Manchester Regiment Archives

The Manchester Regiment Archive is one of the largest collections held on deposit at Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre.

The Manchester Regiment was formed in 1881 by the merger of the 63rd and 96th Regiments of Foot. The 63rd was originally raised in 1758 and became the 1st Battalion; the 96th which became the 2nd Battalion was raised in 1824.  Many other battalions came and went during the Regiment's history, and most of these are represented in the records. The Manchester Regiment merged with the King's Regiment in 1958.

The archive does not contain a series of service records, for more information on tracing individual soldiers please go to our military ancestors webpage.

Photographs

The Manchester Regiment archives contain a wide range of photographs and photograph albums. Most photographs of individuals are of officers or have been donated by members of the public - in which case they are often identified.  The group photographs are usually of platoons or sports teams, and unfortunately individuals are usually unidentified.  There is a very good selection for the Boer War. Visit Manchester Regiment Archives on the Boer War for a display of examples from the collection.

Go to the Manchester Regiment Image Archive . 
 

Manchester Regiment Transcriptions

The most extensive documentary collection of Manchester Regiment records are kept at the Tameside Archives and Local Studies Centre.  The following archives have been partially transcribed to reflect the nature of this collection. The MR numbers for each item relate to the catalogue entry, see Tameside Local Studies and Archives Catalogue
 
These texts have been faithfully transcribed from the original- any remaining errors are our own.

• A Proud Heritage - a brief history of the Manchester Regiment
• 47th Sikh War Records - MR4/3/1/93
• John Henry Loftus Reade Letters - MR4/17/308
• Letter from Pte J.A. Park, 2nd Vol. Active Service, South Africa, to parents - MR4/17/304
• Letters regarding Pte Thomas Mercer, 5th Platoon, 20th Manchester Regiment - MR4/17/260
• The Manchester Regiment Gazette - MR2/20/15 - MR2/20/40
• The Periscope Periodical
• Mess Rules Book 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment

Contact Us

Use the details below to contact the Local Studies and Archives Unit for help and advice if you are researching the Manchester Regiment or your military  ancestors.

Important: Please include your name and postal address when you send us a message as this will help us provide a full response to your enquiry.