1814 Fortified Barracks and Casemates, Grand Casemates Square, Gibraltar.

Part 2 -

By 1727, at the time of the Thirteenth Siege (11th February to 12th June) the platform wall had been further broadened to take better artillery with a total of fourteen guns mounted there and by 1762, it mounted seventeen 18-pdrs. In doing so, a number of casemated accommodation vaults were incorporated into the extended length of the curtain wall. Following the report on the Rock’s defences submitted in 1768 by the Chief Engineer of Gibraltar, William Green, the original wall was further improved.

In 1770, Chief Engineer Colonel William Green began preparatory work for the construction of Grand Casemates as bombproof barracks on the square's northern flank. The casemates could easily accommodate over a thousand Officers and men defending North Bastion, Grand Battery and the nearby Northern defences. Construction of the Grand Casemates bombproof barracks was due to begin in the early 1770’s, but it was believed that other pressing construction works such as King’s Bastion, Montague Bastion and Orange’s demi-Bastion meant that by the time of the Great Siege of Gibraltar in 1779 no work had been started. Recent restoration works on the Grand Battery casemates has revealed part of the architecture of the original British casemates used in both the 13th and 14th sieges.

After the Great Siege the British military decided to demolish all the buildings in the area of the present square which had suffered great damage, including the old Shot House. This opened up the area into an esplanade which could be used for public events such military parades and public executions. Construction of a purpose-built Bombproof Barracks began and completed in 1817 during the governorship of General Sir George Don. In 1815, just prior to the completion of the bombproof barracks, two gateways were opened in the wall at the Waterport, so that carriages could pass through in both directions at once.

Further military housing was built, Married Quarters behind the Officer’s Quarters towards the eastern end of the square and a Port Office was erected close to the western wall. In front of the Officer’s Quarters stood the gallows, right in front of where the present Café Modelo stands today. The last soldier to be hanged in the Square was Private Shaw in 1864. Towards the end of the 19th Century, trees had become a feature of Casemates Square. They lined the roadside from Casemates Gates to Main Street.

During the 19th Century, Casemates Square became a muster and parade ground for the various regiments allocated to the Grand Casemates Square. The Parade Square was declared out of bounds for all civilians who were restricted to civilian lanes on both sides of the parade ground which led to both Landport and Waterport access points. On 24th December 1912, a Government Notice was issued to the effect that from the beginning of the following year, the Landport entrance to the City would be closed for the better regulation of traffic and the removal of obstruction in the public streets. This order had been approved by the Governor of Gibraltar, General Sir Archibald Hunter, who argued that the Grand Casemates Square was a private parade ground, allotted by the military authorities to the troops in those barracks.

The proposed closure was received in great dismay by both inhabitants and Spanish dockyard workers as they would only now be allowed access via Waterport and Casemates Gates. Furthermore, Spanish workers would be required to leave the Dockyard via Reclamation Road (the present Queensway) and if they wished to enter the City to purchase goods or tobacco, as they usually did, they would have to do so via Waterport and Casemates. The Chamber of Commerce protested to the Governor that this would have an adverse effect on shopkeepers and trade in general, but all memorials and complaints were dismissed out of hand by the Governor; subsequently this resulted in a deputation convening a meeting in London with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, setting out their grievances. By 26th June of that year, the Governor had been forced to resign and life resumed as usual on the Rock with access continuing to be allowed through the Landport Gate.

British army battalions would continue using the Grand Casemates barracks until the late 1950’s when the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s Own Regiment (West Riding) took possession of the new Lathbury Barracks at Windmill Hill. During the 1960’s some of the empty vaults where used for different purposes over the next ten years including a discotheque and a boxing club.

When the Spanish government began to impose the first restrictions on Spanish workers in Gibraltar in 1964 it was decided to look towards Morocco to fill the labour void. By the end of 1968 there were at least 1,300 Moroccans resident in Gibraltar and this more than doubled following the final closure of the frontier with Spain in June 1969. This number increased to over 5,000 by the mid 1970’s. Many came without their families and had to be accommodated in hostels set up by the Gibraltar Government. Facing such an acute shortage of housing accommodation the decision was taken to house around 2,000 Moroccan workers in the Grand Casemates Barracks. Grand Casemates Barracks continued to serve as a hostel until the early 1990’s by which time many Moroccan workers were voluntarily repatriated with the rest removed to other accommodation.

Information sourced from www.ministryforheritage.gi/heritage-and-antiquities/grand...

Taken on: October 24, 2017

Tags:

1814

Barracks

Casemates

Grand Casemates

Grand Casemates Barracks

Casemates Square

Grand Casemates Square

Fortification

Traces of War

War Remains

Defences

War Defences

Coastal Defences

Anti-Invasion Defences

British Overseas Territory

The Rock

Rock of Gibraltar

Gibraltar « less

Sets appears in: • The Rock, Gibraltar.

Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S4000, f/5.4, 1/70 sec, 20.4mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S4000
Aperture:	f/5.4
Exposure Time:	0.014 sec (1/70)
Focal Length:	20.4mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Digital Camera FinePix S4000 Ver1.01
Show full info

Stats: 133 views

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: