Ropery South

FEBRUARY 1788

Whoever put this one on the wall nearly 220 years ago made a very good job of the lettering. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any other information of who he was or where he was going! However, if you look closely at the brick-course underneath, (click on the image to enlarge it) you will see a stylised laurel wreath encircling "66 GB", once again, nicely executed. I suspect that this refers to the 66th Regiment of Foot (Gloucester and Berkshire) and am waiting for some form of confirmation or otherwise from Salisbury.

I managed to find this in the Regimental Timeline at the suggestion of the curator. (Many Thanks!)

On 21 May 1821, St Helena. Regiment (Headquarters plus two companies and regimental band) embarked on 'Camel'. On 24 May the rest of the Regiment began to embark for the voyage home. The 'Camel' reached Spithead on 31 July, the rest of regiment arriving shortly after. The 'Camel' continued to Chatham on 13 August, where the Regiment disembarked, the last detachment disembarking on 20 August.
On 22 Sept 1821, England, Hull. Regiment marched from Chatham on 20 March and reached Hull on 22 September and detached one company to Scarborough.

Architectural Graffiti in Chatham Historic Dockyard.

This example can be found on the southern end of the Ropery, which is the end nearest to Chatham town centre.

It begins with an obliterated 84, which indicates the presence of the 84th Regiment of Foot within Chatham Dockyard at around 1834. S.PLANT was kind enough to supply the date as well as the name of the regiment which was the York & Lancaster Regiment.

NIVE

INDIA

PENINSULA

The names above represent three of the Regiment's Battle Honours.