Heritage news 27.pmd - South Derbyshire District Council

SOUTH DERBYSHIRE
HERITAGE NEWS
A newsletter of South Derbyshire District Council, Sharpe’s Pottery & Swadlincote T.I.C.
Issue 27 June 2008
NEW CHAIRMAN FOR SHARPE’S
Tony Hurrell of Aston on Trent, new Chairman of the Sharpe’s
Pottery Heritage and Arts Trust, was voted into office at the
AGM in January this year. “Heritage News” invited Tony to
introduce himself and to say a little about his aims and
aspirations for the future direction and priorities of Sharpe’s.
“It’s a real privilege for me to be asked to take on the role of Chair
at Sharpe’s. I know what a tough act John Oake is to follow and I
am really pleased that he and Bridget have taken on the new
presidential role; we also know what great ambassadors they will
be for our cause.
“Who am I? Originally from Essex, I honeymooned in Derbyshire in
1977. I loved the place and moved into the county in 1979. Always
local to South Derbyshire I actually came to live in the district in
2000. I’m a keen walker and also spend happy summer days
watching Derbyshire cricket. I enjoy maintaining local history and
have always believed you can mix the past and future, bringing the
best of both together to create fantastic new opportunities.
“Before I moved ‘local’, I worked ‘local’ and first came across the
work of Sharpe’s through my involvement with the Local Strategic
Partnership. It was immediately clear to me that the Trust was to
have a real role in the shaping of the urban core in Swadlincote, and
this was further reinforced with the introduction of the Tourist
Information Centre on the Sharpe’s site. The Sharpe’s initiative is
seen as one key to the future prosperity of Swadlincote town centre.
“However, for me, it is also vital that we remain loyal to the original
vision. We still need to actively educate in matters relating to our
local artistic, cultural and industrial heritage. I believe the resource is
one which is there for the benefit of local communities and visitors to
our area. As we look to shape the future, I will endeavour to ensure
that the future matches well with the past and that we continue to be
somewhere that’s ‘different’, attracting both new and repeat visitors.
“Being ‘different’ brings difficulties. I believe all arts and heritage
groups face tough times. It is currently a very difficult trading
environment. I am constantly surprised how much time it takes to
persuade people to the benefits of both preserving and then presenting
• Tony Hurrell, new chairman of Sharpe’s, in the
kiln.
our heritage. More than that, I am quickly learning
that funding is harder and harder to secure as the
priorities of arts, culture and heritage slip down
the agenda when money becomes tight. One
priority for all of us is to keep presenting
persuasive arguments, continue to showcase
innovation and generally shout about what we do
because, by and large, we are very good at it.
“There are massive challenges ahead for Sharpe’s.
I believe we can meet those challenges and I really
look forward to leading the organisation into the
next phase of its development.”
Heritage News - 1

PRAISE FOR RETIRING CHAIRMAN
John Oake, the retired chairman of Sharpe’s, filled the role with boundless energy from the Trust’s inception in 1999.
Optimistic and versatile, John has turned his hand to all manner of tasks from model making, D.I.Y. and painting pictures for
sale in the café, to business planning, compilation of Board papers and administration of the “Friends”. He has been ably
supported by his wife Bridget, who (among many other things) has made her own mark on the shop and taken minutes of
proceedings at meetings.
Frank McArdle, Chief Executive of the District Council described John’s contribution to Sharpe’s as “Immense, dedicated,
hugely successful and the driving force. Quite simply, without John there would have been no Sharpe’s Pottery Heritage
and Arts Trust. It has been a great pleasure to work with John over the last ten years. The people of South Derbyshire, and
of Swadlincote in particular, owe John and his wife Bridget an enormous “thank you” for the Sharpe’s project and its
legacy, which will be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike for many years to come.”
John remains a Board member and both John and Bridget remain actively involved in Sharpe’s, both through their presidential
roles and continuing involvement with day-to-day tasks.
PAVEMENT ART: The granite
kerb and sett makers of Mountsorrel
When the streets of our local towns are being re-surfaced,
old kerbs and setts of hard granite, often pinkish in colour,
are sometimes revealed just under the modern layers.
They may form crossovers or gullies, or occasionally
whole roadway surfaces. A few examples remain exposed
to view, often in forgotten corners and neglected back
alleys, having so far escaped replacement with the
ubiquitous concrete kerbs and tarmac.
Granite is not found in South Derbyshire, and it is highly
probable that the granite setts seen locally are from the
famous granite quarries of Charnwood Forest, most
notably at Mountsorrel. These are the subject of a recent
paper by Annette McGrath in the August 2007 issue of
the “Mercian Geologist”, published by the East Midlands
Geological Society, and on which this article is based.
Annette currently works part time with the National Forest
Company.
Granite is an igneous rock (i.e. molten rock which has
cooled and re-solidified) and the Precambrian granites of
North West Leicestershire are by far the oldest rocks of
the region, dating back between 400 and 700 million years.
They were quarried by Prehistoric man for axes, and at
least from Roman times for building (including the wellknown
Roman Jewry Wall in Leicester), but large scale
exploitation of the granite for road making did not begin
until the 18 th century.
