described. Treating them as one (and if Lytham was
threatened, they must necessarily be one), the Liggard Brook marks
its northern boundary ; the road to Ballam its southern one ; Salt
Cotes and Watch Wood close it in to the east ; and the road from the
beach leading through Station Road to Ballam Road, is the boundary
on the westward side. The two camps are divided by the road to Moss
Side, a strip of meadow land, and the woods, gardens, enclosures and
buildings of Mythop House. Again, looking upon the whole as one (and
supposing the whole to be, as they are without artillery), and are
the defensive, to cover or hold Lytham, Mythop House is the key of
the position. But they are not one, so nothing is left for a visitor
to speak of them except as non-cohesive bodies, acting separately.
So each encampment must stand or fall upon its own merits.
The Boltonians are most snugly ensconced; they are sheltered
from the cutting east winds, which are now prevailing, by Watch Wood
and the well grown plantations of Mythop House; the Manchester
people are not so fortunate in their site. The lower portion (near
Liggard Brook) is fully exposed to the biting blast ; chilly nights,
and fierce sun during the day, will tell upon them, and they will
not go back to their homes pale as they came, but with a harder and
more of a campaigning bronzed complexion. As I have said the
Boltonians have the most sheltered (and most picturesque) ground,
but—and that is every thing for them—the Manchester men have,
incomparably, the best drill ground. Walking round about the
outskirts of the “Manchester tented field," we were brought face to
face with some iron contrivances which the controllers thereof told
us were designed to cook rations for the men. We counted the first
row, and the row numbered three. They were ovens; and a very civil
kitchen-man told us that each one of those ovens could bake, nicely,
rations for 188 men in three hours—starting cold. He laid stress
upon the starting cold.
As a
sort of outsider of these cookers of solids, there were boilers used
for extracting the best parts of coffee and beef (the latter
extract, of course, means soup.) It must be understood that the 1st
Manchester are “rationed " in the camp; not paid in money to spend
as they wish. It is difficult to come to any thing like a sound
opinion on whether a body of men is well or ill fed by a cursory
view of the preparations for their meals. But, influenced by what we
saw, the Manchester men have nothing to complain of. Soldiers of the
line will grumble; so, perhaps, the 1st Manchester, wishing to be
better than any regiment of the line, in all things, grumble a
little too much. Rambling on, we saw placed upon the ground, or
nearly (why did they not hoist it up), a decently sized placard ;
very faintly printed in pen and ink work ; telling everybody, whose
eye it could catch, that the 1st Manchester would give an
entertainment in that tent. The placard did not say all, but an hour
or two after I saw it, the bellman did; admission, sixpence. When we
were in the camp Mr. Jno. Hooper (or his representative) was in his
glory. He said, stretching up, "the officers' mess is on the field,"
and, taking the fact as true, the officers might be a great deal
worse of. A word about the rank and file of Manchester: There is
amongst them “no end" of “chaff," but not the slightest tinge of
coarseness.
Between the 1st Manchester and the Boltonians there is a strongly
marked line. To Manchester it seems (we say it under correction) as
if they thought they were sacrificing something, and people ought to
honour them. Boltonians think nothing about anything, but take
everything as it comes. Rude they are, so far as speech goes, but
good and staunch. They are of the breed of those who fell facing the
legions of the Roundheads, and died fighting for their country and
their King.
But, that aside: Now of their camp and its appurtenances. The Bolton
men are paid in money—not kind—and spend it how they please. There
is no grumbling amongst them. If a man does not live fairly well, it
is his own fault; and knowing it to be so, he makes no moan.
Already, though only two days have passed since their arrival, the
faces of both regiments, or battalions, have undergone a change. The
pallor with which they were "sicklied o'er" is fast becoming a rich
tan. But the best of blessings do not please every one. Grumblers
will live. Therefore, it is nothing out of the common that some of
the volunteers should declare, in language more forcible than
polite, that “If this sort of thing holds on, we shall be skinned
alive." They have some ground of complaint, it must be admitted. The
wind has kept steadily blowing from the east at night, and the sun
will fiercely look down upon them by day. With all drawbacks taken
to account, the volunteers, so far, have had glorious weather, and
they have made the most of it.
Drill after drill the day through. The most disagreeable cynic could
hardly find occasion to vent his spleen and call them “holiday
soldiers." There is always a canteen in camp or barracks. The one in
the Bolton camp has been erected by Mr. John Rawstron, of Farnworth,
and, as might be expected, a very complete and convenient canteen it
is. The men like it. Mr. John Hooper, of the Assize Courts,
Manchester, supplies the 1st Manchester with liquids and solids such
as they require beyond their rations. His tent is very well fitted
and liberally patronized. Mr. Edward Wilson, joiner and cabinet
maker, of Lytham, has erected every structure in both camps,
excepting those of canvass, and, aided by past experience, has
excellently well provided all accommodation required.
On
Sunday morning there was divine service in both camps, open air in
that of Bolton, and in a large marquee in that of Manchester, where
a choir of about forty voices took the musical part of the service.
On Monday drill was commenced, and the weather has been remarkably
favourable for outdoor parades so far. Each evening an entertainment
is given in a large Marquee in the Manchester Camp, and great
pleasure is afforded to large audiences of townspeople and others.
To-day the regiment is to march to Kirkham and back, carrying their
own supplies with them. The inspection of the let Manchester will
take place on Thursday next, and on Friday the annual regimental
sports are to come of. These were most successful last year, and
were greatly enjoyed by a large concourse of spectators. The
inspection of the Bolton volunteers will take place on Saturday; and
on Saturday afternoon both battalions will leave Lytham for their
respective head quarters.
Manchester Evening News, May 1880
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