I never realised, until reading this, that the original annexe at the Swanwick Memorial Hall was in memory of Miss Mary Swanwick.
Derbyshire Times 25 July 1925. Interesting that using the annexe for a library and reading room was suggested here.
This article shows the police took the noise from rowdy behaviour late at night very seriously , this was when policemen were on the beat, things have changed a bit in the last 90 odd years and sadly no police men on the beat now!
The above photo taken around 1890 shows the old gas works and the railway line which went to Sheepbridge Works, Dunston and Barlow (Courtesy of Chesterfield Library)
This map posted by Paul Greenroad some time ago shows the junction with all the lines.
A later picture of the junction looking towards Sheepbridge?
Picture posted by Paul Greenroad
This sad story was in the Derbyshire Courier 1 Jan 1887, what a terrible mistake to make!
I was surprised to read how long the library has been situated at Swanwick Hall, it was discussed by the Trustees in March 1929 when they offered the Hall as a Delivery Station for Chesterfield Library at a rental of £10 per annum.
A newspaper report from 15 June 1929 confirms that a Delivery Station of the Chesterfield Library was to be opened in the Swanwick Memorial Hall.
New readers were to be enrolled on June 21st and it was hoped the issue of books would commence on 25th June.
I remember going there as a girl in the sixties when you used to go up the stairs at the back of the Hall.
Derbyshire Times 2 March 1929
Derbyshire Times 15 June 1929
Remembering the Fallen from all conflicts, and in particular the men from Old Whittington
How many people can remember attending weddings at the Swanwick Hall? After the meal the chairs would be pushed to one side for dancing!
I definitely attended at least one in the 1960’s which was laid out like this. The image came from https://picturethepast.org.uk/ and was taken in 1966, Photographer R Wilsher
The Revolution House and the stories of the Revolution are always popping up.
These two articles were posted on the Chesterfield and Area History and Genealogy Face book page, and both have interesting bits of information.
The first posted by Andrew Johnson earlier this year. From a report in the Derbyshire Times in 1929.
The second piece was posted two days ago by Rob Marriott, an article originally posted in the Illustrated London News 18 December 1847. The Revolution House certainly looks different to how it appears today.
I have to admit to having a personal interest in this article from the Derbyshire Times 22 November 1935. I travelled to Tapton on the school bus from Whittington for many years, as I remember it was a free service at that time. It is interesting to see in this article the discussions that went on about charging for the journey in 1935. I think the school originally opened in 1931 to scholars, perhaps prior to this article children from Whittington had to make the not unsubstantial journey under their own steam.
This appeared in the Sheffield Telegraph 7 september 1929 written by a ‘Native’.
Old Whittington One Place Study 