Now I can bore the best of them with stories of what I did on my holidays, and the blog offers up endless possibilities.
So, having spent a few days in the village of Bole Hill and a few afternoons in the nearby town of Wirksworth, I feel as qualified as any tourist to explore the scenery, history, and people of the two places.
Nor am I put off by the simple fact that as I write this, I am hundreds of miles further north looking out as the rain comes down like stair rods, while in Wirksworth the sun is cracking the paving stones.
The Wirkswoth project began with the war memorials of the area, and then as you do, I morphed into thinking of using a few pictures of the town.*
But rather than fall across the parish church or the pubs I was drawn to the entrance of Ken’s Supermarket and off license which announces to the world on its Facebook site it is a mega store.
It stretches down St John Street, is open seven days a week and the signs announce that it is the “Local Value Store”, with “lots of bargains everyday”.
And as you do, I pondered on how long it had been there, which led me by degree to the census records and the street directories.
Of these, the 1901 census offered up the name of William Stevenson who had been born in 1843 in Belper, the OS map for 1900 showed the property, while Kelly’s Directory for 1900 told me that “Wirskworth is an extensive parish, township and market town and a terminal station of a branch of the Midland Railway from Derby, 3½ miles west from Whatstandwell Bridge station, on the Ambergate and Manchester section of the Midland Railway, 13 north-north- from Derby, 4 south from Matlock, 9½ west-by-south west from Alfreton, 8½ north-east from Ashbourne, 5½ north-west from Belper and 139 from London ………….”.**
And that “the town is pleasantly situated in a valley nearly surrounded by hills, at the southern end of the mining district, and is well paved and lighted from with gas from works at Warmbrook, the property of the Wirksworth Gas Light and Coke Company”, going on to describe the town government, the principle buildings and lots more.
All of which testifies to the usefulness of directories which should always be a first port of call when wanting to explore the history and geography of a place.
The added bonus was a description of Bole Hill Institute “a structure of brick erected in 1889 at a cost of £150, on a site given by Thomas Hunt esq, and includes a reading room".
The building is still there today and stands close to the cottage we stayed in.
So, there you have it, a bit of our holidays with a bit of history on a day when it didn’t stop raining.
Leaving me just to wonder if I can decipher the name on the side of the wall of this ghost sign and in the fullness of time tell its story.
Location; Wirksworth
Pictues; Wirkswoth and Bole Hill, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, map of St John Street, 1900, from the OS map of Derbyshire, 1900, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://digitalarchives.co.uk/
*Wirksworth, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Wirksworth
**Kelly’s Directory of Derbyshire, 1912, pages 441-445
 |
| Entrance to Ken's Supermarket, 2109 |
Nor am I put off by the simple fact that as I write this, I am hundreds of miles further north looking out as the rain comes down like stair rods, while in Wirksworth the sun is cracking the paving stones.
The Wirkswoth project began with the war memorials of the area, and then as you do, I morphed into thinking of using a few pictures of the town.*
But rather than fall across the parish church or the pubs I was drawn to the entrance of Ken’s Supermarket and off license which announces to the world on its Facebook site it is a mega store.
 |
| St John's Street, 1900 |
And as you do, I pondered on how long it had been there, which led me by degree to the census records and the street directories.
Of these, the 1901 census offered up the name of William Stevenson who had been born in 1843 in Belper, the OS map for 1900 showed the property, while Kelly’s Directory for 1900 told me that “Wirskworth is an extensive parish, township and market town and a terminal station of a branch of the Midland Railway from Derby, 3½ miles west from Whatstandwell Bridge station, on the Ambergate and Manchester section of the Midland Railway, 13 north-north- from Derby, 4 south from Matlock, 9½ west-by-south west from Alfreton, 8½ north-east from Ashbourne, 5½ north-west from Belper and 139 from London ………….”.**
 |
| Bole Hill Institute, 2019 |
All of which testifies to the usefulness of directories which should always be a first port of call when wanting to explore the history and geography of a place.
The added bonus was a description of Bole Hill Institute “a structure of brick erected in 1889 at a cost of £150, on a site given by Thomas Hunt esq, and includes a reading room".
 |
| The ghost sign, Market Street, 2019 |
So, there you have it, a bit of our holidays with a bit of history on a day when it didn’t stop raining.
Leaving me just to wonder if I can decipher the name on the side of the wall of this ghost sign and in the fullness of time tell its story.
Location; Wirksworth
Pictues; Wirkswoth and Bole Hill, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, map of St John Street, 1900, from the OS map of Derbyshire, 1900, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://digitalarchives.co.uk/
*Wirksworth, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Wirksworth
**Kelly’s Directory of Derbyshire, 1912, pages 441-445
How extraordinary that you should go there and write about it... as I did a couple of months ago! It's a fascinating place, isn't it!! Did you go in the heritage centre? And that amazing little pub The Featherstar?
ReplyDeleteGreat post - as usual!!
Yes it is a smashing place, missed the pub, avoided the Heritage Centre.
ReplyDelete