Derby Uncovered Issue 1

We take a look at the dramatic events in 1932 when Derby was faced with ‘an avalanche of water such as human ingenuity was powerless to control.’

Established in 1882, the Midland Drapery became an iconic and fondly remembered part of Derby. We look back at its history and some of your memories.

Mark Miley – the owner of the Derby in Pictures website – gives us a fascinating tour of Friar Gate and takes us through some of the history behind it.

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COVERED Derbyshire UN Derby CONTENTS

FEATURED ARTICLES

PAGE 5

WHAT IS DERBY UNCOVERED?

Read the story behind the Derby Uncovered brand and find out how it all started.

PAGE 6

OLD IMAGES OF DERBY

Check out these stunning illustrations of Derby – which date all the way back to 1906.

PAGES 8 & 9

THE GREAT FLOOD OF DERBY

Learn about the time in 1932 when the weather overwhelmed Derby town centre.

PAGE 10

ROYAL CROWN DERBY

Come with us and take a look behind the scenes at the Royal Crown Derby Museum.

PAGE 12

LOUISE WEST LACE DESIGN

Read about the centuries-old art form of Bobbin Lacemaking – alive and well in Derby.

PAGES 14 & 15

THE MIDLAND DRAPERY

Take a trip back in time with us to visit the iconic and fondly remembered Midland Drapery.

PAGE 16

KALWINDER SINGH DHINDSA

Derby author, poet and creator Kalwinder Singh Dhindsa shares his work and thoughts with us.

PAGE 18

OUR NEW FACEBOOK

SPONSORS

Get to know Solution Accounting – the new sponsors of the Derby Uncovered Facebook Page.

PAGE 20

ALFRED JOHN KEENE

Admire the work of Alfred John Keene and his painting of Rotten Row and Iron Gate in 1858.

PAGE 22

DERBY COMPUTER MUSEUM

Find out about the brand new Derby Computer Museum – what you can expect and how you can help.

PAGE 24

COMPETITION TIME

Win a limited edition signed print from the Duffield Art Gallery in our Derby Uncovered Quiz.

PAGES 26 & 27

FAMOUS FOOTPRINTS

Delve into the life and history of the world-famous and Derby-born artist –Joseph Wright.

PAGE 28

BRILL-ME

Take a hold of your organisations emotional health and wellbeing with the help of Claire Austin and Brill-Me.

PAGE 30

HADDON HALL THIS CHRISTMAS

Find out more about Haddon Hall’s Mercatum Christmas Artisan Markets and then take a visit there.

PAGE 32

DERBY SANTA RUN

Sign up for your chosen charity and take part in a 5k run through Markeaton Park this December.

PAGE 34

LAUNCHED INTO ETERNITY

Read a free chapter from a book dedicated to Derbyshire’s brutal crime and punishment past.

PAGE 36

INVEST IN YOUR PEACE OF MIND

See what Cath Harrison and Bee-Assisted can do to help organise both your business and personal life.

PAGE 38

NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME

Learn about the historic houses in Derbyshire that support the National Garden Scheme.

PAGES 40 & 41

DERBY IN PICTURES

Mark Miley from Derby in Pictures takes us through a fascinating and historical tour of Friar Gate.

PAGE 44

DERBY MUSEUMS

Come and see what’s happening and read the latest updates from the Derby Museums.

PAGE 46

DERBYSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST

Read more from the organisation that has been protecting wild spaces in Derbyshire since 1962.

PAGES 48 & 49

ALF JAMES

Ian Griffiths takes us down a trip down memory lane with his memories of Alf James and his joke shop.

PAGES 50 & 51

JOHN GERMAN ESTATE AGENTS

Looking to move? Then check out the latest properties on offer from John German Estate Agents.

PAGES 52 & 53

GHOSTLY DERBY

Three spooky stories from the history of Derby – one of the most haunted cities in the UK.

COVERED Derbyshire UN Derby WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME ?

Hello and welcome to the very first edition of the Derby Uncovered newspaper.

You might, of course, be asking yourselves just what is Derby Uncovered? Well don’t worry –we’re here to help you with that.

In short, Derby Uncovered is a local business that shouts loudly and proudly about both the city of Derby and the county of Derbyshire.

With both a fascinating and diverse history and heritage within the area, and also a wealth of places to visit and see nowadays, our aim is to bring you the best of everything.

In each issue, we will be looking back at some of the stories and characters from our colourful past, as well as promoting ‘what’s on’ and ‘where to go right now’...and this newspaper is only part of it.

we launched both our flagship website – www.derbyuncovered.com, and a new book – “Launched into eternity: Twenty true stories of Crime & Punishment in Derbyshire”

This is actually the second Derby Uncovered website. The first was launched back in 1998, before the advent of Facebook and Instagram and was soon attracting 5,000 visitors a day.

In the early days of the internet, and especially for a local website, this was quite a figure which proved that even then there was a huge desire to read and learn more about our area’s past.

The site ran for around four years before the three people involved – including myself – all moved onto new and separate things.

Fast forward to today – at quite a scary speed through a lot of my life – and here we are again.

This time Derby Uncovered has taken full advantage of the technological advances which have taken place in the online world since then to ensure that the history of our surroundings – which is, after all, YOUR history – is brought to you in the comfort of your own home.

Back in June we launched our social media platforms at www.facebook.com/ derbyuncovered and www.instagram.com/derbyuncovered. The aim for both was to bring you photos, paintings and images from Derby and Derbyshire’s past, allowing people to reminisce and enjoy the nostalgia of their memories.

In August, we launched our online store – www.derbyshire-bazaar.com –allowing people to buy their own piece of memorabilia and in September

Our website will be ever expanding, our social media will be ever updating and our newspaper will be ever growing - and all with the focus on bringing you the very best of Derby and Derbyshire.

In order to fully uncover the rich and varied history of Derby and Derbyshire we want to share YOUR stories too. This is your history and we want to ensure that as much of it as possible is recorded for others to enjoy. So, if you have anything at all you would like to contribute then please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.

Our Facebook attracted over 2000 followers within the first 3 months of its launch.

With 80+ posts our Instagram has proved incredibly popular since its launch.

A banner from the original Derby Uncovered in 1998.

Derby Uncovered in 2022.

Launched Into Eternity - Our debut book releaseavailable on Kindle at the Amazon Store.

Old images of Derby

It’s always a nostalgic moment to look back through the lens of a camera or the stroke of a paintbrush, to a bygone time so, with this in mind, we will be helping you to do just that in each edition of our newspaper.

For this edition we bring you a selection of illustrations from 1906 and we hope you enjoy the ones we have chosen. Finally, if you have any images of either bygone Derby or Derbyshire that you might like to have published, then feel free to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.

The

A

The

A

The Aviary in the Arboretum in Derby.

Guildhall and Market Place in Derby.

view of Derby from the river.

Post Office at the junction of St. James’s Street.

view of St. Mary’s Bridge Chapel and Bridge Gate.

St. Mary’s Bridge in Derby.

The Great Flood of Derby

When the weather overwhelmed the town centre

Derby has, over the years, experienced many extreme weather events, indeed it has been recorded that substantial flooding has been experienced in Derby on many occasions.

There were huge floods in 1673 and 1740 and also in 1750 when it was reported that Derby had ‘one of the most terrible tempests of lightning, thunder and rain that was ever known.’

There was also the flood of 1842 which hit Derby so badly that a huge culvert had been built afterwards on Markeaton Brook, in an attempt to prevent a similar situation from ever arising again.

However, in 1932 a flood overwhelmed those defences so dramatically that it became known as The Great Flood of Derby.

Although for a few days prior to Sunday May 22 of that year Derby had seen rather a lot of heavy rain, there was, as described at the time, ‘no reason to anticipate the inundation that followed.’

When this inundation did come, it arrived without warning and at great speed, such that Derby was faced with ‘an avalanche of water such as human ingenuity was powerless to control.’

As the waters in Markeaton Brook entered the town of Derby, they passed by St. John’s Church and moved along Brook Walk to Ford Street where a culvert had been built ninety years previously in the hope of avoiding another large flood.

And while the culvert had served its purpose admirably on previous occasions, this deluge was too much for it and it was reported that ‘so great was the volume of water that it was now impossible to find a passage.’

With the water unable to pass under the bridge it had nowhere else to go apart from pouring into the streets and once this began, the sheer speed of the flood was terrifying.

Sadler Gate during the flood.

The front cover of the fundraising booklet created after the flood.

It was said at the time that in ‘the low-lying parts of the town it gathered quickly, and by ten o’clock on this Sunday morning, shops in the Corn Market, St. James’s Street and the bottom end of St. Peter’s Street were immersed halfway up the windows.’

The flood markers which had been placed at various strategic locations after the flood of 1842 to show the height of the floodwaters, were totally covered, making this event Derby’s biggest ever flood.

In fact, the waters were so high that the centre of town was described as presenting ‘the appearance of a lake, and the sight was unforgettable’.

The electricity supply failed, as did the telephone service and the town was ‘soon in a plight that it had never imagined possible as the water

swirled in the streets, twisting and tearing up road surfaces, broke plate-glass windows, poured into basements and ground floors of the shops and stores and swept into banks and municipal offices, spreading damage everywhere’.

