Wednesday, March 10, 2010
References in the local newspapers (I am probably guilty of this as well) refer to Carling Heights. Wolseley Barracks is situated on land that was owned by John Carling. Today the area is referred to as Carling. In 1885 the Dominion government was seeking a new site for an infantry school. Of course, politics was involved so it came down to a municipal referendum. John Carling’s farm was purchased by the military, and Wolseley Barracks was built on the site. The barracks was named after Field Marshall Sir Garnet Wolseley.
Thousands of men were trained here during the Boer War, First World War, and the Second World War. In 1919 this is where soldiers received their discharges. Today little remains. The RCR Museum is on the site, and the buildings have been declared an historic site.
There is a map which shows the location in London of 1900. On the map Wolseley Barracks is located in the north east corner as “infantry barracks”.
Photo of Wolseley Barracks circa 1880’s from