Yeovil Infantry Corps

Yeovil's private army that never was

 

A handbill, dated 9 January 1832 (see below), held at the Community Heritage Access Centre, Yeovil, reports on a meeting held at the Mermaid Inn on Saturday 7 January 1832, in the wake of the Yeovil Reform Riot of 21-22 October 1831. The handbill outlines the resolutions designed to create a volunteer infantry force to be known as the Yeovil Infantry Corps.

Despite extensive searches, I could find no other reference to the Yeovil Infantry Corps and therefore assume that the resolutions to create the Corps did not come to fruition.

 

Courtesy of South Somerset Heritage Collection

The original 9 January 1832 handbill, announcing the resolutions made at a meeting to establish the Yeovil Infantry Corps. For clarity, the text of the handbill is reproduced below. Notes in [square brackets] are mine..

 

AT A MEETING OF THE INDIVIDUALS Who had previously enrolled their names, to form AN INFANTRY CORPS IN THE TOWN OF YEOVIL, SOMERSET Held at the Mermaid Inn, on Saturday, the 7th of January, 1832 J R MAYO, Esq. in the chair. THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS WERE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED First - That this Meeting, after having heard the correspondence read, which has taken place, between the Marquis of Bath, Lord Melbourne, John Goodford Esq and others, on the subject of the Yeovil Infantry Corps, finds that Government will not sanction such a Corps, unless the several Members be provided with Clothes, &c, from other resources, and that to accomplish this object, a Fund of about £400 [around £38,000 at today's value] would be required. Second - That this Meeting believes that the Inhabitants of the Town generally, are convinced of the necessity, and approve of the establishment of such a Force, for the protection of their persons and property; and that sixty respectable men would be ready immediately to enrol themselves, provided adequate Funds could be found. Third - That Messrs JR Mayo, T Cave, F Greenham, GE Hooper, E Whitmash and H Penny Jun, be appointed a Committee, for the purpose of waiting on the Magistrates of the Division of Yeovil, the Inhabitants of the Town and the immediate Neighbourhood, for their sanction; and to ascertain the amount they would engage to subscribe for such a purpose. Fourth - That these Resolutions be printed, and a Copy sent to the Marquis of Bath, the Marquis of Anglesea, the Earl of Westmorland, to each of the County Members, Magistrates of the Division, and to such other Interested Persons, as the Committee may think desireable. Fifth - That this Meeting be adjourned to Wednesday Evening, the 18th Instant, at 7 o'Clock, when the Report of the Committee is to be received.                           Signed, Dated January 9th, 1831 [sic, should be 1832] (Porter, Typ. Yeovil) JOHN RYALL MAYO          Chairman