The devastation wasn’t restricted to the Sunday either, as the damage caused by the flood that day led to an explosion the following day at H. Samuel’s in the Corn Market.

The shutters and windows were blown into the street and ten people who were caught up in the blast needed treatment at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary ‘whilst the police had a busy time collecting the watches and jewellery’.

Although the water receded almost as quickly as it had risen, the trail of damage - both physical and financial - that it had left behind had far longerlasting consequences.

It was estimated that the damage done to property alone was around £400,000, which is about £21.5 million in today’s money.

Tradespeople suffered heavily in terms of the value of individual losses, but it was the residents in the poorer districts who suffered the most and ‘in some cases had lost their all’.

These were, of course, the people who were least likely to have any form of insurance. Those who lived close to the brook were hit particularly hard and it was described as ‘a scene of desolation in the congested areas bordering upon the course of the Markeaton Brook. Willow Row, Nuns Street, Brook Street and St. John’s Terrace were hit particularly hard with the inhabitants of Willow Row unable to leave their bedrooms’.

A relief fund was set up at the time by Mayor W.H. Salisbury, with the intent of raising money for the worst-hit victims.

As part of that fund a ‘Souvenir of the Derby Floods’ booklet was released and available to purchase for 6d. It is actually from that very booklet that the information quoted in this article was recorded.

Perhaps what also makes this flood all the more striking, is that it was the first such event in Derby ever to be photographed and this allows us to gain a sense of visual perspective.

Hopefully floods like this will remain part of Derby’s history and we will not be using our smartphones to record their devastating consequences.

A marker in the city centre of Derby depicting the height of the flood in 1842.

Shops in the Cornmarket during the flood.

The Wardwick during the flood.

Behind the Scenes at the Royal Crown Derby Museum

Did you know that Royal Crown Derby still has a busy factory on Osmaston Road where they make beautiful porcelain items in the same city where, in 1748, Andrew Planche first made and sold small porcelain models. Next door to the factory is a museum containing over 4,000 items of porcelain illustrating over 270 years of artistic and industrial history.

Perhaps the most iconic modern Royal Crown Derby designs are the Imari patterns. Imari is actually a generic term describing a style of decoration common on items originally shipped to England from the Japanese port of Imari (which is near the modern-day region of Nagasaki). Imari patterns are typically blue, red and gold with stylised floral decoration.

The story of Royal Crown Derby’s modern Imari patterns begins with pattern 877 shown here in one of the 32 pattern books which record every design created from 1878 to the mid 1930s. These pattern books, in which new patterns were recorded in watercolour wash sketches, are very beautiful in their own right and demonstrate the skill of the numerous printers, designers, hand painters and gilders who have worked for us over the years.

Pattern 877 is towards the end of our earliest pattern book and is clearly the inspiration for the traditional Imari design seen here

A flick through the pattern books reveals lots of variations on this Imari theme – what is striking is how closely they resemble the old traditional oriental designs. This bowl from Ming Dynasty China clearly shares design elements with modern Royal Crown Derby, from the geometric blocking to the stylised flowers.

Today Royal Crown Derby’s Imari designs are collected and loved all over the world. They have a particular significance amongst many Gypsy Romany and Traveller communities and are highly prized and often much loved family collections. If you would like to know more about this fascinating cultural history you can find a number of stories here imari-story-archive.webflow.io

If you are interested in the pattern books and exploring our history you can book a premium tour of the museum and archive with me, the museum director. Together we will explore key stories from over 270 years of history and handle important items from our collections. The items range from Imari plates to the stunning Gary service made for an American millionaire and our oldest items made by Andrew Planche when today’s internationally successful business was still a tiny cottage industry.

Pattern 877 from the Osmaston Road pattern books.

Modern cup and saucer with Imari pattern made by Royal Crown Derby.

Ming dynasty bowl from China.

Way back in 2008 we turned a tiny cottage into a bijou gift shop on Station Road, Mickleover. In 2014, following the opening of our second store, a gift shop and coffee shop in Burton-on-Trent, we added a coffee shop to the Mickleover store and we’ve never looked back!

We have the best customers and some of the most coveted jewellery, gift and homeware brands around. (Check out our brand list – we think you’ll love it!) We offer an in-house personalisation service from our Burton studio, click and collect on our website and a friendly personal service. But No.44 isn’t just for shopping. Pop in for a latte, enjoy breakfast or brunch with the family, or ‘do lunch’ with friends. Add a cheeky beer, a glass of fizz or a G&T… and bring the dog (we love dogs!)

Why not pop in with the coupon below, enjoy a COMPLIMENTARY CUPPA on us and meet our fabulous team. Our Christmas stock is arriving daily so it’s a great time to visit. You’re sure to find the perfect gift (or a little treat for yourself!) Then (if you like us) let us know what you think on our social media pages.

A centuries-old art form – alive and well in modern-day Derby.

When you think of just what Derby has to offer, an art form that can trace its origins back to Genoa, Italy in the 16th century is perhaps not the first thing to spring to mind as an available opportunity – nevertheless the opportunity is there and it is right on your doorstep.

The art of lacemaking – specifically Bobbin Lacemaking – originated in Genoa and was ultimately brought to England in the 16th century by Flemish Protestant exiles fleeing from the persecution of Philip II of Spain between 1563 and 1567.

Almost 500 years later, the process of Bobbin Lacemaking - made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them – survives and thrives in Derby and the surrounding areas through the work of dedicated experts – one of which is Louise West.

Louise started Bobbin Lacemaking in 1992 and undertook various courses gaining extensive experience through City and Guilds courses, in both traditional and contemporary design, and a MA in Art & Design, in which Louise studied in Contemporary Lace, and now, through her classes, talks and book, furnishes others with the remarkable skills and knowledge she has gained.

Using a unique marriage of the centuries-old art form of Bobbin Lacemaking and combining it with cutting edge technology, Louise also uses a laser cutter programme and the Lace8 design programme to create lace patterns for others to use. Her application of cutting-edge technology has led to her winning multiple awards such as the Derby Quad Mainframe Awards where she took home the New Product to Market and Digital Innovation Awards in 2019, and the Digital Disruptor Award in 2020. Louise was also recognised as one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in the UK in 2022 by Small Business Britain. As we mentioned, her immense talents are available for others to learn from and be inspired by. Louise holds an evening class in Derby at 6 Friar Gate Studios every Tuesday between 6pm8pm (term time), as well as a weekly class at the Sherwood Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Sherwood, Nottingham on a Monday afternoon, and a bi-monthly class at Whetstone Memorial Hall, High St, Whetstone, Leicestershire. The classes are suitable for all levels with individual tuition for all abilities. Louise also does residential courses nationally and internationally which can be arranged for groups. In addition to this, Louise also gives talks on the subject and her website at www.louisewestlacedesign.co.uk offers regular updates on this.

As many people have found, there’s something uniquely pleasing about creating something beautiful with your own hands and if that object of beauty also furthers a historical art form that is around half a millennium old, then the beauty is enhanced even more. What’s more, the chance to do it is, as we said earlier, right on your doorstep.

In her spare time Louise swims and has been doing the Swimathon annually to support charities such as Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie nurses. She completed a 30.9k swim this year over seven days and is now training for next year’s challenge. She supports the Swimathon Foundation as an

ambassador and shouts about the cause whenever she gets the chance, as well as designing and selling water-related lace patterns to also support the fundraising. UK Olympic swimming gold medalist Duncan Goodhew is the president and Louise has had the pleasure of meeting him as an ambassador.

If you want to find out more about Bobbin Lacemaking then Louise can be contacted at louise@louisewestlacedesign.co.uk or on 01332 742533

Traditional lace designs inspired by the collections at Erewash Museum in Ilkeston, Derbyshire as part of the Legacy of Lace project 2021.

A traditional design, from 1890, recreated by Louise.

The latest book released by Louise has designs inspired by the lace archives at the Erewash Museum in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. It is available to buy on her website.

Charity Background

The charity was established in 1974 by local Derby resident Milly Wigley after reading about the death of a neglected child. Originally called “Concern Association Derby”, it acted as a meeting place for parents to attend and discuss any issues they may have been facing.

The charity opened its Family Support Centre at 13 Leopold Street, Derby, in 1987. The centre provided the charity with offices, a day nursery for children, and facilities for parents.

The charity continues to operate from its premises on Leopold Street, and currently provides three bespoke services; Supervised Contact, Family Support and Mentoring services.

Our Mission

Our founding aim is to relieve the distress and suffering experienced by families and children. Our charity works to benefit vulnerable children, young people and families, making life improvements by:

■ Responding to the needs of children where stress within the home may adversely affect their welfare or development

■ Providing support for children who are regarded as vulnerable and who may be at risk of social exclusion

■ Delivering community services designed to foster the general wellbeing of families with children

■ Providing services for parents which will enable them to better respond to the personal needs and financial support of their children 13 Leopold Street, Derby DE1 2HE

A donation of £20 would cover the average cost of one for one of the positive activities that a Children First Derby mentor might engage in with their mentee. This could include a visit to a climbing wall, a museum, the cinema, a sporting event or taking part in an arts activity.