The large number of new turnpike roads built during the
18 th century stimulated the demand for roadstone, and
when John Loudon McAdam became Surveyor-General
of Roads in 1827 he promoted roads “constructed of
broken stone…covered by a series of thin layers of hard
stone broken into angular fragments of nearly cubical
shape”. The Leicestershire granite was ideal. A Local
Government Act in 1888 compelled local authorities to be
responsible for the maintenance of their own roads, and
this led to a major increase in Leicestershire’s quarrying
activity. By 1890 Charnwood Forest was the main source
of aggregates for the Midlands and the South; there were
no reserves of hard rock suitable for roadstone in the south
of England, and this remains the case today.
In 1803 the Earl of Lanesborough leased the Broad Hill
quarry at Mountsorrel to a tenant named Jackson. Jackson
saw Scottish quarrymen squaring setts at Chatham in 1812,
and used their skill to train and build up his own settproducing
workforce at Mountsorrel.
Witnessing Jackson’s success, the Earl opened the Ashpit
quarry at Mountsorrel in 1821, on the edge of Buddon
Wood. He ran it himself until the 1840s, when local
landowner John Martin took it over on lease, along with
other quarries nearby including Broad Hill. By the late 1840s
the quarries employed 200 men and boys, and soon
afterwards the Martin family set up the Mountsorrel Granite
Company. A branch line was constructed to the Midland
Railway at Barrow-on-Soar in 1860 and business boomed.
Boys served a three-year apprenticeship making setts, with
pay rising from a shilling a week to three shillings over the
three year period. The stone was blown up with gunpowder,
usually at mealtimes to minimise the risk of injury to the
workforce. The “blockers” in the workforce then split the
stone into smaller and more regular blocks and strips, which
were worked into individual setts by the “squarers”.
The production of granite setts for paving was phased out
by the Mountsorrel Granite Company in 1936 and kerb
dressing was abandoned in 1940 due to a shortage of
craftsmen. Thus ended one of the traditions that gave our
Victorian streets their distinctive character, although the story
of Mountsorrel granite continues. Even today, the Buddon
Wood quarry at Mountsorrel is the largest granite quarry in
Europe.
Heritage News - 2

BRIZLINCOTE – WITH KNOBS ON!
The dramatic Baroque silhouette of Brizlincote Hall,
made all the more prominent by its open hilltop setting,
is a well-known feature of South Derbyshire. It is a
memorable sight, but most of its admirers probably do
not realise that it no longer appears as its builder
intended.
• The inflatable-looking Brizlincote Hall, with one of the
surviving old lime trees near it.
When first built, some time between 1708 and 1714,
the enormous curved pediments were accompanied
by eight large stone urns on the corners of the roof,
removed in 1890 for structural reasons. The editor is
not aware of any photograph showing these urns in
place, and it would be interesting to know exactly where
they were placed. They must have had a prominent
impact on the appearance of the building.
• The Brizlincote urns at Rangemore.
The eight urns were taken to embellish the front lawns
of Bretby Hall, where they remained until the contents
of the Hall were sold in the 1910s. Baroness Burton
bought four and took them to Rangemore Hall near
Burton on Trent, but nothing more is heard of them.
It is sad that historic buildings have a tendency to lose
the delicate finishing touches that their builders or
architects designed for them. Exposed to the weather,
more or less non-functional, and costly to repair, highlevel
decorations may be lost quite early in the life of
a building, never to be replaced. The loss of these
embellishments has been particularly common on
Victorian gothic buildings, whose qualities are held in
less high regard than those of mediaeval buildings. In
many cases the finishing flourishes were the most
showy and decorative parts of a building, raising them
above the level of the hum-drum.
Two of Henry Steven’s churches near Swadlincote,
by way of example, have lost important design
features. Hartshorne Church (1835) has lost the tall
pinnacles and crosses at the corners and apexes of
the nave roof;
Emmanuel
Church at
Swadlincote
(1846) has lost
the spirelet on
the west gable,
which was
cruciform at the
base and
b e c a m e
octagonal
further up
through the
device of arches
built diagonally
between each of
the arms of the
cross. At
Melbourne, the
Methodist
C h u r c h
• Emmanuel Church at Swadlincote,
complete with original spirelet.
designed by
Messrs. Wilson
and Willcox in 1869 has lost its unusual spire,
supported on columns, which made a prominent
contribution to the appearance of the Market Place.
David Feltham of Stanton, primed with this information,
recently took the initiative to go to Rangemore and seek
them out. There could be no guarantee that the urns
would still be on the premises after 90 years of
changing fortunes, but David stumbled on them almost
immediately, lining a flight of neglected steps in the
garden. Their size, profile and detail betray their early
18 th century origin, and to set a seal on the matter they
are recognisably the same urns that appear in
photographs of Bretby Hall c1900.
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• Hartshorne Church with its original pinnacles and
crosses.

the houseplace and the purely functional
rooms off the other end, as at
Hartshorne Upper Hall, Wakelyn Hall
and Melbourne Hall.
