The redevelopment of this space is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
It is designed as a complimentary space to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Regimental Museum, which is over the road at the Danum Gallery, Library and Museum.
The open day on Wednesday 11 September 2024 is the first public open day of the space since the refurbishment took place in late 2023/2024.
Currently, it will be open twice a month for prearranged open days and medal room tours (more info on events sheet).
There will also be workshops and other events taking place here.
Visitors can make an appointment to view other material by prior arrangement outside of these times.
Any requests for research bookings or collection queries need to be sent through to us first. There are enquiry forms people can complete and post in the post box. These will be processed after open days and everyone will be contacted to follow up their enquiry.
Alternatively, they can take a research service enquiry sheet which has all the details and follow up with us later.
We are working on biographies to be uploaded on the digital interpretation units. Some of these will be pulling together information we already know, others we will be undertaking brand new research for the first time. Our dedicated team of research volunteers are working with Heritage Doncaster staff to uncover the amazing true stories of these soldiers.
About the Regiment
1755 - 53rd Regiment of Foot raised in Leeds
1757 - 53rd Regiment became the 51st Regiment
1821 - Received Royal Status and became The 51st King’s Own Light Infantry
1881 - The 51st and 105th Light Infantry regiments merged to form The King’s Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment)
1888 - Became The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
1968- The Light Infantry formed by merging of four county Light Infantry regiments
2007 - ‘Super Regiment’ The Rifles formed by merger of Light Infantry regiments from across the country.
The history of recruitment and centres associated with the Regiment is complex and linked with the formation, reformation and disbandment of its various battalions. The KOYLI traditional recruiting area was the West Riding of Yorkshire, which area is now represented approximately by West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. However soldiers of the regiment came from all over the country. The 53rd Regiment was raised at Leeds in 1755; the 105th originally had its HQ at Arnee, and on return to England at Colchester. The Regimental Depot was established at Pontefract in 1878, becoming the Regiment’s HQ until 1939, and once again in 1956. Between these dates the Depot was at Strensall, near York.
Other important centres in Yorkshire for the KOYLI constituent battalions and companies have included Wakefield and Doncaster, also Dewsbury, Ossett, Goole, Birstall, Selby, Batley, Morley, Normanton, and Castleford.
About the Collection
The collection contains materials relating to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and its antecedent regiments the 51st and 105th. The battalions of the KOYLI gathered items, known as ‘chattels’, and often kept them in the Officers’ Mess. In the 1930s, materials were brought together at the Regimental Depot, and so the first official ‘collection’ was born. At this time the ‘museum’ was only accessible to members of the regiment.
After moving to Shrewsbury and then back to Pontefract, the collection had grown and was open to the public. In 1987 the collection was moved to a purpose-built extension to Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery.
The items in the collection come from many different sources. Many items have been part of the regimental collection for a long time, previously being ‘regimental chattels’.
The collection is made up of a range of materials including uniforms, weaponry, photographs, medals, paperwork, books and more.
The regimental collection is not exhaustive. We do not hold something for every single soldier of the regiment.
Other items are donated by the soldiers themselves, their family members after they are deceased, or come to us via the execution of people’s estate
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