A donation of £10 would cover the average weekly travel costs for one of our family support volunteers to visit and support their family at the family’s home.

We provide our family support, mentoring and supervised contact coordinators with dedicated mobile phones so that our service users and volunteers can contact them easily.

A donation of £5 would cover the monthly charge to Children First Derby for one of these essential phones.

The Midland Drapery

The Magnet that Draws the People

When people reminisce about things long-gone, there’s often two particular themes that crop up: old pubs and old shops.

And when it comes to old shops in Derby, more often than not we hear of Ranby’s, Barlow and Taylor’s, Thurman and Malin’s and, of course, the Midland Drapery.

As the very first purpose-built, independent department store in Derby, the Midland Drapery, and all talk of it, brings back a lot of fond memories for some people.

For myself, though too young to personally remember it, I do remember my parents talking fondly of it.

Established in 1882, on St. Peter’s Street, with the East Street development coming in 1892, it was described at the time as ‘a delight to the eye - within its doors was a wellfitted and special apartment devoted to children’s coats, capes, costumes, ladies underclothing and corsets’.

All in all, as well as its presence on St. Peter’s Street, the shop has occupied numbers 1-9 East Street; number 3 being the menswear department which stocked hosiery, pants, vests, shirts in wool, collars and cuffs, ties, caps, rugs and umbrellas.

By 1909 the shop employed over 300 people and its founder and owner, Sir Edwin Ann, was locally regarded as a very considerate employer, often organising company events to places such as Chatsworth.

An illustration of the original premises of the Midland Drapery in St. Peter’s Street, Derby.

The Arcade looking East in the Midland Drapery.

The Gentleman’s Clothing Department in the Midland Drapery.

Displayed high on the store’s frontage was its trademark magnet sign declaring the company slogan: “The Magnet that Draws the People.”

Not only did the magnet serve to draw people in but the visit to the store left them with very happy memories.

For example, on our Facebook page people have told us some of their favourite memories of the store.

Patricia Shreeve said: “I loved this shop, it was a joy to wander round and the yearly visit to see Santa was magical.”

Frances Lilley told us that she ‘used to love the restaurant in the 60s’ and added: “The hairdressing salon was above with a staircase into the dining area. Freshly coiffured ladies had all eyes on them as they descended ... quite an ordeal!

“The adjoining Sun Lounge was great too for lighter refreshments ... loved an ice cream sundae as a treat.”

Fay Slingsby, the great-granddaughter of the store’s founder – Sir Edwin Ann – remembers ‘being taken to lunch in the café/restaurant and models would intermingle among the tables showing off the latest fashions!’ and agrees that ‘the Santa’s grotto was indeed a legendary experience’.

Although beginning its life as a drapery, by the

1920s it had become a true department store and drew many people in with its sumptuous and wide selection of goods.

Even now, over 50 years after its closure in 1969, it’s still sadly missed by many Derbeians. There’s very much a universal opinion on its closure with Maxwell Craven, in my opinion Derby’s greatest ever historian, describing the Audley Centre that replaced it as ‘a bland two-storey brick shopping arcade of dubious fiscal viability’.

Stephanie Brown also put it rather aptly on our Facebook page, when she said: “We lost such an iconic store for the crappiest of crap Audley centre which had to be one of the most depressing buildings in Derby!”

As with many things of that era, it fell victim to what was perceived at the time to be progress and it’s doubtful whether such a magnificent building would have been demolished in these times, but demolished it was and

Derby was much the poorer for it. We hope that these pictures will bring back some fond memories for many of you and as with everything we do at Derby Uncovered, we’d love to hear from you if you have your own memories or pictures that you’d like to share with us.

We hope that these pictures will bring back some fond memories for many of you and as with everything we do at Derby Uncovered, we’d love to hear from you if you have your own memories or pictures that you’d like to share with us.

The Midland Drapery in 1887.

The Hosiery and Gloves Department in the Midland Drapery.

The Café Restaurant.

Allow me to introduce myself…

My name is Kalwinder Singh Dhindsa. I am a writer, author, poet and creator. A proud Derby man. Born and raised in Pear Tree, Normanton.

I will be using my allocated space in the Derby Uncovered Newspaper to share my Derby related poetry and stories.

Every article will begin with a poem from my book Derby.

Letter A

My poem below reveals some more information about Homelands

Grammar School for Girls. A school I later went on to attend when it became the Village Community School.

This is another boo of Homelands memories I compiled.

Alter Ego

Marion Elizabeth Adnams.

First art mistress of Homelands.

In this collection of poems each letter of the alphabet is dedicated to an iconic figure in the history of Derby.

In addition to this I will also include further poetry and information in relation to the iconic figure being shared.

English painter, draughtswoman and printmaker. Surrealist artist. Dream-like vision creator. Paintings reminiscent of Nash, Magritte and Dali.

The mistress of art. Born in Derby.

The doors to C.H. Aslin’s Homelands first opened in September 1938.

As a Grammar School for Girls to selectively educate.

Amalgamated with the adjacent Normanton Secondary in 1972.

Homelands Comprehensive became mixed, for the many not the few.

A massive education reorganisation took place in 1989.

Village Community emerged with a new logo and name to streamline.

But the death knell had sounded before the start of the noughties.

Labour Councillors in secret deciding the school site should be sold, for the monies.

A last year vanity lifeline was offered knowing the end was nigh.

Then the doors finally closed, a permanent shutdown and death to Village High.

But the Council had neglected their homework, too busy eyeing a win.

For the land was bequeathed and set aside for education, by Giles Austin.

So instead of building more houses and pocketing a very large fee.

Village Primary rose from the rubble and carried on the Homelands legacy.

I will finish off this piece paying tribute to some of the great Teachers in my life. Is it any wonder I became a teacher myself?

Homelands Teachers

Superheroes disguised unveiled in hindsight. Superpowers bequeathed through the moonlight.

Remember those dreams that left you spellbound.

Life’s greatest heroes prowl the school playground.

If you’d like to see more about the books mentioned they can be found at Amazon - and don’t forget to check out the following: www.khalsir.com www.twitter.com/KhalSir www.facebook.com/PearTreeAuthor www.instagram.com/khalsir/

The new sponsors of the Derby Uncovered Facebook Page

When we first began to look for a sponsor for the Derby Uncovered Facebook Page, it was by no means an easy task. As part of our ethos of taking pride in both the history and heritage of Derby and Derbyshire and also the what’s on and where to go in the city and county in the current times, we wanted to find someone who shared our vision. We are pleased to report that in Solution Accounting we did just that.

Our paths crossed when we were both playing our part in a sadly unsuccessful attempt by the Derbyshire Records Office to purchase a criminal portrait album created by the Derby police between 1890 and 1920 at auction. After just one telephone conversation it became clear that both Derby Uncovered and Solution Accounting were on the same page.

Solution Accounting is owned by Libby Duffield and, as well as sharing a passion over our history and heritage, Libby also shares our values in offering the client the best possible experience.

For all those who use the services of Solution Accounting, this is quite literally a business which is there for its clients every step of the way.

With a firm belief in a jargon-free approach, Libby and her team will work to get a thorough understanding of each individual business and person that they represent, and use that knowledge and their vast accounting skills, to enable them to reach their planned growth and development.

With bookkeeping, management accounting, payroll and CIS, statutory accounts, budgeting and forecasting and taxation help amongst the many things Libby and her team can help you with, Solution Accounting offers a full range of help whatever the legal entity of your business is.

Offering personal support to each and every customer, it is quite simply a business that combines all the wonders of modern-day accounting practices

with good, old-fashioned principles of excellent customer service.

We at Derby Uncovered – based on our own dealings with Libby and Solution Accounting – would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending her services to anybody or any business out there looking for accounting help or advice. Libby has been an absolute pleasure to speak with and work with and we look forward to working with her for a long time to come.

Rotten Row and Iron Gate 1858

BY ALFRED JOHN KEENE

We

We are there for your business ALL year round and we get involved in the nitty-gritty, everyday essentials to keep your business finances on track. What businesses tell us they need is someone to be there to hold their hand, help them set up the systems and be at the end of the phone when they have a query. That is the service we deliver!

We love working with new businesses and start-ups, to give you the advice and assistance you need to start your business correctly and on a good foundation. We help you avoid the main mistakes that crash so many new businesses.

We also love to work with micro and small businesses where our input makes a real difference and allows you to run your business and leave your financial management in our safe and experienced hands.

Profitability

We will work with you and support you to make a positive impact on the profitability of your business. Our measured success is based on your success and your satisfaction with our service delivery and advice.

Commerciality

We believe in a no jargon approach and will ensure we translate our technical knowledge into useful business solutions for you and your company.

Personal support

Bookkeeping

Management Accounting

Payroll and CIS

Sole Trader & Partnerships

Statutory Accounts

Taxation

Consultancy

Budgeting & Forecasting

We are here to support you as a business owner and not just your business. Your Solution’s Accountant will personally support you in every aspect of running your business and will help you achieve your personal goals as well as your business goals.

