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StickyBlue · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 1:03 am Post subject: Depot Royal Marines Deal

For all those of you that marched through the gates of The Depot Royal Marines many years ago, the 7th May 2009 celebrates the official 148th birthday of the Royal Marines taking over the barracks at Deal from the Army. On the 8th May 1861 the Detachments from Woolwich and Chatham started to arrive…
Many of you, like me, hadn’t a clue what they were really letting themselves into.
I first learnt about the closing of Deal Barracks in about 1974 when Lt Col Nevelle called the band together in the concert hall to give us the news that the barracks was definitely going to close within a year or so. As history shows it had many reprieves finally closing in the 1990’s.
When the closure was imminent I decided to start researching the history of the place as there was no official record and it seemed such a shame that it was going to close and be forgotten without trace when it represented so much of, not only the Royal Marines and Bands History, but also our great national heritage.

The following is an excerpt from my research, which is intended to be incorporated into a my book about the Barracks eventually:

THE EARLY DAYS OF
THE DEPOT ROYAL MARINES

Although it was not until 1869 that North, South and Cavalry Barracks were taken over by the Admiralty, the Depot Royal Marines had already been in existence for some eight years.
On the 4th May 1861 the Royal Marine Office approved the supply of "coals, candles and straw for the use of the ranks about to occupy Deal Barracks", and addressed the authority to "Lt.-Colonel W.R. Maxwell, Commanding detachment Royal Marines, Deal" at 34 Beach Street, Deal, a house long since demolished, and situated just outside the North East gate of the Naval Yard.
However on the 7th of that month, the address was altered to ".......Commanding Depot R.M. Deal", and that title is used in all subsequent correspondence, so that it would seem safe to conclude that the official birthday was on that date.
On the 20th June the first Officers' Mess committee meeting was assembled, when it was determined:

1st-"That in order to form a fund for the establishment, etc., of a mess, each officer on joining shall pay an entrance of two days pay": and later

3rd-"That Mr. Geo. Morton of Deal be engaged as Mess man etc."; moreover,

7th-"That on Fridays, when any officer gives notice for a friend coming to dinner before 10 a.m., each member pay for a pint of wine in proportion, as at Headquarters".

The manner in which "Mr. Geo. Morton" became "mess man" is not without interest. In subsequent R.M.O. correspondence can be found a postscript as follows;
"P.S. - A beating order is herewith transmitted to enable you to enlist the mess man in question. Should it so happen that any eligible recruits offer themselves from time to time, whom you may consider it desirable to enlist for the Corps, you will be pleased to forward them to Chatham for approval".
This "Beating Order", issued "By the commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, etc.", is worded thus: -"These are to authorise you, by beat of drum or otherwise, to raise volunteers at Deal for Her Majesty's Corps of Royal Marines, for the purpose of completing the said Corps to its establishment; and all Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, Constables, and other Civil Officers whom it may concern, are hereby required to be assisting unto you in providing quarters, impressing carriages, and otherwise as there shall be occasion.- Given under our hands etc. etc."
And so our obedient Mr. Morton, after duly being granted the rank of sergeant "without emoluments", and having been fitted into his uniform at Chatham, became mess man, in which position he served for some years, until, unfortunately, he became bankrupt.

On Wednesday, 8th May 1861, a detachment of 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 9 Sergeants, 7 Corporals and 35 Privates were dispatched from Chatham and Woolwich Divisions to form the nucleus of the new Establishment, and on the following Saturday, 100 recruits from each of these Divisions "not in the first squad under instruction", together with 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant and three 'undisciplined Second Lieutenants' arrived at Deal to commence training.
All these ranks were accommodated in the 'Royal Naval Hospital' (East Barracks), where small detachments of the Royal Marines had been stationed since the end of the Crimean War (1854).
By August the Royal Marines Depot appears to have been in full swing, as the following extract from the 'Illustrated London News' of the 24th of that month would testify;
"The new depot barracks for recruits of the Royal Marines is now in full operation at Walmer and a library and school has just been formed. Each married man of the establishment has a plot of land allotted to him for cultivation. The present number of inmates, chiefly recruits from the three Divisions of Chatham, Portsmouth and Woolwich, is 400; and as a proof of the advantages of removing young recruits from the temptations incident to garrison towns, it is worthy of remark that during the three months since the Depot has been opened no inmate has been charged before a magistrate"

(C) Copyright 1994 J.C. Puddle
No part of this document is to be reproduced either in print or electronically, in any way, without the permission of the author.

North Barracks before the New Block, Dinning Room and Galley was built.

Happy Birthday Depot RM

(C) Copyright 1994 J.C. Puddle
No part of this document is to be reproduced either in print or electronically, in any way, without the permission of the author.
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"Who needs the World as your Oyster,
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2nd Clarinet · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 6:38 am Post subject:

Up late into the night there, JC.

Well done for this posting, very interesting reading and pertinant to lots of the members on this forum.

