Albany Street Barracks
Encyclopedia
The Albany Street Barracks, officially known as the Regent's Park Barracks, is a British Army
barracks
located on Albany Street
, London
, near Regent's Park
.
The barracks were built in the early nineteenth century. From 1896 to 1969, the Royal Horse Guards
were based there, which later became part of the Blues and Royals
. With the formation of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
in 1991, the Blues and Royals moved to Hyde Park Barracks
, Knightsbridge
. Today it is the base of 20 Transport Squadron, Royal Logistic Corps, the Artists Rifles and The Regimental Headquarters of the Queen's Royal Hussars, as well as the charity "The Queen's Royal Hussars Collection Trust". In 1971 an anarchist group called The Angry Brigade
bombed the barracks. One of the members was held here for a time. Over the top of the entrance there is the legend "Regents Park Barracks", but outside of officialdom, it is almost always referred to as the Albany Street Barracks.
. In H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds", there is a mention of it: "the sound of drumming and trumpeting came from the Albany Street Barracks".
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
located on Albany Street
Albany Street
Albany Street is a road in London running from Marylebone Road to Gloucester Gate following the east side of Regent's Park. It is about three-quarters of a mile in length....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, near Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
.
The barracks were built in the early nineteenth century. From 1896 to 1969, the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
were based there, which later became part of the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals
The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
. With the formation of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is a ceremonial cavalry regiment of the British Army. It is classed as a regiment of guards, and carries out mounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions. These include the provision of the Sovereign's Escort, most commonly seen at the present...
in 1991, the Blues and Royals moved to Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks, London
The Hyde Park Barracks are located in Knightsbridge in central London, U.K. on the southern edge of Hyde Park. Historically they were often known as Knightsbridge Barracks and this name is still sometimes used informally...
, Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
. Today it is the base of 20 Transport Squadron, Royal Logistic Corps, the Artists Rifles and The Regimental Headquarters of the Queen's Royal Hussars, as well as the charity "The Queen's Royal Hussars Collection Trust". In 1971 an anarchist group called The Angry Brigade
The Angry Brigade
The Angry Brigade was a small British militant group responsible for a series of bomb attacks in Britain between 1970 and 1972.-History:During the summer of 1968 there were a number of demonstrations in London against the American involvement in the Vietnam War, centred on the American Embassy in...
bombed the barracks. One of the members was held here for a time. Over the top of the entrance there is the legend "Regents Park Barracks", but outside of officialdom, it is almost always referred to as the Albany Street Barracks.
Albany Street Barracks in popular culture
The music hall comedian Ida Barr, whose real name was Maud Barlow, was born in the barracks on 17 January 1882, the daughter of a sergeant-major in the Life GuardsLife Guards (British Army)
The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...
. In H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds", there is a mention of it: "the sound of drumming and trumpeting came from the Albany Street Barracks".