Understanding

We believe that we need a thorough understanding of your personal and business aspirations to help you to achieve your planned growth and development.

Preserving history, and a place for everyone.

Derby Computer Museum has been in the works for the past year or so and hopes to open before the end of 2022. A registered charity, run by volunteers and situated on the 2nd and 3rd floors of 3-4 Iron Gate, above the old Birds, the museum aims not only to preserve and maintain computing history but also to be a valued asset for the local community.

Besides opening to the public and providing a fantastic activity for individuals and families to enjoy, the museum also provides work experience for young adults with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and field trips for primary and secondary school children.

The vast majority of the exhibits in the museum are hands on exhibits so you can see, touch and use the exhibits as if you’d stepped into a time machine to the 80’s or 90s.

How to get involved.

Whilst the museum is very close to being ready to open and it has a local team of volunteers, it needs more help to open. The museum is currently looking for volunteers to:

Help run the museum on our Saturday public open days (eg if you can contribute 2+ Saturdays per month)

The rooms.

Derby Computer Museum is split into several rooms, each with their own theme.

70s/80s room.

Here you’ll find a couple of BBC computers, Dragon 32, Amstrads, Commodore 64, and similar cassette based machines from the era, as well as a history of removable media. If you look closely you’ll also see “Zippy” from Rainbow sat on a shelf just to set the scene.

Japanese room.

The Japanese machines many of us grew up with such as Nintendo NES, SNES, N64, Sega Megadrive, Saturn, Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation as well as some that we’re less familiar with such as the original Nintendo Famicom and some original “dev kits” used to develop computer games.

British Computer Gaming History Room.

Most of us know that Derby was the birthplace of Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), but did you know that Derby and the UK has a rich heritage of computer game design? From Jet Set Willy through to Grand Theft Auto, you’ll find highlights of British gaming history in this room.

PC Software history.

Every version of Microsoft Windows from version 1 through to Windows 98! And, Clippy… we couldn’t leave Clippy out!

The Apple Room.

From Apple’s days as being more of an obscure brand with exhibits such as the original Macintosh, through to the popular iMac from the late 90’s.

Computers in music / laptops / portable.

Last but not least this room shows how computers such as the Atari ST were instrumental (not pardoning the pun) in 80s and 90s dance music for artists such as Fatboy Slim and local artist White Town. Our display cabinets of vintage laptops and palmtop computers showcase a history of portable computing which were a prelude to the smartphones we all use today.

Nutrition And Retreat

Nutrition & Wellbeing

Our nutrition offering is what you will want it to be. The first step is for us to listen, so that everything is tailored to you. The most important element is to take the time and create the space to help you recognise what your body needs so that you can start to feel stronger, fitter and more motivated.

Relax & Explore

Here in the Derbyshire Dales on the edge of the beautiful Peak District National Park, our peaceful accommodation, opportunities for wellness discussion and reflection, joined with delicious and healthy food will help you to recharge your body and mind.

Local & Sustainable

We try to be a zero-food waste household. We compost, grow our own vegetables, bake our bread and cakes, and shop for fresh organic local produce when we need it. Environmentally conscious, we use responsibly sourced products wherever possible. There are also many opportunities to visit and meet wonderful local businesses, craftspeople and professionals.

Inspiring you on your path to a healthier and unhurried lifestyle through our passion for nature and nutrition.

We’re delighted to be working alongside the fantastic Duffield Art Gallery for this issue’s competition.

Located at 7 Bridge Street in Belper and established for 50 years, Duffield Art Gallery houses a stunning selection of oil paintings from some of the country’s leading contemporary landscape artists such as James D Preston, Peter Barker R.S.M.A and David Curtis R.O.I.R.S.M.A., as well as limited edition bronze sculptures by Eddie Hallam Riber Wildlife Studio, a unique collection of hand-blown glass from Thomas Petit, and a selection of unique jewellery from Matlock artisan Beth Sharliss. For the winner of this competition, Duffield Art Gallery has very kindly agreed to provide a wonderful prize of a limited edition signed print by the artist James D Preston entitled ‘Darley Park’.

To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful print, simply put your answers to the quiz in an email next to the question numbers and send them to info@derbyuncovered.com with the subject of the email saying PRINT COMPETITION.

The winner will be drawn at random from all of the correct answers. Please note that the print will need to be personally collected from Duffield Art Gallery. The closing date for entries will be 5/12/22 and the winner will be announced on both our Facebook and Instagram on December 7, 2022 and also via the winner’s email address.

Oh, and if you need any help, then all of the answers can be found somewhere on www.derbyuncovered.com

1. What was the Saxon settlement which became the nucleus of modern-day Derby called?

2. In what year did the last public execution take place in Derby?

3. What historically important event for Derby happened in 1977?

4. In what year did the Hippodrome open in Derby?

5. Which world-renowned artist was born in Derby in 1734?

6. The world premiere of the stage adaptation of Dracula by Bram Stoker took place at the Grand Theatre on what street in Derby?

7. Samuel Johnson, author of Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language – one of the most famous dictionaries in history, married in which church in Derby in 1735?

8. In what year was Derby County Football Club formed?

9. In what year of the 20th century did extensive flooding hit the town centre of Derby leaving much of it underwater?

10. Prince Charles Edward Stuart has a strong historical connection to Derby and Derbyshire but by what other name is he also commonly known?

11. Jeremiah Brandreth, William Turner and who else were executed in Derby in 1817 for high treason for their part in the Pentrich Revolution?

12. An iconic and sadly long-gone department store in Derby is represented by the following anagram – L A D D Y R E P R I M A N D – what is the name of the department store?

13. In what year did Derbyshire County Cricket Club win the only County Championship title so far in its history?

14. The Battle of Derby took place in what year?

15. In what year did BBC Radio Derby officially begin broadcasting?

16. The current iteration of Derby Uncovered is, in fact, its second website. In what year was the original Derby Uncovered launched?

17. The Museum of Making in Derby was previously known as Derby’s Industrial Museum. In what year did the Industrial Museum open?

18. No. 41 Friar Gate is better known as what?

19. Derby’s original art-deco bus station was opened in what year?

20. The historian William Hutton, who recorded much of the history of Derby, died in what year of the 19th century?

Derby Uncovered Group reserves the right to select and notify a new winner. Delivery of the Prize: The prize must be collected from Duffield Art Gallery, 7 Bridge Street, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1AY. Data Protection and Publicity: You agree that any personal information that you provide when entering the competition will be used by Derby Uncovered Group for the purposes of administering the competition and for general marketing communications. If you do not wish to receive general marketing communications from us, then tell us that this is the case when you submit your answers. The winner’s first name and country of residence will be announced on Derby Uncovered

Limitation of Liability: Derby Uncovered Group accepts no liability for any damage, loss, injury, or disappointment suffered by any entrants as a result of participating in the competition or being selected for a

General:

at any time and without prior notice, to amend these terms and conditions.

Group’s social media channels and in the Derby Uncovered newspaper.

prize.

Derby Uncovered Group reserves the right,

This well-established antique shop can be found on the historic Borough Street in the centre of Castle Donington, owner Philip took over the shop eight years ago. It features two ground floor rooms with a selection of antique furniture and collectables, plus three cellar rooms full of interesting bygones. There is also a good selection of vintage vinyl and original artwork by local artist @SometimesSarahPaints (find her on Instagram and Facebook)

The shop is always on the lookout to buy unwanted items (antiques, collectables and vinyl records) so please get in touch if you have something that may be of interest.

Once Removed Antiques has now been featured six times on the BBC 1 programme Antiques Road Trip, the most recent visit being screened in November 2022.

pop in for

browse and a friendly welcome from shop dog Nellie!

Joseph Wright of Derby

Born: September 3, 1734. Died: August 29, 1797.

Over the centuries, many important historical figures have had a strong connection with Derby or Derbyshire.

Some were born and lived here, others moved here to conduct either their personal or business lives and some were passing through on their way to etching their names into the history books.

As part of a regular series, we will look at some of these figures and their connections to our area. In this issue we look back at the world-famous painter Joseph Wright.

There is no doubt that, at some point, many citizens of Derby will have seen the beautiful works of Joseph Wright at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

And while it may also be common knowledge that Joseph was a Derbeian, many might not realise just how close to that gallery he was born. The son of an attorney, he was actually born just a very short distance away in Iron Gate.

After attending Derby School and after deciding that he wanted to be a painter, Joseph went to London to further his skills and studied under the English portrait painter Thomas Hudson from 1751 to 1753.

Though he initially returned to Derby after this to become a portraitist, he was dissatisfied with himself and studied further under Thomas Hudson in 1756 and 1757.

Although Joseph toured the East Midlands as a portrait painter in 1769, and also worked in Liverpool from 1768 to 1771, he otherwise practiced in Derby.

In the mid 1760s, Joseph had begun to paint ‘Candlelight’ pictures. This was his own phrase for the pictures which were predominantly of scientific subjects.

He achieved a very high reputation through the quality and standards of these pictures and was an innovator of this type of work.

In 1765 he first exhibited at the Incorporated Society of Artists and did so regularly until 1776 when he transferred to the Royal Academy.