Good luck with the book. (I want a signed 1st Edition)

How far along are you with it?
When do expect to finish it?

If you need any contributions, I'm sure forum members would be willing to oblige.

I'll have a look through my attic this weekend to see if there is anything that might interest you.

OH YES.......Happy Birthday to the late 'Depot RM, Deal'

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Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy marshmallows, which are kinda the same thing...!
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bunky the bugler · On Draft Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 138 Location: derby

interesting reading JC, you've also sold another book, so that's two at the moment

Wee Mac · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:13 am Post subject:

medrummer · M2 Passed Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 194 Location: Deal

fascinating stuff and I will have a copy of the book. I think if you look carefully at the picture of the band coming through the gates you can see Geordie Renwick in the front rank..god he looked old even then...

admin · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:31 am Post subject:

StickyBlue · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 10:41 am Post subject:

Bob, to answer your questions, the more I research it the more it escalates and it’s turned into a massive project. I have accumulated half a filing cabinet of info and photos but I am always ready for any other info or photos that past RM's have. I did take a draft copy into the Blue Band when they were still in Deal and Pete Rutherford said that their publishers were interested and would publish and pay for it, but unfortunately there was a lot more work to do and working full time it is a problem finding time and it is a never ending slog. Iam particularly interested now about the period between the two world wars or any events of major importance i.e. Royal or VIP visits, the Deal Tattoo that ran for many years etc, etc. So come on you old shipmates get in contact, any material used will be looked after and returned and credited to the supplier (only substantiated material please) Any info greatly received, I will put some more photos on later, cheers........

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"Who needs the World as your Oyster,
When you've had the world as your cap Badge"

2nd Clarinet · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 12:55 pm Post subject:

Nick B · Bugle Major Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 824 Location: Deal

Great piece there JC

As a matter of interest, one of my Ancestors was an RMLI Recruit at the Depot from 15th Feb 1881 to the 29 Set '81. The CO's name at the time was H C A Blanchely. We have His service records

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Still driving trains around in circles! (and a bit further now)

StickyBlue · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 6:52 pm Post subject:

Nick, are you sure of the spelling as I have a complete list of Commanding Officers and it has a different spelling.???...

Colonel H.C.N. BLANCKLEY..........C.O. from 4th Jul 1880 - 12th Apr 1882
If you have any other info I can use send it through to my email.

_________________
"Who needs the World as your Oyster,
When you've had the world as your cap Badge"

StickyBlue · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:03 pm Post subject:

Deli,
I don’t think they changed them that much, until of course they pulled them down to make way for 61 Block, if you cast your mind back, I’m not sure if ‘E’ and ‘F’ block were still standing when you joined up on the left-hand side as you came in the Main Gate, N. Barracks. Buglers, when they passed out of training lived in these blocks with the GD Marines as part of HQ Coy (Al Blackshaw and I lived there for many years, amongst other buglers).
The Blocks then went in order ‘G, and H, I, J,’ were joined together where 61(The New) Block stood, with the colonnade along the front, then a gap and of course ‘K’ Block on the end which you must remember.
I have attached some more photos of the parade ground and colonnade.

Quite a few on Parade that day!
H,I,J with K block on the end.
Between H & I block can clearly be seen a chimney which I believe was the Galley/Cookhouse.

A better view before they built the Galley as we knew it, showing EFG, HIJ with colonnade and K Block on the end.

Also there was no dining hall or galley built then by the Concert Hall and ‘H, I, J,’ block along the top of the parade ground had their own galley, possibly two ‘in house’ at the rear of the blocks, pretty primitive and nothing special as you can see from the photo.

And finally for those of you that used to hate working in the Galley, think yourselves lucky you didn't have to work in one of these original galleys

circa 1905

circa 1905
(C) Copyright 1994 J.C. Puddle
No part of this document is to be reproduced either in print or electronically, in any way, without the permission of the author.

I’m sure there may still be some ex RM’s alive that can remember it, perhaps they can give us all some more details ???
_________________
"Who needs the World as your Oyster,
When you've had the world as your cap Badge"

Nick B · Bugle Major Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 824 Location: Deal

General Melchett · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:47 am Post subject:

Thanks Stickyblue v. interesting! Keep up the good work, I'd happily buy one.
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2nd Clarinet · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 7:05 am Post subject:

Old and New.......'K' Block and Drill Shed

20 across 13 to 14 deep!

A good link for looking at the old place.....

http://home.freeuk.net/eastkent/deal/marines/index.htm
_________________
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Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy marshmallows, which are kinda the same thing...!
.

admin · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 10:17 am Post subject:

‘E’ and ‘F’ block were still there when I joined in 80 as was the Globe Theater. We were in 'K' block and 41CDORM were in 61 Block

I thought the above photo was SOUTH barracks but looking at it now I can see the church (Concert Hall). Cracking post mate...
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