SIR CHRISTOPHER ALLEYNE
AND GRESLEY HALL
Continued research on pre-industrial
Swadlincote has thrown a little more
light on Gresley Old Hall under
ownership of its builders, the Allen or
Alleyne family.
It is well known that the name Allen
was historically associated with Gresley
Old Hall, but how many realise that the
family’s main home in the 16 th century
was Ightham Mote, the National Trust’s
famous property in Kent? Being aware
of the connection, the editor made
enquiries with the National Trust’s
researcher at the property, who
unfortunately could throw very little light
on the Allens and had not heard of their
Derbyshire connection. The
documentary evidence for Ightham
Mote at that period is apparently very
sparse.
It seems clear, however, that Ightham
was the main family seat both before
and after Sir Christopher Alleyne bought
the Gresley Priory estate in 1556. In
1564 Sir Christopher was still styled
“of Ightham Moat, Kent”, and he was
buried nearby in 1585.
It has been suggested that the relatively
modest size of Gresley Hall is due to a
deliberate reduction in size as its status
declined, but its origins as a secondary
seat suggest another explanation. We
might speculate that Sir Christopher
Alleyne built Gresley in order that his
wife Audrey (or Etheldreda in Latin)
could spend some time closer to her
Ightham Mote, Kent (National Trust).
influential family in Staffordshire. Her
brother was Thomas, 3 rd Lord Paget
of Beaudesert, one of Staffordshire’s
leading families whose extensive
holdings included the deer park and
house known as Sinai Park at Burton
on Trent. As a family “outpost”, the
modest accommodation at Gresley
would be ample.
On the other hand, Gresley Hall today
does have a truncated look, but this is
probably because it grew upwards
more significantly than outwards, with
a rear wing that has been heightened
almost to tower-like proportions. Its
height seems out of scale with its floor
area. Its plan form might therefore be
interpreted as a truncated version of
something that was once larger, but it
has interesting parallels with other
house plans in the area that are, as far
we know, complete.
These other examples are Hearthcote
House at Swadlincote (demolished)
and Short Hazels at Hartshorne. In all
three cases the main living room or
“houseplace” of the house was in a
wing of its own, forming the stem of a
T. The arms of the T shape were
formed by a crosswing that probably
contained some “service”
accommodation as well as the “best”
rooms. Do readers know of any other
local examples of this plan form? In
more ambitious houses, it was usual
to find the best rooms off one end of
Heritage News - 4
Nevertheless, Gresley Old Hall did
afterwards become a main seat of a
branch of the Allen family and the
original house was eventually rebuilt in
brick, probably in the second half of
the 17 th century. The Allens owned it
for seven generations, as recorded on
their monument in Gresley Church. The
last of their line was Samuel Stevenson
Alleyne, known locally at the time as
“Mad Allen”, and the estate was sold
following his death as a childless
bachelor in 1734 or ’35. We do not
know how Samuel earned his epithet;
his will stated him to be of sound mind.
However, he gave George Bateman of
Derby, gentleman, £210 “for his
particular care and attendance of me”
which may hint at some disability which
was not then well understood –
epilepsy, perhaps? Samuel was
survived by three sisters.
The Alleyne estate at Church Gresley
was bought by Littleton Poyntz Meynell
of Bradley for £19,535. It seems that
the two families may have been linked
by marriage, as Meynell’s wife was
Judith Alleyne, daughter of Thomas
Alleyne of Barbados. The exact nature
of the relationship (assuming there was
one) between the Alleynes of Barbados
and Church Gresley has yet to be
established. Having been so sold,
Gresley Hall became a tenanted
farmhouse and was under a life lease
to Mr. Robert Bakewell when the
estate was again put up for sale in 1768
by Littleton’s son Hugo. It was called
“a very good old house” and had 126
acres of land with it.
The question is sometimes asked, ‘why
is it called the ‘Old’ Hall?’ as there was
never a new one. The “old” probably
crept into the name when it ceased to
be owner-occupied, as its function then
changed from being the centre of the
estate, where the owner lived, to being
just another farm on the estate. In other
words it was the Hall by name but not
by function, so would quite reasonably
be called the “Old Hall”.

THROWING LIGHT ON THE UNDERWORLD:
“Subterranea Britannica” and the Castle Gresley ROC bunker.
For many of us, unlit and unfrequented underground spaces
are places of terror. For a start there is fear of the unknown
- underground spaces have no exteriors and their scale
cannot be assessed before entering. For most, it is more
than enough simply to take a look into such places. The
profound, dark and sinister, echoing stillness of covered
reservoirs; the uncharted oblivion of deep, abandoned mine
workings; the cold, clammy-fingered, claustrophobic
blackness of long tunnels; all seem strangely inhuman
despite their creation by living beings. To actually enter
such places, with their numerous hazards, is more than the
average person cares to contemplate.