Joseph married Anne Swift in 1773 and together they had six children, three of whom had died in infancy.

Between 1773 and 1775 Joseph spent nearly two years in Italy and after a brief spell in Bath he returned to settle in Derby in 1777 where he would spend the rest of his life.

Perhaps the painting that Derbeians most associate with Joseph is The Orrery – or to give the painting its full title - ‘A Philosopher Giving That Lecture on the Orrery, in Which a Lamp is Put in Place of the Sun’.

On display at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery alongside other pieces of his work, it is a truly beautiful piece of art – as are his other works.

Described by the art historian F.D Klingender as ‘the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution’, Joseph’s works have been noted for their use of a technique called the tenebrism effect – the use of extreme contrasts in light and dark in a composition in order to increase their dramatic effect.

Joseph’s skill in the use of light and dark can be seen in The Orrery. Upon close examination of the faces of the adults in the picture, it can be seen that each face demonstrates one of the main phases of the Moon – new moon, half moon, gibbous moon and full moon.

Digging Deeper into Derby and Derbyshire

A self-portrait of Joseph Wright from around 1780.

The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus - completed in 1771 and then reworked in 1795.

Footprints

Such is the reputation of his work, that it is today exhibited in many of the most prestigious galleries in the world, such as the Tate in London and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

In the latter years of his life, Joseph contributed frequently to the Society of Artists and also to the Royal Academy of Arts.

He was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1781, but after being defeated by Edmund Garvey for full academicianship in 1783, he declined election the following year and resigned as an Associate.

Following the example of Gainsborough, he held his own exhibition at Robins’ Auction Rooms in London.

Joseph had suffered from chronic ill health from early middle age and this only worsened as time progressed.

His wife died on August 17, 1790 and seven years later on August

29, 1797 Joseph passed away at his then home at 28 Queen Street, Derby, where he had spent his final months with his two daughters. He was buried in the grounds of St Alkmund’s Church, Derby. When the church was demolished in 1968 to make way for a major new section of the inner ring road that was to cut through the town centre, Wright’s remains were removed to Nottingham Road Cemetery.

In 1997, his tombstone was placed at the side of Derby Cathedral and five years later was brought inside and wall-mounted in a prominent place near the well-visited memorial to Bess of Hardwick.

A commemorative armillary sphere is on the nearby pavement of his birthplace at 28 Iron Gate and at 28 Queen Street he shares a blue plaque with John Flamsteed, the First Astronomer Royal, who also lived there at one point in his life.

A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery c.1766.

The armillary sphere memorial for Joseph Wright in Iron Gate, Derby - the sphere is located near Wright’s birthplace at 28 Irongate.

Emotional health and wellbeing have, over recent years, finally begun to receive the important focus and recognition that they deserve. However, recognising the importance of something is only part of the solution. What can you do as an individual, organisation or business to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of yourself and those around you?

Everyone matters!

Supporting individuals with their emotional health & wellbeing

and events programme linked to health and wellbeing.

Face-to-face, virtual and pre-recorded sessions are available – you can even have a blended combination of them all – and this system offers great value for money at a time when finances may be understandably tight. This is also an opportunity to benefit from Claire’s knowledge in an environmentally sustainable way.

It is often the capacity, or lack thereof, in a business or organisation that allows these issues to arise. While the desire to solve them may exist, they can be unwittingly forgotten in the day-to-day grind. By using the experience and knowledge of Brill-Me, these issues can be solved without having to go through the long and complex process of hiring another member of staff to do so. Brill-Me can work alongside any business and organisation on a short-term basis, within its own outcomes, until the issues have been remedied. This is also a much more cost-effective option.

Emotional health and wellbeing is something that nobody should ignore – whether it be their own or that of people that they are responsible for. With Claire’s solutions at Brill-Me there’s a way to make sure that this very important issue is not ignored.

If you require training, sessions, project management or consultation services, please contact us at Hello@brill-me.com or telephone 07807 874918

Key to Claire’s success in this is her varied background. Claire has worked in the public, private, voluntary and independent sectors which has given her a unique insight into not only helping organisations become more aware of their staff wellbeing, but also in helping them to identify and implement their own strategies.

Far from just talking hypothetically about the issues of emotional health and wellbeing, Claire can point to her own activities she undertakes as part of her personal plan of improvement such as dog walking, gardening and cycling. As most people would appreciate, having someone helping who personally lives by what they teach is both reassuring and inspirational.

Claire’s company – Brill-Me – is an independent training and project management enterprise which bases its principles on trust and knowledge that she has gained over years of partnerships and relationship building. A good example of this was a very successful partnership with the NHS which commissioned her to plan and implement a 12-month training

It’s rare that you work with an exceptional talent like Claire, I have had the pleasure of working with her since 2019 I am always inspired by her ability to command a room and get people on board with ideas—even people who were initially on completely different pages, Claire makes sure everyone leaves with a smile on their face fully understanding their part in the upcoming project, she is never afraid to “roll up her sleeves and her hands dirty” she is truly an inspirational character, As a leader, client, motivator and doer Claire earns my highest recommendation, Thank you.

Jason Todd

Passionate about making a positive difference - Todd Talks Ltd

Claire is an amazing force, exceptionally talented, engaging and forthright. She is passionate about wellbeing and promoting mental health. I have always found Claire to be focused and hard working she will go the extra mile to ensure a job well done. Her training skills and ability to engage a room are second to none. Anyone who has the pleasure of working with

will be all the better for it.

Myers Performance Manager - IMPACT

Sian

Claire Austin from Brill-Me has the answers.

On average we have between 25 and 30 dogs at our centre and unfortunately always have a waiting list for dogs needing our help. The calls can come from other rescues who may be finding it difficult to home a collie in their area, to those rescues who take in strays and may have anything from one to ten collies needing help quickly. And of course individual owners contact us who for a vast array of reasons can no longer care for their collie.

Wherever the call comes from we may have to go into a ‘serious think’ mode. Priority is given to any dog in stray kennels as their very existance may be under threat if we cannot offer a place.

Details of dogs from their own homes are recorded. We try to prioritise, often giving a little advice so the situation can be ‘managed’. We also have to try and have a space or two for emergencies or any dog we have homed who may need to be returned.

When a dog arrives from its own home we ask the owner to complete a questionnaire, this helps us to understand the dog and the way its owners have lived with it. This can be a very upsetting time for all. Many tears may be shed and sometimes guilt and anger are very evident. Wherever the dog has come from we can soon tell how much interaction the dog can cope with and staff will then begin to build an assessment of the dog. Areas that may need input are identified, hopefully to help the dog overcome its problems, although not all dogs have problems. The assessment is an ongoing process but can only ever be an assessment and not a guarantee. Prospective collie owner compleet our online aoption form which is trying to establish lifestyle, level of experience and what they hope the dog will be capable of. This will hopefully allow us to identify those dogs which should best meet the new owners hopes and needs.

Once the ‘match’ is made, we get down to the paperwork. New owners are asked to read and sign a contract agreeing several points. Our dogs leave us micro chipped, vaccinated wherever possible, with four weeks free insurance or an insurance voucher and also a pack of useful information including vaccination and worming records. The rehoming fee we request includes the Trusts promise to try to help with any

difficulties and to always take dogs back if the need arises. Follow up calls are usually made within a couple of weeks and previous owners are informed that their dog has a new home.

We are often asked if we have a non-destruction policy. The answer is yes and no. No time limits are placed on the dogs who come to us. Some will be here for months; they may be very traumatised and need time to adjust. Some dogs need a very special home and special people who want “a project” don’t come along very often. Dogs would be put to sleep on the vets advice if they have severe untreatable medical problems or if they are considered dangerous. There are hefty fines for knowingly passing on a dangerous dog and we all like to sleep with a clear conscience. Occasionally a dog arrives who cannot be helped even after months of trying. We jump through a lot of hoops before we take the decision to euthanase. We hate to fail but have to remember that we were not responsible for getting the dog into the state it was in. However, very few dogs are dangerous and many can be managed with sensible calm handling.

Mercatum Christmas Artisan Markets at Haddon Hall extend to three long weekends

This winter, Haddon Hall will host its Mercatum Christmas Artisan Markets over three long weekends, bringing together some of the finest artisans in the country in a beautifully curated event like no other.

One of the biggest events on the East Midlands calendar, Haddon’s Christmas Markets will feature over 100 artisans set in the magnificent grounds of the Haddon estate. With the hall beautifully decorated, each room will be designed to come to life, with music, winter scents and twinkling lights creating a sense of the unusual, combined with a grandeur befitting of this historic fortified manor.

Visitors are invited to weave their way round the grounds, starting in front of the Stables, where a host of delicious food and drink stalls will be in situ, before moving into the Lower Courtyard, where a Gingerbread House will be on display amongst the artisan stalls. Each room will feature a selection of makers and producers, with food in the Medieval Kitchens, a gifting area in the Earl’s Apartment and a magnificent Christmas tree in The Banqueting Hall. Visitors can wander out into the Elizabethan gardens, where there will be more stalls on two of the terraces, lit by fairy lights,

before heading into The Long Gallery and Great Chamber and back out into the Lower Courtyard.

