The Portsmouth Artillery Volunteers 1797-1908
The Palmerston Forts Society has published this excellent book about the Volunteer Artillerymen that would have manned the nations fortifications from the late 18th to early 20th centuries. This full colour 36 page booklet, published in 2021, covers three different eras of the Volunteer Artillery, beginning with the units formed during the Napoleonic wars, through those formed for the protection of the Royal Dockyards in the mid 19th Century, then the Artillery Volunteers that were formed in 1859 when, once again, the country was in fear of invasion from the French: this Artillery Volunteer force lasted until 1908 when it became part of the territorial army. Although the book uses the units formed in Portsmouth to illustrate the development of the nation's Volunteer artillery force, the information would be useful to anybody with an interest in a rarely covered topic on British military history or the local history of Portsmouth.
It has the following sections:
The book is richly illustrated with: ■ 8 maps ■ 23 photographs including 15 antique illustrations and photographs.
This book can be purchased at the Fort Nelson museum shop or via Paypal using the button below including Royal Mail p&p:
Volunteers are needed to help bring gun firing back to Fort Nelson in Portsmouth. The Portsdown Artillery Volunteers (PAV) were established to reenact the firing of the Victorian guns at Fort Nelson on Portsdown Hill and they are looking to recruit new volunteers to help both fire and maintain the mighty Victorian guns. If you are interested in joining the Portsdown Artillery Volunteers and demonstrating this forgotten part of Britain’s history, you can contact the team at enquiries@palmerstonfortssociety.org.uk or you can talk to some of the volunteers at their Fort Nelson open day between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 22 Octoberread more ...
The PFS is saddened to announce the passing of a founding member and great friend of the PFS - David Moore - a person of vast Victorian fortifications knowledge. The delay in advising the membership is out of respect for David's family who did not want it to be publicised until after his funeral.
The online auction on the Clive Emson site has just ended with Fort Gilkicker being sold for £1.386 million against a guide price of £1.5 million. There were four bidders willing to pay at least £1.35 million. We also have just had a recent report that intruders to the site – which is hardly secure – have done more permanent damage to the barracks block. We can only hope that the new owner – whatever their intentions – gets this site secure and safe very soon.
The BBC website has just announced the following.... 'A derelict sea fort built to deter a French invasion in the 19th Century has been sold for £715,000.read more ...