But as there are enthusiasts for every taste and subject
imaginable, you may not be surprised to learn that there is
actually an organisation devoted to the exploration of every
conceivable underground space. “Subterranea Britannica”
was established in 1974. Its remit is very accommodating
and its members take pleasure in visiting relevant sites of
all sorts from the state-of-the-art basement levels of the
modern British Library to the substantial remains of the
abortive 1880s Channel Tunnel (see www.subbrit.org.uk).
Subterranea Britannica has taken a special interest in the
remains of Cold War defence measures, which include a
Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on the remains of
the motte and bailey castle at Castle Gresley. This bunker
has recently been “adopted” by Jamie Cross and Stuart
Reed, both in their early twenties, who have embarked on
a project to restore it as an historical showpiece, hopefully
with occasional access for the able-bodied public. Jamie
said: “I have been greatly impressed and inspired by the
subbrit ROC project, and that has spurred me on to get a
post of our own...”
to the landowner. As at other such bunkers, access is by a
long, vertical ladder into a simple space formed of shuttered
concrete, with a small space compartmented off for a loo.
All that shows above ground are the tops of two ventilation
shafts and the lid over the access hatch. All are covered in
many layers of peeling paint in various shades of green,
which perhaps suggests there wasn’t much else for the
occupants to do while waiting for the war that never came.
Thousands of these bunkers were built all over the country.
They each housed up to three observers of the Royal
Observer Corps and were manned continuously. The
equipment provided at them enabled an assessment of
where bombs had landed, where the fall-out was heading,
and how strong the bomb was.
Restoration will involve fitting out the bunker with its
original, limited facilities. The two enthusiasts can already
put their hands on original government-issue beds designed
for the bunkers, teapots, bars of soap and even toilet-rolls
– with “government property” stamped on every sheet, of
course! Unfortunately all the wooden parts of the Castle
Gresley bunker have been burnt out, but the rubbish has
been cleared out and completion of the project is planned
by the summer. Jamie, of Nuneaton, has built up plenty of
experience of these bunkers; three years ago he had not
visited a single one, but has recently visited his 200 th !
English Heritage is offering support and encouragement for
the project and said: “We believe that its restoration will
complement the medieval castle not least by reminding
people of the importance of this high point for observation
across such a long period of time”.
The Cold War was half a century of tension between the
capitalist USA and communist USSR, concerning
differences of opinion as to how the world should be
restructured after World War II. Hostilities finally dissolved
with Gorbachev’s reform programmes “perestroika” and
“glasnost”, which ultimately resulted in the break-up of the
USSR into a group of independent states in 1991.
Meanwhile, the threat of all-out war had been taken very
seriously indeed. The 1955 Defence White Paper said that
a future war would result in a “struggle for survival of the
grimmest kind”.
The Castle Gresley bunker was built in the 1950s and
remained in use as late as 1991, when ownership reverted
Heritage News - 5
• Home from Home: Inside an ROC bunker, with
bunk beds, desk, rugs and wellies.

AN “INNOCENT AND TOUCHING” CUSTOM
Trusley Church and its Maiden’s Garland
The little village of Trusley, little changed since Georgian
times, has two features particularly evocative of that period.
One is the church of 1713, on the site of an earlier structure.
Built of brick, with no battlements, flat roofs, and of a quasidomestic
appearance with a plastered interior, it was a radical
departure from the gothic church architecture still prevalent
in the region a century earlier, and which late Georgian and
Victorian fashions were again to prefer a century later.
• The Queen Anne church at Trusley.
Trusley Church
therefore
belongs to a
period of
church building
which has been
uncharacteristic
of English
ecclesiastical
architecture
taken as a
whole, and was
therefore
roundly condemned in the 19 th century. “A dismal affair of
brick” said Cox in his Derbyshire church notes of 1877.
“… a peculiarly ugly meeting house looking building of brick
built in 1713 in the worst taste of that tasteless period” said
Archdeacon Butler in 1824. Note that both observers single
out the use of brick; they probably considered it an unworthy
material for Anglican church buildings, though it would have
been considered quite appropriate for a small provincial
church in 1713.
Georgian alterations and re-fashionings have often been
“corrected” by later ages. Gone is the Venetian east window
of Breedon on the Hill, replaced with a tasteful but sober
trio of tall lancets. Gone too are the plastered walls and
ceilings of numerous local churches, favourite targets of
Victorian restorers wishing to satisfy their own - and their
public’s - taste for bare stonework and open, timbered roofs.
Trusley Church is an appropriate setting for another treasure
evocative of the 18 th century, a “maidens garland”. The date
of the Trusley example is not known, but like most examples
it is of paper over a wicker and lath frame, ornamented
with paper flowers. Suspended inside is a pair of paper
gloves.
Maidens’ Garlands, also known as “crants” or Virgins’
Crowns, are a funerary memento, chiefly for girls who died
unmarried and pure. They were said in 1747 to mark the
Heritage News - 6
deceased’s “triumphant victory over the lusts of the flesh”
and the crown they received in heaven. At the funeral
procession, they were either carried before the coffin or
placed upon it. In some parts of the country the garland
was placed in the grave and buried; in other parts it survived
indefinitely, hung in a prominent position inside the church.
