Page 19 - HB- Church Road

Church Road Redditch Heritage

The Elgar House Building

This is an Edwardian building, and was formerly an Employment Exchange. By 1989 it housed
half of the Unemployment Benefit Offices (for surnames K-Z). The other half, along with the Job
Centre, was in Threadneedle House, Alcester Street.²⁷
The building was converted and extended, and from 1993 has housed a General Practice.²⁸ The
Church Road drill hall of 'H' company 8th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment was to the
north of the site and was demolished a long time ago. However, the rescued regimental insignia
is now attached to the wall of Elgar House.²⁹ The date on the insignia was significant. Officers
and men of the Regiment who were aboard a number of ships on the 1st June 1794 acted as
Marines on board the British Fleet. The French warship escorts of a relief convoy to France from
America were attacked by the English and were totally defeated.

Ever since that date ‘The Glorious First of June’ has been a great tradition in the Regiment.³⁰

The regimental insignia 31

Page: 19