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The Story of London Scottish House
From the 1st to 3rd October Tasmin and Emily will be setting up shop (temporarily) at London Scottish House to host ScotlandShop's London Pop-Up shop once again. This gives all of our lovely customers who may not be able to make it up to sunny Scotland the chance to be measured for a custom made tartan garment. To add to the excitement of the pop-up I thought I would tell you a little bit about the history of London Scottish House.
The original London Scottish House was first built on Buckingham Gate in 1886, and included a Drill Hall. These were a very common feature in public houses at this time in history and were usually used as a space where army volunteers could be trained. As the years went on, the Drill Hall was also used for events such as concerts and dances and during the War was even used as recruiting offices and hospitals. Most famously this was where the Titanic Inquiry and investigations took place.
By 1960 however, the original house became completely unusable and so began the plans to demolish the Buckingham Gate building and build a brand new house. Due to the architectural importance of the Drill Hall it was dismantled and re-built in its new home on Horseferry Road. The glass roof was even moved and re-built at the new location. London Scottish House was re-opened in 1988 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. But again, the house is due a renovation and the team are currently raising £7 million to completely modernise the building, while still keeping its historical features intact.
The London Scottish House was the home of the London Scottish Regiment, a Volunteer Infantry Regiment formed in 1859. They served for more than two centuries, in South Africa in the 1800's, to both World Wars in the 1900's and in Afghanistan in the 2000's. In 1993 the army carried out some restructuring and the London Scottish Regiment became a Company within the London Regiment, a similar situation happened in 2006 with The Black Watch Regiment, read more about it on our blog dedicated to their story. Men were recruited from the Scottish community in London and had all sorts of career backgrounds, from lawyers, to accountants and even politicians. There is also a pipe band linked to the regiment still in existence today, formed in 1860, known as the Pipes and Drums of the London Scottish Regiment and thought to be one of the oldest pipe bands in the world.
While you are attending our Pop-up shop it is worth taking a little bit more time out of your day to explore London Scottish House, as it is rich in history. While the Drill Hall is one of only 150 halls of its kind left in the UK, there are also 3 War Memorials within the hall that pay tribute to those lost during both World Wars and the war in South Africa. There are also historical displays on the balconies around the house with information about the men who were a part of the London Scottish Regiment.
There are still some spaces left for the Pop-up so be quick to ensure you book yourself an appointment. Did you know these appointments are not just for a measuring service, the ScotlandShop team also offer a Tartan Consultation service where you can find out more about your family or clan tartan? Book an appointment through our Events Page. We can't wait to see you there!