Sometimes they have been renewed when the originals have
perished.
• The Maidens Garland
at Trusley Church.
It is unclear whether or not the
person for whom a garland was
made had to be either female or
betrothed – no doubt individual
communities or regions had their
own take on the issue. In most
parts of England the garlands have
been specifically for women.
However, the 43 examples at
Abbotts Ann, Hampshire, include
examples made for men. In any
case it would appear that the
garlands usually marked the death
of virgins, and particularly the tragic death of a young
unmarried person. For instance, the garland found at St
Calixtus Church, Astley Abbotts (near Bridgnorth,
Shropshire), was made for Hannah Phillips who drowned
crossing a river on the eve of her wedding day in 1707.
One of the most recent garlands was made in 1995 and
hangs in the church at Ashford in the Water. The earliest
garland known to exist in England is at St Mary’s Church,
Beverley, Yorkshire, dated 1680, but the custom is clearly
much more ancient and was known to Shakespeare. In
Hamlet (c.1601) a priest says at the burial of Ophelia in the
churchyard:
“Yet here she is allowed her virgin crants,
Her maiden strewments and the bringing
home Of bell and burial”
The history of this “ innocent and touching” custom is
uncertain. It is possible that its roots lie in the pre-Christian
customs of ancient Egypt, Etruria and Rome. Maybe the
Romans brought the custom to England where, instead of
being suppressed, it was absorbed and adapted by the early
Christian church, using the symbolism of Mary, the ‘Virgin
Unspotted’. During the Reformation many of the early
‘Christian’ (i.e. Catholic) traditions had to go ‘underground’
in order to survive, and it is possible that this was one.
(continued on next page)

Most garlands that survive today are of the 18th century.
This may suggest that the garland tradition was important
and significant enough to revive fairly quickly after the
Reformation, in contrast to traditions that were revived later,
such as the 19 th century revivals of well-dressing and
maypoles.
The custom of maidens’ garlands is currently being
researched by Rosie Morris for an M Phil. Rosie’s website,
on which this article is based, can be viewed at
Do the cooling towers of power stations have you steaming
over their desecrating domination of the countryside? Or do
you admire them for their bold, sculptural quality? Opinion
divides quite sharply over this question and as editor I
suggest that their merits vary from case to case and time
to time. To pass Ratcliffe on Soar power station at night on
the A453, austerely lit and with its ghostly backdrop of
steaming towers, is like a nightmare scene. It could be
Hell’s chimneytop. On a sunny day it gives an altogether
different and more cheerful impression.
www.maidensgarlands.com. After doing a dissertation on
the subject for her degree, Rosie published an article on
maidens garlands in “Folklore” (December 2003) which
can be viewed at www.findarticles.com/p/articles/
mi_m2386/is_3_114/ai_n6118467. She would be very
pleased to hear from anyone who could contribute to her
research, through the contact details on her website or by
post to: 48, Oakley Street, Belle Vue, Shrewsbury,
Shropshire SY3 7JY.
WILLINGTON COOLING TOWERS
The five cooling towers of Willington, viewed from the A50
/ A38 interchange, have a serene air, enhanced by the
demolition of the associated buildings. Approached from
this point, rising from level ground with all the tower profiles
fully visible individually, they have a powerful and
graceful symmetry. Seen in full steam and from a distance,
groups of cooling towers are reminiscent of ocean liners.
Someone – we don’t know who – asked English Heritage
if they would consider recommending the cooling towers
at Willington for statutory listing. Whether the person
making the request had genuine enthusiasm for the towers,
or simply wanted to thwart proposals for redevelopment of
the site, we cannot tell. English Heritage advised us in
March that they did not recommend listing the towers, and
the negative recommendation was endorsed by the
Secretary of State. The cooling towers will therefore not
be listed. Readers may nevertheless be interested in some
of the background information that accompanied English
Heritage’s assessment:
The concept of a National Grid, whereby large-capacity
power stations could be linked together to provide electricity
wherever it was needed, was developed in the 1920s but
not realised until the 1950s and ‘60s. The large new stations
replaced small “town” generating stations, provided by
individual towns acting on their own initiatives.
The five cooling towers at Willington, for cooling the exhaust
vapour of the generating turbines with sprinkled water,
belonged to two separate coal-powered power stations
(“A” and “B”), built between 1954 and 1960. Willington “A”,
designed by Ewbank and Partners, had two towers;
Willington “B” had three towers, built at right angles to the
first pair and on the north side of them. Power generation
• Undated view of the new cooling towers at Willington,
seen here before Twyford Ferry was washed away in 1963
(www.picturethepast.org.uk / Brighouse Collection).
ceased on the site in the late 1990s and demolition was
substantially complete by the end of 2003, except for the
towers.
The towers are termed “natural draught hyperbolic towers”
and are of concrete. They have diameters of 145 feet at
the top, 122 feet at the throat and 218 feet at the bottom
and were based on European designs of the 1930s. Each
tower had an effective cooling surface of 858,000 square
feet. The design of cooling towers was not standardised
in the 1950s and they varied in size and profile. A British
Standard was introduced for their design and construction
after three cooling towers collapsed at Ferrybridge power
station in Yorkshire in high winds in 1965.
