Martin Tabony
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2009
- Messages
- 2,077
Today we take part in the Christmas tradition of 'Brickhanging'. This is a tradition peculiar only to The Life Guards, and its origin dates back to 1889. These days, both sides of the cavalry are invited to join in with the festivities once the brick has been hung.
The story (one of many, all of them plausible) is that Joe Holland,
a civilian forage master to the 2nd Life Guards, was about to join
senior NCOs for a pre-Christmas drink prior to going on leave.
...On the way, he was summoned to go instead to join the CO for a sherry.
None too pleased, and seeing a loose brick in the corner of the
Guardroom wall, he threw the brick up onto the sloping roof of the
Guardroom, saying that while it stayed up there he wanted the mess bar to remain open to await his return. A few sherries later, and the worse for wear, he went home to sleep off the effects. In due course he awoke, and suddenly remembered his request, so dashed back into barracks to find the mess bar still open.
Thereafter, a brick was "hung" annually by Joe himself for some
45 years, until his death in 1934, and a brickhanger's medal is housed in the Museum of The Household Cavalry.
Each subsequent brickhanger has been, and still is, issued with
a medal - this includes a number of Commanding Officers - who have hung the brick while the Regiment has been on active service.
More recently, the brick was hung at Hyde Park Barracks by the Gold Stick.
Normally, the brick is hung each December by the oldest, living
ex-Regimental Corporal Major who has not taken a commission, and this heralds the commencement of Christmas festivities for the Regiment.
There will be some sore heads tomorrow!^&grin
Martin
The story (one of many, all of them plausible) is that Joe Holland,
a civilian forage master to the 2nd Life Guards, was about to join
senior NCOs for a pre-Christmas drink prior to going on leave.
...On the way, he was summoned to go instead to join the CO for a sherry.
None too pleased, and seeing a loose brick in the corner of the
Guardroom wall, he threw the brick up onto the sloping roof of the
Guardroom, saying that while it stayed up there he wanted the mess bar to remain open to await his return. A few sherries later, and the worse for wear, he went home to sleep off the effects. In due course he awoke, and suddenly remembered his request, so dashed back into barracks to find the mess bar still open.
Thereafter, a brick was "hung" annually by Joe himself for some
45 years, until his death in 1934, and a brickhanger's medal is housed in the Museum of The Household Cavalry.
Each subsequent brickhanger has been, and still is, issued with
a medal - this includes a number of Commanding Officers - who have hung the brick while the Regiment has been on active service.
More recently, the brick was hung at Hyde Park Barracks by the Gold Stick.
Normally, the brick is hung each December by the oldest, living
ex-Regimental Corporal Major who has not taken a commission, and this heralds the commencement of Christmas festivities for the Regiment.
There will be some sore heads tomorrow!^&grin
Martin