Please see individual listings below for details of units.

Kelly’s 1912 Directory lists the following units at Harewood Barracks, Woodhouse Lane:

• West Riding R.A.M.C. Territorial School of Instruction
• 2nd Northern General Hospital
• Royal Army Medical Corps – West Riding Division. This comprised the Headquarters, A, B, and C Sections of the 1st and 2nd West Riding Field Ambulances RAMC, both of which were listed in the Territorial Year Book 1909 as HQ 48 St James st
• Also listed here was the West Riding Divisional Transport and Supply Column; 1st and 3rd Brigade Companies Army Service Corps

Pictures at http://www.leodis.net/ show the Harewood Barracks on Woodhouse Lane. Built in the 1790s as St. James's Lodge, then used as Leeds Girls High School, it became a barracks around 1910. It was demolished in 1967. Its site is now part of Leeds Metropolitan University.

Other premises in the city included ‘The Carlton Barracks, in Carlton Street, [which] were erected in 1865, and contain a spacious drill-ground, with residences for six of the permanent staff-sergeants, they are occupied by the 7th and 8th Battalions (Leeds Rifles) of the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment).’ Kelly, 1912

HQ, A-H 7 West Yorks listed in the Territorial Year Book 1909 as having a drill hall 120 ft. by 60 ft.
HQ, A-H 8 West Yorks listed in the Territorial Year Book 1909; this mentions a drill station proposed at South Leeds

The 3rd Volunteer Battalion (Leeds Rifles) was a large unit which bought the old militia barracks at Carlton Hill, financed and refurbished with Corps funds. On the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908, the unit expanded to form two battalions, the 7th and 8th (Leeds Rifles) Battalions, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (TF). This information was sourced from:
http://www.yorkshirevolunteers.org.uk/leedsrifles.htm

White’s 1894 Directory of Leeds refers to the ‘Volunteer Barracks, at Carlton hill, cover an area of 4½ acres, and were completed in 1805, at a cost of £9,000. The buildings comprise stores, armoury, orderly officers’ rooms, and dwellings for six staff sergeants.’

[Photographs of Carlton Barracks courtesy Betty Longbottom]
Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra Princess of Wales’s Own) [A Squadron] Yorkshire Mounted Brigade Head Quarters – 73, Belle Vue road (Kelly, 1912)

HQ, 1,3 West Riding Battery, Ammunition Column 1st West Riding Brigade RFA
1st, 2nd, 3rd W Riding Brigade Companies West Riding Army Service Corps
‘The Headquarters of the 1st West Riding Brigade RFA Territorial Force are in Fenton Street. An additional wing was erected in 1903, and a riding school in 1911.’ (West Riding Yorkshire Directory 1912 p. xxxxiv)

‘Fenton Street… Barracks…were constructed of brick with castellated walls in the 1800s and extended in 1903. A riding school was added in 1911 and there was an extensive drill hall. The 1st W.R. York Artillery Volunteers were formed in 1860 and based at the Barracks, then the 1st West Riding Brigade RFA had their headquarters here. The barracks were demolished between 1962/64.’ [Leodis]


‘The H.Q. of the Northern Command, Royal Engineers, Telegraph Companies, Territorial Force, are in Claypit Lane, and comprises a spacious drill ground with offices.’ (West Riding Yorkshire Directory 1912 p. xxxxiv)

Northern Command Signal Company Royal Engineers are listed in the Territorial Year Book 1909 as Claypit lane.

According to the Leodis website, ‘Gibraltar Barracks was extended in 1889 and the entrance portcullis built. When the barracks were demolished in 1967 the huge wooden gate was salvaged and used to decorate a restaurant in a village north-east of Leeds. A sealed glass jar was found in the rubble of the demolished building containing relics which had been buried in the foundation of the 1889 extension. They included a copy of the building plan designed by architect, William Bakewell.’

This barracks / drill hall was demolished in 1967.

We are grateful to Leeds Libraries & Information Service for permission to reproduce these extracts from Leodis.

The Brudenell Social Club is on the site of the former drill hall. A brief history and some archive photographs are on its website: http://www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/history/

‘The Royal Artillery Barracks are in Chapeltown Road, and are capable of holding 407 officers and men and 225 horses.’ (West Riding Yorkshire Directory 1912 p. xxxxiv)

The Leodis.net website includes a view of the drill hall on St James’ street. This has three storeys, a front door approached by steps, arched window at ground floor level, a wrought iron balcony to the first floor and rooms above. The Drill Hall on St. James' Street was demolished to make way for the Civic Hall c.1933.


This remarkable building was originally engine sheds and turntable for the railway, but was used as a drill hall from 1909 to 1916.