A survey of the electricity generating industry for the
Monuments Protection Programme in 1995 identified over
500 of these cooling towers, most dating to the 1960s
expansion of the National Grid. English Heritage concluded
that the sculptural presence of the Willington towers in
the landscape was insufficient grounds to list them. They
are not nationally rare and their functional context has
been lost with the demolition of the associated buildings.
It seems, therefore, that the Willington cooling towers are
unlikely to remain with us for much longer. If you are an
enthusiast, enjoy them while you can!
Heritage News - 7

BLACK MAGIC
Spellbinding restoration of an
historic aircraft at Egginton.
David Feltham describes the restoration of a plane
flown by famous aviatrix Amy Johnson (1903-1941).
Tucked away in a pre-fabricated workshop on Derby Aero
Club’s airfield at Egginton, South Derbyshire, an important
piece of Britain’s aviation history is being lovingly and
painstakingly restored by a group of highly skilled and
dedicated aircraft engineers.
The group, led by Martin Jones, a qualified engineer and
chairman of Airspeed Aviation, who own Derby Aero Club,
are rebuilding “Black Magic”, one of the aircraft flown by
Amy Johnson in the 1930s.
On of the true pioneers of the air, Amy was always in the
news at the time, earning herself admirers all over the world
for her outstanding and courageous record-breaking
achievements in aviation. In 1930, aged 27, she became the
first woman to fly solo from Britain to Australia and a year
later she set a record on a solo flight to Tokyo. In 1932 she
broke the solo-flight record to Cape Town.
Amy was tragically killed in 1941 ferrying an Airspeed Oxford
from Squires Gate, Blackpool to Kidlington, near Oxford,
whilst serving with the A.T.A. (Air Transport Auxiliary).
Flying in extremely foul weather and with no radio on board
the aircraft, she became hopelessly lost. Her yellow-painted
training aircraft was seen to plunge into the Thames estuary,
but Amy’s body was never found.
In 1933, to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the
State of Victoria, Sir Macpherson Robertson, an Australian
millionaire, put forward £15,000 for a race from England to
Australia and the de Havilland Aircraft Company built three
twin-engined Comet aircraft to compete in the race, one of
which was named “Black Magic” (registration G-ACSP).
The aircraft had a number of revolutionary features including
variable pitch airscrews, split flaps and retractable
undercarriage. The Comet had a maximum speed of 237
m.p.h. and a cruising speed of 220 m.p.h., making it a
remarkably fast aircraft and capable of a very long range
for its time.
Amy, with her husband Jim Mollison, set off on the race in
“Black Magic”, painted black and reputedly named after
the new brand of chocolates recently introduced to the
market by Rowntrees. The flight began at Mildenhall,
Suffolk, at dawn on 20 th October, 1934, but the duo soon
encountered problems. Forced to take a diversion, they had
to take on low-grade fuel which severely damaged the highlytuned
engines, obliging them to retire from the race. Another
Comet, called “Grosvenor House” eventually won the race
and the £15,000 prize money.
Heritage News - 8
• George V and Queen Mary chatting to Amy Johnson and
Jim Mollison on the Mildenhall apron before the start of the
MacRobertson Air Race to Australia 19 th October 1934. From
a painting by Frank Munger.
In due course, “Black Magic” was sold to the Portuguese
government for transporting mail and it remained in Portugal
until 1979, when it was discovered on a farm. The wooden
fuselage was in a poor state, but was brought back to Britain
with other parts of the aircraft and eventually found its way
to Egginton.
The restoration of “Black Magic” is being undertaken under
the scrutiny of the Civil Aviation Authority, who come to
inspect the work being carried out on it at certain stages of
the project. No one can predict when this famous icon of
the past will take to the air, but the enthusiastic volunteers
at Derby Aero Club have no doubt in their minds that
eventually it will.
Anyone interested in visiting the “Black Magic” restoration
project would be welcome, but it is advisable to telephone
the airfield on 01283 732170 beforehand, to ensure that
someone will be on hand as a guide.
A NEW TRINITY
Beryl Greening explains how three congregations have
joined forces to survive by strength in numbers.
The long-awaited redevelopment of Linton and Castle
Gresley Methodist church on Linton Heath is about to reach
fruition. After what has seemed an endless time of
fundraising by sales, car-washes, quizzes, donations and
grants, work is well underway.
The Church is situated in the middle of “Top Rows” on Linton
Heath, part of the rows of houses built by the Netherseale
Colliery Company for the accommodation of miners. The
current congregation is actually an amalgamation of the three
Methodist congregations of Station Street (Castle Gresley),
High Cross Banks (Castle Gresley) and Linton Heath. In
the face of declining numbers, the three congregations
continued on next page

• Modest art nouveau at the Linton
Heath Methodist Chapel, 1909.
amalgamated in 2002 to focus their
efforts on the Linton Heath building
which is to be appropriately known as
“Trinity Church”. The High Cross
Banks building was to be sold; the
Station Street church, originally built in
1876, had already been sold following
its closure at the end of 1997. Most of
the congregation of a fourth church,
Coton in the Elms Methodist church,
joined as well to boost the numbers.
