Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-02
OF ANCIENT ORIGIN.
History of Company Dates From Reign
of Charles the First.


The visit of the Ancient and Honorable
Artillery Company of London to its sister
company of Boston brings to the United
States the representatives Of the oldest and
one of the most historic military organIza
lions in the British empire. 1t Is not the
first British military organization that has
visited the United States since the war of
the revolution or the war of 1872 Within
the past few years number of organiZa
lions of Canada have paid visits to various
parts of the country, the presence and drill
ing Of the Canadians being one of the most
prominent features of the military athletic
tournaments held annually in Madison
Square Garden. New York. However. this
is the first time an organization of such
honored antecedentS has visited this coun-
try. and the visit is to be made much of in
consequence.
AS to when the London Ancients were
first organized history gives but vague hints.
During the past few months the newspa-
pers and illustrated weekles have been
filled with historical sketches of the famous
British company, but no two of them have
exactly agreed as to the date on which the
first assemblage of what is now the An
clients was called together Some have
placed its organization as close as 265 years
ago, in the time of Henry the VIII. but
others have gone further into history and
have obtained from the archives of the
English war office papers which would go
to show that the organization was of much
more ancient origin.
AS far as can be learned by careful
search the company is the descendant of
military organiZat ton formed in the guild of
ST. George during the reign of Edward l.
There are differences as to the date of the
formation of the organization, but it is
believed to have been some time between
the year 1913. when Edward assembled the
throne and 1916. This would make the
organiZat ton almost $50 years old.
Archers of Finsbury.
The company was known the Archers
of F'nsbury and received Its patent from
the king. Little of its early history is
known until the time of Henry VIII when
a charter was granted the company by
Henry. signed with his own hand This
charter is part of the records of the COM
pany, and is preserved in it's headquarters
at Finsbury, bearing the bold signature of
Bluff King Hal. The records show that
the company was paraded at the time of the
marriage of the king with Anne Boleyn and
was given place of honor In the ceremo-
MES.
The organization Is next mentioned in his
tory as the City Trained Band. and it was
tho predecessor of the many trained
bands which were organized and equipped
in London and in different parts of Eng
land during that period. 1t included among
its members more than 300 merchants of the
city of London and history states that they
were regarded as very efficient and skillful
in teaching common soldiers the manage
ment of their pieces, pixies and halberds,
and to march and countermarch
1t is assumed from this portion of the
record that the company became sort of
training school for officers, and this is
further proven by the fact that the members
of the organization were known as cap
tains'' of the artillery garden The trained
band was then composed of the substantial
citizens of the city and rapidly came to the
| fore. both from military, social and eco
nomic point of view. The members were
lax in their discipline. however. and the or
ganization was rapidly going to pieces,