From the early days of the Derbyshire Volunteers
There are individual pages for each of the following events
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Formation of the Derbyshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: 1859 here
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Disbanding of the 2nd Administrative Battalion in 1869 here
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Formation of the 1st and 2nd Corps Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers: 1880 here
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Formation of the Volunteer Battalions of the Sherwood Foresters: 1887 here. Includes the formation of the North Midland Brigade: 1888.
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The South African War (2nd Anglo-Boer War): 1901-2 here. Includes the selected Contingent of the 2nd Derbyshire Volunteers and the 1st Volunteer Service Company Sherwood Foresters.
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2nd Volunteer Battalion the Sherwood Foresters: 1902-1907 here
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Strensall Camp: 1901 here
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Castleton Camp: 1903 here
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Scarborough Camp: 1904 here
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Castleton Camp: 1905 here
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Conway Camp: 1906 her
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Towyn Camp: 1907 here
There is a sound of thunder afar,
Storm in the South that darkens the day!
Storm of battle and thunder of war!
Well if it do not roll our way.
Storm, Storm, Riflemen form!
Ready, be ready against the storm!
Riflemen, Riflemen, Riflemen form![Alfred, Lord Tenyson]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 
I have eventually managed to get hold of a copy of my greatgrandfathers
military records from World War One and was surprised to see at his
enlistment he had previously served with the 4th Btn of the Sherwood
Foresters, unfortunately it didn’t say when.
As he was born in 1869 it could have been any time between the late 1880’s
and the outbreak of WW1. However, he moved from Lincolnshire to Newark in
1884 to serve an apprenticeship and by 1890 was living in Loughborough and
so that short time in Newark could be a clue.
His name was Tom Drury and he was a printer by trade. Could you give me any pointers as to how I can confirm his membership of the battalion and find out when he joined.
Regards, Kevin
Kevin, thanks for your post. I had a look at your grt g/fathers record on ancestry. I think you’re right that his dates of moving give quite a precise window for him to have been in the 4th Battalion. I don’t expect that 100+ years ago it was too easy to travel far for drill training so men enlisted into local Regiments. Have you tried the Regimental Archivist? they may hold some records. http://www.wfrmuseum.org.uk/archives.htm
cheers Mike
Thanks Mike,
I have tried the wfr museum but they had nothing on record. They in turn referred me to the National Archives but nothing there either. My only hope is to probably pick him out of a photograph or find something in the National Newspaper Archive.
Kevin, sometimes the local study sections of local libraries have volunteer and militia muster rolls. I know that Matlock has some info on Derbyshire units.
Thanks Mike, I’ll give that a try. If in the meantime you come across any good 4th Volunteer Battalion sources, please let me know.
Kevin
I have recently found a book that I believe was given to Private A. Middleton No 9361 of the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. It is dated Feb 10 1907 Queenstown Soldiers Home. It was presented by Miss Chesterton of Queenstown Ireland. My fathers family immigrated to Rochester N.Y. in 1910. My grandmother Maria Crossley Slack passed away the boys were taken in by Albert and Florence Middleton who were neighbors. I was wanting know if this could be his book and what had happened to him in 1907. Any information you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Dear Dannie. Thanks for your message. Arthur’s regimental number is consistent with him enlisting in 1904 or 1905. The 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters were based in Ireland during that time; 1907 (Kinsale), !909 (Fermoy) before moving back to Plymouth in 1910. I think that it is highly likely that the book belonged to him. Because it was given to him in the Soldiers Home I wonder if he was taken sick and then discharged from the Army? I can find no record of him serving in France during WW1, but will check again. Cheers Mike.
Hi, I have come across a postcard stamped by Curragh Camp in 1906 written in code by an Alf/Alff. Have pretty much deciphered it and it was sent to an Edie/Edith Whitehead in Newbridge. Trying to track back on Ancestry to find Edie but coming to a dead end. Any idea if I could find a list of names of those stationed at Curragh camp that year? Very long shot, I know. Just intrigued by it all 🙂 Can send a pic of the postcard and post stamp if you like
Dani
Hi Dani thanks for your message. Sorry but I’m not aware of any lists of men serving at that time. One way would be to look at the 1914 Star medal roles to see if the man was still serving at that time. He would have a service number less than 10241. If i get chance today i will look through roles online. I would be very interested in seeing the card. My email is mike.briggs1910@gmail.com thanks Mike