The Linton Heath church was built in
1909 and it took the congregation 21
years to pay off the debt, helped by the
pledge of many original members to
give £1 a year until the debt was
cleared. Methodist services had been
held at Linton Heath since at least 1872,
and the 1909 building was a
replacement for a “tin tabernacle” that
stood on the other side of the road. The
Linton Heath and High Cross churches
were originally Primitive Methodist,
while the Coton and Station Street
churches were Wesleyan Methodist,
but in 1932 the three main branches of
British Methodism (Wesleyan,
Primitive and United) joined to form the
present Methodist Church of Great
Britain.
The current proposals are partly in the
interests of modernisation and comfort,
and partly to conform to the law
regarding facilities for the disabled. The
floor of the church will be raised to the
same level as the schoolroom and
disabled access will be provided at the
front. An extended and more hygienic
kitchen will be provided and a warmer
and more modern look will be given to
the interior. It is hoped that community
groups will wish to use the updated
facilities, as the Brownies and Rainbows
already do.
While the present building obviously
holds many happy memories for the
original Linton Heath members, it is felt
that the present work will mark a new
start for other members of the joint
congregation who, of course, held their
own buildings in some affection.
A day of celebration to mark completion
of the work is planned on Sunday, 29 th
June. There will be special services at
10.30am and 6pm with special preacher
Rev. Angela Singleton. Angela, now
retired, lives at High Wycombe, but
many will remember her from her time
at West Street Methodist Church in
Swadlincote. Between times, there will
be tea at 4pm. All, whether familiar to
the church or not, are warmly welcome
to any part of the proceedings.
“OLD BOOTHORP” AN UNIDENTIFIED LOST SETTLEMENT?
The little hamlet of Boothorpe lies just outside our district boundary in Leicestershire, at grid reference SK320176, for all
to see. However, a hint has emerged suggesting that the settlement may have moved from a site immediately to the
south of the right angled bend on South Street, Woodville, at grid reference SK319184.
A volume of plans and particulars of the estates of William Wollaston at the Leicestershire Record Office includes a
sketch plan of the family’s estate in the vicinity of “Blofferby” (Blackfordby). The plan is sketchy and undated, but
probably dates from the late 1720s. It is of interest for outlining the former extent of Several Wood in Hartshorne, which
was then much larger, and also for marking three fields containing about nine acres of land and called “Old Boothorp”
(E1, E2 and E3 on the map reproduced here). This land was part of “Hayfields ffarm” and no buildings are shown there.
If, as the name suggests, there was once a settlement there, it seems to have been long gone by the early 18 th century.
As Phase One of the Woodville bypass has recently been cut right across the middle of the site, it is unfortunate that it
has so far escaped inclusion on the Leicestershire and Rutland Historic Environment Record. Without detailed research,
it is difficult to know how much of the area has been disturbed by mineral workings in past, and the present appearance
of the area does not look rich in archaeological potential. It may be, however, that scope yet remains to learn more about
this site in the future.
• 1720s Wollaston estate plan
identifying “Old Boothorp”
at E1, E2 and E3 and Several Wood
at the top, Reproduced by permission
of the Record Office for Leicestershire,
Leicester & Rutland.
• The same area around 1900 (Ordnance Survey).with some of the 1720s
outlines superimposed.
Heritage News - 9

HISTORIC DEERCOTE
TO BE CONSERVED
When the National Trust took over Calke Abbey in
the mid 1980s, it had the opportunity to do
something different from its established norm. The
Trust already had a glut of stately homes pristinely presented,
and bristling with the work of famous artists, furnishers and
china manufacturers. Calke has its share of such treasures
also, but was largely unchanged since the 1860s and had
been slowly mouldering for sixty years or more. It was this
ambiance of gentle decay, along with the family’s absorbing
history, that caught the public imagination. Little else about
Calke was truly exceptional, despite the impressive scale
of the house and stables and natural beauty of the park.
The Trust has gone to great lengths, sometimes with selfconscious
contrivance, to preserve the special and fragile
qualities of this great house in decline. Decayed wallpaper
was carefully removed and put back again when underlying
structural defects had been attended to; after conservation,
jumbled contents were strewn around rooms as the Trust
found them; the great kitchen, unused since the 1920s, still
looks as unsuited to food production as anyone could
imagine. Some visitors do not take kindly to Calke’s
presentation, but on the whole it is understood, appreciated
and enjoyed.
In the grounds are a number of other buildings, taken on by
the Trust in various states of preservation from good to
ruinous. There usually comes a point in the decay of a building
when one either fully reroofs it or accepts the loss of the
most perishable elements such as the carpentry and joinery.
In the case of the pretty orangery in the gardens at Calke
(1777 and 1837) the Trust decided on the former course
some years ago, repairing the roof and rebuilding the
collapsed glass and iron dome.
