The enthusiasm of the Volunteer movement in 1859 and subsequent years saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.
The 1st London (City) Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) was first raised in the City of London on 15 April 1863, with its HQ and five (later six) batteries at 5 Farringdon Road.
The titles '1st London' and 'City of London' were used interchangeably throughout the unit's history.
As one of the later AVCs raised, the 1st Londons ranked 61st (later 65th) in order of precedence.
 The first commanding officer was Captain (later Lieutenant-Colonel) John Walmisley (1818–90), a London solicitor, famous oarsman and former officer in the Honourable Artillery Company.
The unit's first Honorary Colonel was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.

In 1873 the 1st London AVC became part of the 1st Administrative Brigade of Middlesex Artillery Volunteers under the command of Walmisley.
Artillery Volunteer units proved expensive to maintain, and the Secretary of State for War, Edward Cardwell refused to pay for the upkeep of horses, harness and field-guns from the annual capitation grant.
As a result, many Volunteer Field artillery units were wound up in the 1870s and the two batteries of the 1st (Hanover Square) Middlesex AVC were absorbed into the 1st London.
In 1883 the 1st London also absorbed the 1st Surrey AVC, and by now it had 16 batteries around the City and County of London (Nos 1–3 and 8 at Camberwell; Nos 4, 9, 11 and 13–16 at the HQ at the Barbican; No 5 at Peckham; No 6 at Norwood; No 7 at Tooting; No 10 at Kilburn; No 12 at Shepherd's Bush).
At first the brigade had consisted of Horse and Field artillery batteries, but now the 16 batteries became Garrison Artillery companies, divided into two wings, each commanded by a lieutenant-colonel.
This made it one of the strongest brigades in the country, at one time boasting a strength of over 1500 volunteers.

Walmisley retired in January 1875 and was succeeded by William Hope, who had won a Victoria Cross in the Crimean war and had afterwards become a City businessman.

In 1887 and 1890 the Corps won the Queen's Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness.
By 1893 the War Office Mobilisation Scheme had allocated the unit to the Thames defences.
During the Second Boer War the brigade supplied volunteers to the City of London Imperial Volunteers and other branches of the Regular forces.

The 1st Londons had been included in the London Division when the Royal Artillery adopted a territorial structure on 1 April 1882, but this was disbanded and the unit was assigned to the Eastern Division on 1 July 1889.
This divisional organisation was abandoned on 1 January 1902 when the Volunteer artillery was assigned to the Royal Garrison Artillery and the unit was re-titled 1st City of London Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).
At this time the 16 companies were based at Staines House, Barbican (HQ and Nos 1-7), Shepherd's Bush (Nos 8–10) and Brixton (Nos 11–16).
The enthusiasm of the Volunteer movement in 1859 and subsequent years saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. The 1st London (City) Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) was first raised in the City of London on 15 April 1863, with its HQ and five (later six) batteries at 5 Farringdon Road. The titles '1st London' and 'City of London' were used interchangeably throughout the unit's history. As one of the later AVCs raised, the 1st Londons ranked 61st (later 65th) in order of precedence.  The first commanding officer was Captain (later Lieutenant-Colonel) John Walmisley (1818–90), a London solicitor, famous oarsman and former officer in the Honourable Artillery Company. The unit's first Honorary Colonel was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.
In 1873 the 1st London AVC became part of the 1st Administrative Brigade of Middlesex Artillery Volunteers under the command of Walmisley. Artillery Volunteer units proved expensive to maintain, and the Secretary of State for War, Edward Cardwell refused to pay for the upkeep of horses, harness and field-guns from the annual capitation grant. As a result, many Volunteer Field artillery units were wound up in the 1870s and the two batteries of the 1st (Hanover Square) Middlesex AVC were absorbed into the 1st London. In 1883 the 1st London also absorbed the 1st Surrey AVC, and by now it had 16 batteries around the City and County of London (Nos 1–3 and 8 at Camberwell; Nos 4, 9, 11 and 13–16 at the HQ at the Barbican; No 5 at Peckham; No 6 at Norwood; No 7 at Tooting; No 10 at Kilburn; No 12 at Shepherd's Bush). At first the brigade had consisted of Horse and Field artillery batteries, but now the 16 batteries became Garrison Artillery companies, divided into two wings, each commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. This made it one of the strongest brigades in the country, at one time boasting a strength of over 1500 volunteers.
Walmisley retired in January 1875 and was succeeded by William Hope, who had won a Victoria Cross in the Crimean war and had afterwards become a City businessman.
In 1887 and 1890 the Corps won the Queen's Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness. By 1893 the War Office Mobilisation Scheme had allocated the unit to the Thames defences. During the Second Boer War the brigade supplied volunteers to the City of London Imperial Volunteers and other branches of the Regular forces.
The 1st Londons had been included in the London Division when the Royal Artillery adopted a territorial structure on 1 April 1882, but this was disbanded and the unit was assigned to the Eastern Division on 1 July 1889. This divisional organisation was abandoned on 1 January 1902 when the Volunteer artillery was assigned to the Royal Garrison Artillery and the unit was re-titled 1st City of London Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers). At this time the 16 companies were based at Staines House, Barbican (HQ and Nos 1-7), Shepherd's Bush (Nos 8–10) and Brixton (Nos 11–16).
City of London Artillery