1st Volunteer Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment - Blackburn Rifle Volunteers (1900)

An impressive display of numbers from the local volunteer force as part of the Blackburn Easter Fair.

The call to form volunteer army reserves in 1859 met a huge response in Lancashire, and Blackburn was no exception. The volunteers were an important part of Britain's South African War forces, becoming increasingly consolidated and professional. The diverse ages of the privates and officers is interesting - as is the small cycle corps which heads the march, outnumbering the horses.