Enjoy a luxury hot chocolate or a mulled wine while browsing a variety of stalls and taking in the magnificence of the hall, before sitting down with something delicious to eat from an array of street food traders. This year sees a host of new artisans joining the line-up, with ceramicists, silk artists, jewellers, candle makers, chocolatiers, woodwork, stationery and more, offering plenty of inspiration for Christmas gifts.

Lady Edward Manners said:

Christmas is a wonderfully joyous occasion at Haddon and over the past few years our Mercatum Christmas Artisan Markets have become a stand-out event on the region’s calendar. With over 100 incredibly talented artisans joining us this year over three long weekends, the festive atmosphere at Haddon is truly a sight to behold! With music playing, lights twinkling and beautiful décor in each and every room, visitors are given the unique opportunity to shop and experience the hall at its very best, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back this winter for a really special day out.’’

It’s Christmas! And we want you to help us spread the festive cheer by joining us at Markeaton Park for the Derby Santa Run!

With a BRAND NEW 5K route. the Derby Santa Run is perfect for all ages. Whether you hop, skip, dance or run the route, “yule” be sure to have lots of festive fun. We’re also inviting Santa Paws to get involved, and they can wear their own special ‘pawsome’ festive bandana!

Join us at Markeaton Park on Sunday 11 December, run with hundreds of Santas and help spread the Christmas cheer! As a thank you, you’ll receive your very own Santa suit as well as a festival medal and goody bag as you finish.

Kate Kibble Decorating

About me

I have been in the decorating trade since I was 19 years old. Myself and my team pride ourselves on being strides ahead of any of my competitors providing a high quality finish alongside help and advice using all of my years of knowledge of surfaces and colour schemes. I always follow the latest trends and allow the time to have a thorough discussion on the day of commencement of any project.

Interior Work

All aspects of interior work carried out. From painting a small bedroom, to full redecoration of a whole property.

Exterior Work

All exteriors redecorated from a terrace house frontage to large pebble dashed properties. We go the extra mile to transform your property including;

■ All gutters will be cleaned out.

■ Minor repairs carried out to timber or masonry.

■ Scaffolding can be quoted for and arranged as required.

Wallpapering

Wallpaper quotes on request, feature walls to entire rooms.

Hand Painted Kitchens

Full kitchen renovations carried out using Tikkurila premium paints. These produce a factory like finish on all surfaces. Creating a brand new look for your existing kitchen, at a fraction of the cost of newly fitted units.

Commercial

Schools to factories no project too large.

Three

John

Susannah Beadle

Derbyshire’s brutal crime and punishment past

Hannah Bocking –the 16-year-old murderess.

The reports at the time state that she ‘was soon after seized with dreadful pains and agonies’. Whilst in excruciating pain she was attended to by her relatives and shortly before she died told them ‘that the cake that she had eaten was the cause of the torment she suffered.’ Formal charges for the murder were laid on September 19, 1818.

Based on their locations, the murders committed by Hannah Bocking and Anthony Lingard – who we covered in our last instalment – must have occurred in extremely close proximity.

The victim of Hannah’s crime was a female of a similar age to her – Jane Grant. Even throughout the passage of time we have always, and understandably, regarded child killers with a level of bewilderment and shock.

In the early days after her arrest Hannah attempted to claim that several of her friends had been involved and even tried to implicate her sister, but this ploy failed. During the long imprisonment before her trial the Derby Mercury reported that ‘she evinced no symptoms of contrition, but appeared more and more insensible as her inevitable fate drew near’. Even the passing of the death sentence on her at her trial seemed to have virtually no effect on her disposition.

Derbyshire has a centuries old and often brutal history of crime and punishment.

It was brutal, not only in the sense of the crimes that were committed, but also in the punishments received.

When we began researching this subject we found so many amazing stories that we thought they would go well together in a book - and so we wrote one. We are sure many of the stories will leave you incredulous about what took place, and asking yourselves whether any of this could possibly have ever happened, but we can assure that each and every one of these stories is absolutely true.

Below is an excerpt from ‘Launched into eternity: Twenty true stories of Crime & Punishment in Derbyshire’. If you enjoy this and want to read more then the full book is available on Kindle for £3.99 at this link - www.amazon.co.uk/dp/ B0BFNN2TB3

We look at what they did and hope that we can find something in them that can perhaps help us sleep better. In the case of the murder of Jane Grant we unfortunately can’t find anything to help us with the night hours. This murder was premeditated, carefully planned and callously executed.

Both Hannah and Jane had applied for a household servant’s position. When Hannah was rejected due to her ‘unamiable temper and disposition’, and Jane had been accepted to the position, it was the only catalyst required to trigger her evil plan. With a level of deviousness that belied her young years, she first spent time befriending Jane and gaining her trust. When she felt this had been achieved, she procured arsenic from the neighbourhood surgeon, telling him that it was for her grandfather to kill rats. She even had the foresight to take along with her a young man in case the surgeon would not sell it to her alone.

Mixing the poison into a cake, and with the girls now firm friends, she took an available opportunity when they were both told to move some cattle out of a field.

On the way, Hannah offered Jane some of the cake and Jane eagerly accepted.

It was only as her date with the executioner drew near that she finally confessed, admitted her crime and added that she alone was solely responsible for it.

Hannah was executed on the New Drop outside the County Gaol on March 22, 1819. When she was ‘launched into eternity’ it was reported by the Derby Mercury that ‘an involuntary shuddering pervaded the assembled crowd, and although she excited little sympathy, a general feeling of horror was expressed that one so young should have been so guilty, and so insensible’.

Though her body was requested to be returned by friends for a burial, it was taken and dissected as per the law of the land.

It seems that although so young, her demeanour had offered Hannah little chance of a reprieve from the hangman’s noose, though some people were lucky enough to receive them. You would assume that people who had so narrowly escaped a judicial death would perhaps change their ways, but only 11 days later a man who had so narrowly escaped the drop just two years previously, would, this time, get no such reprieve.

“a mind greatly darkened and depraved.”

How could someone so young commit such a crime?

Christmas is coming

ABOUT US

We are a small family run gift shop based in the heart of the cultural Cathedral Quarter, Derby. Our passion is finding unique, quality made gifts and we strive to source ethical, sustainable, and affordable products. We actively support talented U.K makers, artists and artisans from around the world who love to create their unique products for us all to enjoy.

Our gift shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am to 4pm - with extended hours in December - AND we are dog friendly, so pop in with the pooch. You might just meet Buddy our miniature labradoodle, he's head of meet and greet!

Life can be stressful for all of us. It often seems that there’s not quite enough hours in the day to get things done and if, like many are, you’re balancing the pressures of home life alongside the pressures of being a business owner or executive, these problems only intensify.

Even if you do manage to keep on top of the myriad of everyday tasks which must be done, it’s often at the expense of your happiness and stress levels.

Cath Harrison, Founder and owner of Bee-Assisted Ltd, with her small team of professional VA’s, will quite literally create

Let somebody else handle many of life’s

issues…

…while you take a well-earned break

extra time for you by taking care of the tasks you can’t do, don’t do, or shouldn’t do.

Whether the support you require is for your business, with services such as executive PA support, travel arrangements, event management, minute taking and much more, or for your personal life, which is under strain from your business commitments, Bee-Assisted also provides Lifestyle Management support.

Bee-Assisted provides you with a PA for your personal admin, helping you with tasks such as arranging personal appointments, car servicing, help with organising family

IT’S AN INVESTMENT

If you’re a business owner, and its business support you want, then your time is far more valuable if it’s spent generating revenue whilst Bee-Assisted takes care of the rest.

If you’re looking for support in your personal life, then it’s an investment in your own health and well-being.

The pressures of modern-day life can, at times,

be crushing, but by using the services offered by Bee-Assisted there’s no reason why they have to crush you.

Cath has over 35 years experience in supporting Executives and business owners, within various private and public sector organisations, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management (FinstAM)

events, researching home improvement services, childcare, pet care, window cleaners, gardeners, utility providers and insurance renewal quotes … the list goes on.

You might be wondering what the cost of all this is? It’s certainly not as much as you think it might be – you can pay for these services hourly at £30 per hour, for a little or as many hours as you require. Alternatively, there are package options, which start at just £270 for 10 hours per month!

and the Executive Personal Assistants Association (EPAA).

Now her experience and skills are available for others to benefits from.

Why not sit back and allow somebody else to handle many of the stressful issues in your life while you take a break? After all, you deserve it.

You choose from ad-hoc hours, or a great Package Deal

are looking for

Cath is the lady for

Super organised and very efficient, you can be assured that your projects will get prompt and expert attention, freeing you up to focus on other areas

JulieT-411

Derbyshire’s Historic Houses supporting the National Garden Scheme.

You may have heard of the National Garden Scheme, or the ‘yellow book’ which details public and private gardens open to the public each year to raise funds for nursing and health charities, but did you know that a Derbyshire garden was one of the inaugural members of the scheme?

