Continued from Letter 16
January 6th, 1939.
DERBY ROAD.
First came Wheeldon’s property, Wheeldons lived in these cottages. Next was Chain Row, with Evans, Baker, Potter and others. Below England’s Field, now Albert Street, and the next field, was a drive leading to a house occupied by Mr. Christopher Harrison, commonly called Kester Harrison. He had retired from business. After his death the house stood empty for a very long time. When, in 1857, the Carriers built a new wing to their factory, installed shafting throughout, also introduced hosiery frames, the stockingers had to work in the factory instead of at home. At this time Kester Harrison’s house was divided, and two families who came from Nottingham to work for Carriers, named Anthony and Benniston, lived in them. When England’s Field was sold, Mr. Benniston bought a plot and built a house for himself on it. I remember one of his sons was named Arthur. One of Anthony’s sons was George. Lower down Derby Road, below the Pound, was an old cottage in a garden. A Harrison lived in it. There were many Harrisons in Ilkeston at that time. I do not know whether they were distantly related or not. We now see the old mill but not any house until we come to the old canal bridge. In this home lived the Straws. The two daughters had a Girls’ School, nearly at the bottom of Bath Street. Returning up Derby Road, we come to the row of houses opposite Mill Field. In one of these lived the miller, Mr. Paul Hodgkinson. Mr. and Mrs. William Hollis, farmers, lived in another. Passing Oak Well Fields was another row of houses. Thomas Potter, warper at Carriers, lived in the first one. Ironmonger, shoemaker, in another. Then came old Tunnicliffe’s cottage. Oak Well Farm House was occupied by the Marshall family. Next came the newly opened Belper Street. Plots for building were still being offered for sale, but buyers did not come along very quickly. Solomon Robinson built a house here and Cope the carrier built another on the west side, but otherwise the road had not attracted building on it. Some years later Mr. James Butt built for himself a house in Union Street. Proceeding up Derby Road, we come to Harvey’s public house, a rather quaint countrified place, next a cottage occupied by a widow. A yard was next with a large old house in it. Here lived Noons. They left Ilkeston, and went to America. The last building in Derby Road was Job Derbyshire’s butcher’s shop.
STANTON ROAD.
Stanton Road was very quiet. Job Derbyshire’s farm house was on the right side facing north, with gable up to the road. Old Gallimore’s steps and room were next. Mrs. Derbyshire, senior’s house on the bank was the last , until the cemetery house was built. At the bottom of Stanton Road on the East side, near Little Hallam, were two old detached houses. Mr. Wilkinson lived in one. Up past Hobson’s Field and Plantation, Mr. John Wakefield, baker, built the house called Penny Loaf Hall. Next came two houses. George Carrier, his wife and daughter, lived in one; Mr. Bryan, his wife, and son William, lived in the other. Both Mr. Bryan and his son were machinists at Carriers. Regent Street was next. In it lived Mr. Joseph Richardson, joiner at Warner’s. His son Allan became a school teacher. The cross street was occupied by several people. Mr. Brakes, miner, lived there. Mr. Marshall, baker, built a shop facing the present Field Road, his house and bakery in Regent Street. Returning on the upper side of Regent Street the first house was where the Catholic priest lived. In the end house lived Mr. Samuel Chester, his wife and family, Sam, Edward, Frank and Lizzie. Mr. Chester at that time was book-keeper at Carrier’s. He afterwards entered the United Free Church ministry. Again in Stanton Road we see the Havelock Inn, the first landlord being Mr. Matthew Fletcher. He had two sons who were noted cricketers; his daughter Sarah married William Blench, stepson of the late Mr. Wright Lissett, Town Clerk. In the next two cottages lived Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, and Mrs. Cartwright, and Mrs. Smith. The two cottages in a garden, and facing south, had as tenants Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Higher up was the old cottage with gable to the road, here lived Mr. and Mrs. Amos Burrows, their two daughters, Sarah and Eliza, and their son Amos. Standing back from the road were two cottages. In the first lived Mr. Philip Straw, joiner, his wife, son Philip and daughters Sarah and Lizzie. Mrs. Straw kept a Dame’s School. In the next lived a Mrs. Straw, and her daughters.
WHITE LION SQUARE.
