BELPER REGIMENT. 6l 



seem to have continued a shadowy and ever dwindling existence 

 for a few years longer, and three or four Derbyshire volunteer 

 commissions to subaltern officers were issued in 1811. The 

 gradual reduction of the volunteer force is shown in the amount 

 of the war estimates, the sum of which was in 1804, _;,^2 ,020,567, 

 and which dwindled down to ^164,692 in 1815, and after this 

 disappeared altogether. 



At the Belper Mills, a large number of documents and returns 

 pertaining to the volunteer movement of this date are preserved, 

 and from them, through the courtesy of Captain Herbert Strutt, 

 we have been able to compile the following interesting details : — 



On October i6th, 180.^, a meeting was held of the inhabitants 

 of the townships of Belper, Shottle, and Holbrooke, when they 

 engaged themselves to form four volunteer companies for the 

 three townships, according to tlie announced regulations. The 

 number of the men v/as to be two hundred and forty, they were 

 to be armed with firelocks, the arms and accoutrements were to 

 be found at the expense of the government, with 20s. per man 

 towards uniform, and the following were recommended as 

 officers : — Joseph Strutt, Lt.-Colonel ; Francis Bradshaw, Major ; 

 and Joseph Bradshaw, clerk ; G. H. Strutt, John Spencer, and 

 John Radford, captains. 



The commissions to these officers, as well as to the lieutenants 

 and ensigns of the four companies, were granted by the Lord- 

 Lieutenant on October 31st. The following is a copy of the 

 commission of Lt.-Col. Strutt : — 



By the most noble William Duke of Devonshire, Lord Lieutenant of the 

 County of Derby. To Joseph Strutt, Esq. 



By Virtue of the power & authority to me given by a warrant from his 

 Majesty under his Royal Signet and sign manual bearing date the twenty 

 second of May one thousand eight hundred & four (sic), I the said William 

 Duke of Devonshire do, in his Majesty's name, by these presents constitute 

 appoint & commission you the said Joseph Strutt to be Lieutenant Colonel 

 Commandant of the Belper Shottle & Holbrooke Battalion of Volunteer 

 Infantry, but not to take rank in the army except during the time of the said 

 Battalions being called out into actual service, you are therefore to take the said 

 Battalion into your care & charge and duly to exercise as well the officers as 