The National Garden Scheme was founded in 1928, following a suggestion by Miss Elsie Wagg of the Queen’s Nursing Institute who came up with the idea of raising money for district nursing through the nation’s obsession with gardening. A total of 609 gardens opened in 1928 including Derbyshire’s very own Melbourne Hall Gardens. Garden owners were asked to open their gardens for ‘a shilling a head’ and raised a total of £8,191.

Melbourne Hall continues to open its garden to the public, and again in 2023 will have special open days raising funds for the National Garden Scheme. Visitors can enjoy 17 acres of historic gardens, ancient trees, statues and the famous metal arbour known as ‘The Birdcage’

Tissington Hall, near Ashbourne, has been opening its garden gates under the scheme for more than 85 years. Now a popular wedding venue, the gardens continue to be open in support of the National Garden Scheme, and some of the highlights include a stunning rose garden on the west terrace and herbaceous borders.

Another famous Derbyshire House, Calke Abbey in Ticknall, now owned by the National Trust, supports the scheme each year. The highlight for the gardening enthusiast is certainly the walled kitchen garden, which is both beautiful and reminiscent of days gone by. During their September opening you can also see a beautiful dahlia display, which is very handy if you are choosing which varieties you would like to grow.

and extravagant borders along with a lovely lakeside walk. Again, this garden is regularly open to the public and continues to support the National Garden Scheme each year.

Broomfield Hall, only four miles north of Derby is a hidden gem. Now part of Derby College’s campus, the 25 acre Victorian gardens and woodland includes a potager, walled garden and themed gardens.

Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors, the National Garden Scheme has now donated more than £63 million to their beneficiary charities and, in 2021, made donations of over £3 million, making it the most significant charitable funder of nursing in the UK. Beneficiaries include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK and, of course, the Queen’s Nursing Institute.

In honour of Elsie’s idea the QNI received £395,000 in 2021, including a special one-off payment of £25,000 to help launch the new NGS Elsie Wagg Scholarship which will support five community nurses each year to undertake a project to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for people, connected with gardening and social prescribing. Coming

Renishaw Hall, to the north of the county, is also well worth a visit. The garden was created in 1885 and features various garden ‘rooms’, a rose garden

Melbourne Hall

Tissington Hall

Calke Abbey

Renishaw Hall

Broomfield Hall

Derby Derby in Pictures

Full of both history and modernday images related to the history, in the opinion of Derby Uncovered, it is one of the very best sites about Derby on the world wide web.

We were therefore even more delighted when the creator of Derby in Pictures - Mark Mileyagreed to bring his fantastic insight and images to our newspaper. In this issue Mark takes a look at one of Derby’s oldest thoroughfares – Friar Gate.

A small part of Friar Gate showing the huge range of building styles and dates.

by Mark Miley

The city of Derby is blessed with a plethora of beautiful streets and historic buildings, with one of the finest of these being the ancient thoroughfare of Friar Gate.

Originally known as Frereyate in the early 14th century, it takes its name from the friary which had been established in about 1230. Founded by the Dominican Order, otherwise known as the Black Friars, it grew substantially over the years and at one time had as many as 30 friars and extended to about 16 acres. All this changed though on January 3, 1539, when the property was surrendered to the Crown as part of Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Following the dissolution, the area around the friary was sold off and redeveloped and, in the early 18th century, the site of the friary itself was purchased by Samuel Crompton whose father had established the town’s first bank. He erected a

grand house called, surprisingly, The Friary. A wall at the rear and parts of the cellars are thought to be medieval in origin and may be a survival from the original friary. Later in the century it became the residence of the Boden family, prominent mill owners and industrialists. In 1922 it was sold again, becoming a hotel and then later a student bar, which it remains today. Friar Gate contains some of the city’s oldest surviving buildings. One of the finest of these was the townhouse of the Gell family.

Built for them in the early years of the 17th century, it was their town residence for nearly 500 years and, during the Civil War, was also used as the headquarters of Sir John Gell, head of the family and also the parliamentarian commander for the area.

Originally this was the extent of Friar Gate, with the land further along being that of Nuns Green which was an area of mills, meadows and convent buildings forming the nunnery of St Mary De Pratis. Suffering the same fate as the friary in the 18th century, the land became variously common land, quarries for brick making, a pinfold and beast markets and, with the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army in 1745, it was used to store his ordnance.

In 1768, an Act was passed for parts of the land to be sold off to raise money for town improvements such as street lighting and it was this that gave us the wonderful Georgian street that today forms the upper half of Friar Gate.

One of the principal figures in this development was renowned architect Joseph Pickford. Born in Warwickshire, Pickford learnt his trade in London before moving to Derby in about 1760. It was in Derby that he established a reputation for designing town and country houses following the fashionable Palladian style. As well as designing a number of the houses along Friar Gate, in 1770 he also built Number 41 for himself. Designed to be both a family home and office, its elegant interiors presented a showcase to prospective clients. Today it is open to the public as a wonderful museum of Georgian life.

The cobbled entrance to The Friary, the Boden residence and now a student bar.

The ancient townhouse of the Gell family, their home for over 500 years.

One of the fine Georgian town houses on the street, Pickfords House is now a fascinating museum.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

I was working in admin up to April 2020 and was then furloughed during the COVID pandemic. Like a lot of people that year I was stuck at home with nothing to do. I already had a steamer and during the first lockdown I started to use it more just to stop getting bored. I really deep cleaned my whole house and tried cleaning things I had not done before like doors and skirting boards, window panes, my oven etc, not just my bathroom and kitchen which is what I bought it for. I already knew the difference it made in a bathroom, on tiles especially, but was surprised how it cleaned the whole house. In July I was made redundant and this is when Ashbourne Steam Cleaning was born. I now spend my days turning other people’s grime to shine, and also getting rid of 99.99% of viruses and bacteria that may be lurking in kitchens and bathrooms.

Seeing the difference it makes and the reaction of my customers when they see the results is what drives me.

Derwent MEADOWS

Lisa Witham, Head of Wilder Communities

Derwent Meadows is a 18.5 hectare site situated at Derby Commercial Park at Raynesway. Derby City Council has taken on the 99-year lease of the nature reserve and has entered into a 10-year partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to manage the area for the benefit of wildlife and people. The site is owned by Goodman, who invested in local infrastructure and the creation of a dedicated wildlife area when work on Derby Commercial Park was completed in 2007. The new partnership between Derby City Council and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is an important step in the Trust’s vision for a Wilder Derby and is one of many new projects throughout the city. It’s a great site to access by foot or bicycle. Around a quarter of the Derwent Meadows site is a dedicated wildlife area, with a riverside walkway linking with the local footpath and

cycle network. You can walk from Derby City centre or Elvaston Castle along the Route 6 cycleway. From Alvaston Park you can enjoy the riverside path and be at Derwent Meadows in under 20 minutes. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been managing the site since April 2022, and we’ve been undertaking surveying and monitoring to develop a 10-year management plan. We want to improve the biodiversity by clearing overgrown areas, improving the wetlands and creating new habitats to encourage as many species as possible, including installing bat and bird boxes. We will also provide interpretation boards so that visitors gain a better understanding of the nature around them.

While visiting you’ll be able to see and hear a wide variety of birds such as song thrush, blackcap, chiffchaff as well as sedge warblers and cetti’s warblers in and around the reedbeds. We have evidence of foxes and bats on site in the woodland. There are several waterbodies throughout the site and our first findings show signs of great crested newts. The River Derwent runs through the site and is home to grey herons, little egrets and kingfishers.

We also want the site to create a space for local businesses and the community to use. As part of our plans we’ll be holding engagement events, school visits, and community events. The Courtaulds Wood area of the site will be used for naturebased activities and sessions. Our new Nextdoor Nature project is working with organisations and communities in Alvaston ward, and we’ll be bringing people along to Derwent Meadows to take part in practical conservation and wellbeing activities to connect with nature and inspire them to develop their own community

lwitham@derbyshirewt.co.uk

We’ll be supporting local people and businesses to get more involved with our work at Derwent Meadows so if you would like to be part of this please contact

Access to quality green space is important for our physical and mental health. As part of the Nature for Everyone campaign, we’re calling for a legal right to local nature for everyone. People want to access nature on their doorstep and less than 20 minutes’ walk away, so we’re thrilled to have our first Derby City nature reserve –Derwent Meadows.

projects.

Little egret

Kingfisher

Heritage Wood is located just off the A52 halfway between Derby and Ashbourne, nestled in the delightful unspoilt Derbyshire Countryside. A mix between nature, celebration and reflection. A unique opportunity to dedicate a tree in memory of a loved one, or to mark a variety of occasions and life time events. Your chance to create your own personal bond with nature.

For the third year we are delighted to be holding our Illuminated Woodland Walk, the annual celebration of Heritage Wood. The perfect opportunity to see Heritage Wood in all its winter glory at night. Highlighted in a kaleidoscope of lights and colour, whilst remaining true to our ethos of a natural woodland, celebrating natures beauty and appreciating just what a special place Heritage Wood is for our visitors and sponsors.

Around the wood we will have approximately a mile of our pathways shining with lights. Numerous trees will be bathed in different colours. Lights will follow your steps up and down our pathways, trees will shine with our lasers illuminating the dark winter skies.