Wakefield’s Yard had several old cottages in it. Mr. Wakefield’s shop was at the beginning of the yard. Mrs. Hawley, a widow, and her daughter, lived next. The rest of the tenants were mostly Irish, and rather noisy, so also were the tenants of Evan’s Row. In fact the Catholic priest was often called on to quell these noisy people. Wheatley’s Yard had Mr. Thomas Wheatley’s house in it. Mr. Wheatley was a coal dealer. He had two daughters and one son, Mary (who died of consumption), Martha and William. The houses and shop opposite were built later. The shop was occupied by Mr. James Hithersay, junior, and houses by Mr. Brand, chemist, and Mrs. Raynes, dressmaker.
PARK ROAD.
One of the two first houses on the north side was tenanted by Mr. and Mrs. Amos Tatham and their family, They came from Crich about 1853 or 4. They had three sons, Herbert, William and Edmund. The latter died before reaching manhood. The daughters were Eliza and Sarah. The other property was very old, some of the cottages faced south, the backs being to the road.
MARKET STREET.
The old Wesleyans, after leaving South Street Chapel, worshipped in a small chapel on the west side of Market Street, below Gladstone Street. On the east side was Extension Street. In this new street were Mr. John Childs’ houses, which have been dubbed ‘Little Peck Row.’ Here lived Crooks, Martins, Harrisons, etc.
NOTTINGHAM ROAD.
Joseph Harrison’s Lodging House was at the top of Nottingham Road. In the road leading to Hobson’s field and house was Baker Marshall’s shop, also two houses built by Miss Sophia Wigley. Mr. England, the blind music teacher, lived in one, Mrs. Raynes and her daughters in the other. Most of the property, if not all, in Nottingham Road was old, some of it very old indeed. Standing back from the road, and in gardens, were some old cottages, in one of which lived Mr. Wardle. He had two sons, Joseph and Thomas, both were musical, Joseph being a violinist, Thomas, I believe, played the cornet. The Warrens also lived in one of these garden houses. Further down was a house inhabited by the Straw family, another by the Flinders. There was also a row of houses and a shop. The shop was converted into a parlour, and in this house lived Mr. and Mrs. Amos Tatham, when they left Park Road. Then a row of cottages with gable to the street. A sweep lived in one of these. Another cottage or two, then we come to the road leading to the old needle factory. Mr. Cope was the proprietor. After Mr. Cope died or retired, Edmund and Amos Tatham acquired the business, Edmund living in the old house.. When Edmund left Ilkeston in the early sixties, Mr. A. Tatham went to live in the old house. When later Edmund returned to live at Ilkeston, Mr. A. Tatham built a house in Belper Street, on the east side, and also a small factory. When they wanted to extend the factory the house was pulled down and another one built in Stanley Street. Again in Nottingham Road. In one house lived the Hooley family. Miss Hooley had a girls’ school. Little Hallam Lane was simply a lane. After we cross the old canal bridge, the next house was where Mr. Thomas Attenborough lived. He was a cattle dealer, also a noted cricketer. He had one daughter, Alice. Below their house was a row of cottages with large gardens in front of them. These cottages were demolished very many years ago. Returning past the old Gallows Inn, we again cross the bridge, and very soon are at the house standing back from the road, where Mr. and Mrs. Flint, Mrs. Flint, sen., and the two daughters, Lizzie and Lavinia, lived. Mr. Flint was a cattle dealer. Lavinia married Mr. Ted Tatham, second son of Mr. Edmund Tatham. Unfortunately she fell a victim to consumption after her first baby died. Lizzie also died of the same malady. Their mother was very frail and died in middle age. Coming up the road we come to a very pleasant looking house on the bank, right away from the road. In this house lived a maiden lady, Miss Horsley. In later years the Rev. John Wilson, junior Wesleyan minister, had rooms in the same house. Continuing up the road we come to another old house, gable to the road. When Mr. Rose, the rate collector, gave up the shoe shop in Bath Street, he, his wife, and daughter, Mrs. Phillips, came to live in this house. There were no more buildings until we come to the old cottage opposite Regent Street. Here lived Mr. and Mrs. Richards and their two children. The girl became a dressmaker, the boy I am afraid I have forgotten. The last building on the east side of Nottingham Road was an old farm house. I remember going there for butter and eggs. I believe the name of the people was Gilbert.
