During the reign of Charles II, the 'Warders' or Militia were constituted as a body of 20 men to guard Hillsborough Fort. With the wane of the military importance of the Fort in the early eighteenth century, they were disbanded but recruitment was revived in 1778 by Wills Hill. In 1891, it was decided that the corps should be discontinued and that no new members should be recruited. Private William John Green, born in 1865, was already in post as a Warder when this decision was made and was the last surviving Warder at the time of his death in 1954. The uniform was originally based on the dress of the Dutch Guards of William III and became modified over the years. It included white breeches and waistcoat, black gaiters, scarlet barred tunic and black cockade hat with a feathered plume.