New for this year is our lake show. This will be a mass of colour, movement and effects, reflecting in the water, programmed in time with music.

An area of special interest will be our woodland clearing where our amazing six-foot-tall stainless steel dandelion is located. Family owned Wathall’s funeral directors commissioned the dandelion in 2019. It is dedicated to members of the Dandelions Bereavement Support Groups. Thanks to their sponsorship this year we intend to enhance this naturally beautiful area of contemplation with tasteful, joyous lighting creating a ceiling of light using over 5000 individual light bulbs.

At the end of your walk there will be a selection of hot food and beverages for you to enjoy around our fire pit. We also have a small selection of stalls offering a wide variety of goods for you to browse.

The perfect event and location to brighten up your winter nights and share with family and friends. To celebrate the winter season, to remember, to rejoice, to create new lasting memories.

Alf James Alf James

Ian

Ian

If you were a child growing up in Derby during the second half of the 20th century and you had a sense of fun or mischief, then the name Alf James is a legend and visits to his famous joke shop on Green Lane were a must.

Alf actually opened his first shop selling toys, magic tricks and jokes during the 1950s on the corner of Monk Street and Dunkirk in the Stockbrook area of Derby, and as generations of Derby children discovered this treasure trove, the business went from strength to strength.

In 1960, Alf moved the business into the now famous tiny shop in Green Lane in the shadow of the great Hippodrome Theatre and it was here that I spent many a happy time.

Until the age of about 12, I was accompanied by my mother and my purchases were always fairly ‘tame’; maybe a nail through the finger, a fake scar, a plate ‘wobbler’ or a contraption that made an old penny disappear then reappear. Only later, when I was allowed to visit with chums after school and on Saturdays, did I dare to buy slightly more mischievous tricks and jokes.

The tiny shop itself was dimly lit, mysterious and almost spooky with werewolf masks, skeletons and witches hats hung up on the ceiling. Under Alf’s brightly painted fascia board, the square window was a tightly packed array of all types of practical jokes and tricks, wigs, costumes and magic. A glass display cabinet to the left of the shop door was also filled with dozens of similar japes; enough

ecstatic;

to send a mischievous schoolboy

plastic spiders, fake eyeballs, plastic dog mess, ink stains (or, worse still, ‘fart’ powder!)

The shop on Green Lane.

The original shop on the corner of Monk Street and Dunkirk.

Ian Griffiths was born in Derby in 1963. He attended Bemrose Grammar School in Derby before studying law and becoming a solicitor, and for twenty years a senior partner, in the old Derby solicitors’ firm of Moody & Woolley (established 1846).

Ian has written numerous pieces for a number of local heritage group publications and a book - “Littleover, Portrait of a Village in 1990.

studied garden design and spent twenty years opening his town garden to the public in Derby for charity - under the National Garden Scheme.

retired from law at the age of 52 and recently moved to Cornwall to live in an ancient family house and to undertake the rescue and restoration of its historic garden - which is also open to the public.

MEMORIES OF DERBY’S MOST FAMOUSJOKE SHOP

MEMORIES OF DERBY’S MOST FAMOUSJOKE SHOP

By Ian Griffiths

Once inside the shop, with its mahogany shelves and glass display cases crammed from floor to ceiling with goodies, Alf would appear from a dark storeroom at the back and, armed with my 10p weekly pocket money, I would ponder over that week’s purchase – such decisions! Would it be the fly in the sugar to startle Mother or the whoopee cushion to embarrass Father – or maybe some itching powder to have my revenge on the school bully! Often, particularly on Saturday mornings after the children’s matinee at the nearby ABC or Odeon Cinemas, his shop would be full of kids, usually boys, and Alf would become quite stern and authoritative. No time wasting was permitted – joke buying was a serious business and Alf tolerated no cheek! Autumn and winter was my favourite time with Halloween, firework night and Christmas looming. Alf even sold indoor fireworks and many a gloomy night was brightened with a family show of card tricks or magic all purchased from Alf’s little shop.

As I grew older I bought fewer jokes but with my social life taking off at university, Alf James’ shop was still the place to go for our parties and fancy dress. Wigs, masks, bunting – even ‘comedy’ breasts could be purchased at Alf’s to make the party go with a swing – or more often than not a bang and I must have spent a small fortune there over the years. As well as the wide assortment of tricks and jokes, you could also find a rich choice of costumes and stage makeup and Alf received custom from many of the stars of variety who appeared at the theatre, among them Tommy Cooper, Michael Bentine and Marty Feldman. After many years of success, Alf retired in 1984 and sold the business to Ronald England. Ronald eventually moved the business further down Green Lane and continued trading until the business closed in 2003.

Alf passed away in 2003 aged 93, but the memories of his fantastic little store live on to this day.

Alf James.

village EPC: C lettings@johngerman.co.uk

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Elmhurst, Egginton

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Barcheston Close, Oakwood £900 pcm

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We will find you a tenant and organise the tenancy agreement, leaving you with the day to day running of your rental property

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Boggy Lane, Church Broughton

£320,000 (Guide Price)

Offering a wealth of charm and character, this superb and quirky property enjoys an idyllic and sought-after village position, boasting excellent transport links EPC: E

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Cedar Farm, Dalbury Lees £395,000

Charming barn conversion set in the centre of the village with views over the village green. Great family friendly layout. EPC: C

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Markeaton Lane, Derby £400,000

Stunning former schoolhouse presenting an extremely romantic picture sitting close to the edge of Derby. Deceptively spacious with off road parking & a lovely mature garden. EPC: N/A

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£425,000 (Offers Over)

Great 4 bedroom home at the head of this very quiet cul-de-sac on the edge of the city, making the perfect base for a busy family. EPC: C

Book a viewing on 01332 943818 or derby@johngerman.co.uk

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Ghostly Derby

‘The Dead Centre of England’

Officially declared as being one of the most haunted cities in the UK, Derby has fondly been referred to as ‘The Dead Centre of England’. Here, we bring you three of the many ghostly tales from Derby’s history –first published on www.derbyuncovered.com.

The junction of the Cornmarket, St. Peter’s Street and Victoria Street.

The former Royal Bank of Scotland –Cornmarket, Derby.

During building works in the 1970s, three workmen were tasked with demolishing walls within the building’s basements and it was here that a very young ghost made his first of many appearances.

Spotting a hidden cavity during their work, one of the men saw a small boy sitting down in ragged clothing. When the workman asked the boy where he had come from, he received the reply: “I’ve come from the inn.”

The workman ran to fetch his colleagues, but when he returned the boy had simply vanished, although he had not passed the workman and there was no other exit route.

Not long after, the boy began to appear and make his presence known, in not only the newly-erected Royal Bank of Scotland, but also in the neighbouring Acropolis Café. According to staff from both businesses, there were many unexplainable noises and objects moving of their own accord.

It is thought that the inn the boy was referring to may have been the Tiger Inn, which once occupied much larger premises, although the origins of the boy remain unsolved to this day.

The Ghosts of Old Prisoners – St. Peter’s Street/Cornmarket, Derby.

The junction of St Peter’s Street and Cornmarket was once the location of Derby County Gaol and it was here in 1610 that a terrible tragedy occurred.

Standing alongside Markeaton Brook, the gaol was prone to flooding and following a particularly heavy period of rain the brook burst it banks, resulting in water flowing directly into the gaol. The flood was so bad that three of the prisoners, trapped within their cells, were unable to escape and were drowned.

Many people have claimed to have heard the anguished and panicked cries of the men in the years since – echoing the cries they would have made all those years ago. A lady who worked at the old Marks and Spencer on St. Peter’s Street even reported leaving work and hearing a ‘ghostly wail’ so vivid that she assumed someone was lying injured nearby.

When she went to investigate she quickly realised that the sounds were coming from beneath the road. Not surprisingly, she was unable to sleep that night and it’s also not surprising that something so tragic has left a presence still heard and sensed to this day.

The Old Bell Hotel –Sadler Gate, Derby.

As Derby’s last surviving coaching inn, the history of the Old Bell Hotel dates back to 1650. As well as being a hub for travel and hospitality over the years, it has also housed a doctor’s surgery, a courtroom and, on occasions, its cellars were used as prison cells.

It is of no surprise then, that The Old Bell Hotel can lay claim to being possibly the most haunted location in Derby.

Room 29 is said to be the single most haunted room of the building and is the place where the ghost of Mabel, a former linen maid when the Old Bell was still a coaching inn, committed. She took her own life in the room after

finding out that her lover, who had previously taken the King’s Shilling to join the army, had been killed in combat whilst she was pregnant with his child.

With another maid alleged to have been murdered by Jacobites in 1745, it is perhaps to be expected that over the years there have been various sightings of ghostly figures, unexplained sounds and objects being moved by unseen entities. A lady in 18th Century costume has been seen in both the 1930s and 1950s in the presence of small children.

Perhaps it is only to be expected that a building with such a rich and varied history has left an indelible mark from many of the people who frequented it but who are no longer with us.

The Old Bell Hotel - Derby.

The former Royal Bank of Scotland – Cornmarket, Derby.

Our five favourites!

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