The Militia and Volunteers of Northumberland are those military units raised in the county independently of the regular Army.

[2] Subsequent explanatory legislation was required to curb rioting in 13 counties over fears of pay and overseas service, the militia would only be used in England and Wales.

By the end, 51 people were dead and 300 wounded including some militiamen, earning the North York Militia the nickname The Hexham Butchers.

[7] The militia was under the control of the lord-lieutenant of the county and was to be officered by the local gentry, their rank determined by a property qualification which was gradually reduced or ignored as time progressed.

[8] The regiment of the Northumberland Militia did not form until 1759, it was led by Sir Edward Blackett Bart., and had an initial strength of 560 men, with the headquarters at Alnwick.

The militia regiment in its early form was embodied on the following occasions:[9] Training for balloted men began again in 1820, however desertion was a problem, and again in 1821.

[16] Commanded by the earl of Beverly and titled the 27th Northumberland Light Infantry Militia[b] the first training was attended by 850 men out of the enlisted 1122.

[18] During the Crimean War it was embodied from 9 January 1855 to 20 June 1856 spending early 1856 in Carlisle, where 395 men transferred to the regular army.

[19] The rise of local constabularies meant that the militia would be used less for keeping order than to replace regular soldiers on home service during large mobilizations.

[25][26] During its embodiment during the Crimean War (4 April to 2 March 1861) a group of around 30 militiamen rioted in North Shields, after two of them had been threatened with imprisonment for a drunken assault the previous night, 14 May 1860.

In June 28 militiamen and one woman were turned over to the local Magistrates, and the townspeople requested that militia be removed from Tynemouth.

After a second, short, period of full-time service from May to October 1900, it was again renamed the Northumberland Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia).

[49][50] On the reformation of the volunteers in 1803 the strength rose further to six troops of cavalry (at Alnwick, Lesbury, Newham, Newburn, Rothbury, Prudhoe, and Tynemouth, a total of 304 men) and 17 companies of infantry (at Alnwick, Chatton, Guyzance, Thirston, Lesbury, Newham, Rothbury, Shillbottle, Walkworth, Barrasford (two), Lemington, Newburn (two), Prudhoe (two) and Tynemouth, a total strength of 1,195 men).

[51] In 1805 a Percy Tenantry Volunteer Artillery Company was formed, attached to the cavalry, with two brass 3-pounders and other equipment supplied by the government.

[35] Three regiments of the Northumberland Local Militia were formed:- The volunteer associations distant from these locations remained in existence.

While it received official praise for its duty from the Home Secretary, the view from the street was different: I have frequently seen the military called out in our pitmen and keelmen strikes both yeomanry and regular cavalry.

[65][66][67] Forming another administrative battalion was the large 1st Newcastle upon Tyne Rifle Volunteer Corps, with a uniform of steel grey with black facings, based on an earlier Armed Association raised in 1839, which already included a Highland sub-division.