Oldham Rifle Volunteers
Courtesy of Iain Wilkinson
The revival of the volunteer force, which had more or less died at the
end of the Napoleonic wars, was triggered by renewed hostilities with
France. This triggered a wave of Rifle Volunteer Corps throughout the
country. The Oldham Rifles were formed in Dec 1859 and were designated
the 31st Lancashire Rifle Volunteers, commanded by Captain John G Blackburne.
Initially the volunteers had to subscribe and pay for their own uniforms,
so this precluded all the working classes. By the end of 1860 three companies
had been raised.
The 4th company (known as the Irish company) was fully raised by June
1863.
In Nov 1863, the 31st became part of 7th Admin Battalion along with 23rd
Lancashire Rifle Volunteers (Ashton), HQ at Ashton. Both corps continued
to have their own separate identities and only came together for battalion
parades, the title of 31st remained. By the beginning of 1868 a further
2 companies were formed, the 5th company was known as the Royton Company
and it initially carried out it training and drills around the area of
Royton.
In September 1880 the 23rd and 31st we both re-designated the 7th Lancashire
Rifle Volunteers, Companies A-F at Ashton, Companies G,H, J-M at Oldham.
In May 1882 a further two companies were raised in order for the Oldham
Rifles to form their own individual battalion the 22nd LRV and no longer
associated with the Ashton Rifle Volunteers.
On 1 Sept 1888, the 22nd LRV became the 6th Volunteer Battalion of the
Manchester Regiment.
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