Old Whittington One Place Study

I have heard from different sources how kind and charitable the Swanwick family were to local children, opening up their gardens for summer parties and events. One such event was recorded in the Derbyshire Courier 17 July 1847. It sounds a splendid occasion and I can imagine that the local children had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

When I was researching the men from Old Whittington remembered on the war memorials, I noticed that a couple of them were employed at the Blacking Mills.

I had heard of flour mills, water mills even silk mills but I had never heard of a Blacking mill!
The Blacking mill was situated in what was Foxley Oaks, this is the area between Newbridge Lane and the River Whitting.

Came across this newspaper entry from the Derbyshire Mercury 22 March 1798.
The reward of £40 would be quite a large amount I would imagine in 1798 it would be interesting to find out if the three ‘footpads’ were caught. I love the reference to the Turnpike Road.
If you are interested in where the Turnpike roads were this website is helpful.
http://www.turnpikes.org.uk/The%20Turnpike%20Roads.htm

Derbyshire Courier 19 October 1889

If things were so straightforward now!

Although I have not researched the men who died during World War Two and who are listed on Old Whittington War Memorial on Church Street, I thought it would be timely to remember the 25 on this page today. Sadly I am unable to add the dates or where the men died at the moment.

BENNETT                    S

BURGIN                      E

BUXTON                     S

COOKE                        R G

ELLIOTT                     J

GENT                          W H

GIBBINS                      H S

GOODWIN                  H

GOWER                       E

HAYES                        A

HILL                            S

HUGHES                     G

JENNINGS                   J G

JOHNSON                    R

LAMBERT                   R

MARSDEN                  G

MITCHLEY                 G E

PARKIN                       W

POWELL                     R

RAYBOULD                W

SIDDALL                     J

SWANWICK                R W

WAINWRIGHT            W

WHITBREAD              W H

WILSON                      K

If anybody has any photos of any of the men or any family stories about them they would like to share then please do so below in the comments box.

I found this poem trawling through the internet and although it was written in commemoration of the 1st Iraq War I thought the sentiment was quite fitting for any war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just updated some more information from Bulmers Directory for 1895.  It is full of information on Old, New and Whittington Moor.

Whittington was growing rapidly in 1895 thanks to the new industries.  Houses had been built at New Whittington and Sheepbridge/Brushes area to accommodate the workers who came from all over England to work at Sheepbridge and in the coal fields.   Shops and businesses had sprung up to provide services for the ever increasing population.

Many names that are still familiar in the area are listed in the directory.

If you are interested in finding out more, or if you had ancestors in Whittington in 1895 you can look at the transcribed Old Whittington entries here

Or the full entry for Whittington here

 

Taken from Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 10th February 1894

Several well known Old Whittington names listed here.

 

Kellys Directory of 1891 shows how Whittington had grown from being the small rural parish of 1821, when there were roughly 700 inhabitants, to a village with a population of 7271 in 1881 with many shops, businesses and places of worship.

Further information from Kellys 1891 directory can be found at https://oldwhittingtonops.com/kellys-1891-directory/

 

An account taken from the Derbyshire Courier 2 September 1848

 

Whittington in 1848 had still not been divided into New, Old and Moor when this excerpt was written for the  Topographical Dictionary of England  (originally published by S Lewis London 1848).

Whittington (St. Bartholomew)

WHITTINGTON (St. Bartholomew,) a parish, in the union of Chesterfield, hundred of Scarsdale, N. division of the county of Derby, 2¼ miles (N.) from Chesterfield; containing 751 inhabitants. A former public-house here is distinguished by the name of the Revolution House, from the adjournment to it of a select meeting of friends to liberty and the Protestant religion, held on Whittington moor early in 1688, at which the Earl (afterwards Duke) of Devonshire, the Earl of Derby (afterwards Duke of Leeds), Lord Delamere, and Mr. John D’Arcy, eldest son of the Earl of Holderness, attended. When the centenary anniversary of that event was commemorated in Derbyshire, in 1788, the committee dined on the preceding day at this house; and on the anniversary, a sermon was preached in the parochial church by Dr. Pegge, the celebrated antiquary, then rector, before the descendants of those illustrious persons, and a large assemblage of the most distinguished families of the county, who afterwards went in procession to take refreshment at the Revolution House, and then proceeded to Chesterfield to dinner. The house, with the venerable chair which has stood in the “Plotting Parlour” since 1688, and which was occupied by the Earl of Devonshire during the memorable conference, was recently sold for £725. The building is in a most dilapidated state, and has long ceased to be available for an inn; its sign is now borne by a substantial newly-built house adjoining. The parish comprises 1573a. 2r. 25p., a considerable portion being uninclosed moor, on which the Chesterfield races are held; potters’ clay of good quality is found, and the manufacture of earthenware is carried on to a considerable extent. The Chesterfield canal and the Midland railway pass through the parish. The living is a rectory, valued in the king’s books at £7. 10. 10.; net income, £302; patron, the Bishop of Lichfield. The tithes were partly exchanged for corn-rents, under an act of inclosure, in 1821, and the remainder have been lately commuted for a rentcharge of £183. 6.; the glebe comprises 33 acres. The church is an ancient structure; the chancel was rebuilt in 1827. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans. A free school was founded in 1674, by Peter Webster, who in 1678 gave £200 to purchase land for it; and Joshua Webster, in 1681, gave some land for teaching ten children: the total income is £73. A chalybeate spring here was formerly much resorted to.

The information was taken from the following website, which holds facts and information for many English towns and villages.

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-dict/england/