This year, the Trust is planning to tackle the conservation of
the Grade II* listed deercote of 1774, built to attract the
deer to a new part of the park from their more natural habitat
in the ancient woodland further north. The park had been
extended southwards a few years earlier but the deer needed
careful coaxing because the new land was very bare.
Letters
• The Grade II* listed deercote at Calke.
A visitor to Calke Abbey in the mid 1750s disapprovingly
noted that there was “not a Tree near it of any size”.
The deercote is of brick, formerly rendered, with handsome
stone dressings, including columns to the open sections and
stone “kneelers” to the gable ends, which each have a
Venetian window arrangement. It was built in a clump of
trees, which was no doubt augmented to create a better
habitat.
The Trust has not yet finalised its proposals for the work,
but may opt for an approach that attempts to suspend the
building in a state of dereliction, complete with some exposed
timberwork and some metal strengthening where required.
The aim, as ever, is to preserve the atmosphere of a great
estate in decline, but there is a valid debate about how this
may be achieved while arresting further decay.
It might be argued that the building could be re-roofed
without losing the important and fragile patina of age on the
wall surfaces. It might equally be argued that a fully reroofed
building distorts the image of Calke as an estate in
decline. A halfway-house, stabilising the remains with visible
steelwork to hold them in place, might risk saying more about
the policies of the National Trust than about Calke in
particular. The listed status is another factor in the melting
pot, as the preservation of a building in an artificially
controlled state of decline is not necessarily compatible with
preserving its qualities as an historic building. How would
you decide?
In response to the letters received from time to time in response to “Heritage News”, space will in
future be dedicated to printing a selection of them, edited where necessary.
Walter Pumfrey
“I am a Friend of Sharpe’s Pottery and much enjoy the South Derbyshire Heritage News. I thought the following may be of interest to
you and your readers.
“My grandfather, Walter Pumfrey, who was Stationmaster and Goods Agent at Woodville until 1936 when he retired to Wolverhampton,
was born in Upton-on-Severn and joined the Midland Railway at Ripple. He later served as Chief Clerk at Alfreton where he met and
married my grandmother, Edith Chadbourne, of South Normanton.
“My father, also a railwayman, was born in 1900 in Station House, Alfreton, which was located on Platform 1, thus he had railways in
his blood. From 1918 until 1920 he served in the Sherwood Foresters, first in the new German Republic and later in Ireland. My
grandfather moved from Alfreton to Nottinghamshire as Stationmaster at Teversal, after which he served at Wednesfield in South
Staffordshire, now part of the Millennium City of Wolverhampton where I was born in 1935.
“Despite my love of the railways I did not follow tradition and have just completed 50 years unbroken service to education. It is very
sad that with the exception of Alfreton all my grandfather’s stations are gone, as is Bretby Art Pottery whose owner, a Mr. Tooth,
presented my grandparents with a number of truly splendid gifts. These can be viewed in Derby city Museum and Art Gallery where
they are on permanent loan. One piece is on display at Sharpe’s Pottery Museum.”
Bernard Pumfrey, Stratford-upon-Avon
Heritage News -10

WORM
POWER!
The District Council is currently
considering several options for
providing WC and kitchen
facilities at the Grade I listed
church of St. James at Smisby. As
part of the proposals, architects
Anthony Short and Partners of
Ashbourne are suggesting that a
“Trench Arch” sewage disposal
system may be used.
The Trench Arch system was
promoted by Mark Moodie,
formerly of “Elemental Solutions”,
in a report to the Diocese of
Gloucester in 2001 concerning its
potential use for churches.
Recommended for use where
connection to a mains sewer is
unfeasible, it is very simple and
capable of being installed by a
reasonably fit layman.
Installation involves digging a
wide and shallow trench with
ordinary concrete blocks laid
directly on the soil in a line down
each side, capped off with
concrete slabs two feet square.
Sewage and waste water enters
the chamber at one end and
simply spreads across the soil. As
the chamber lies inside the topsoil
zone it is fully aerobic and worms
can quickly get to work and digest
the waste water contaminants. The
sewage thus becomes inoffensive
and odour-free very quickly. In due
course the worm casts create a
friable and permeable base to the
chamber.
It is claimed that this system can
cope with occasional high
demand at special events, and
that it is well suited to the overall
low-level usage of W.C. and
kitchen facilities in a small parish
church. Being very shallow (only
16 inches from ground level to the
bottom) it minimises the damage
to archaeological deposits. The
Trench Arch system has recently
been installed in North Derbyshire
at Carsington Church.
WORKHOUSE
WINNER
This year’s winner of the Melbourne
Civic Society award was no. 30, Potter
Street, Melbourne, completely
renovated by Mr. Paul and Mrs. Jane
Winters using the services of their
builder son, David.
No. 30 Potter Street was originally part
of the Melbourne parish property,
probably built around 1810. It was sold
off by the parish in 1840, having become
redundant upon the completion of the
Shardlow Union Workhouse.
• before
The parish property
• after
at Melbourne
appears to have
comprised a
workhouse proper
(now nos. 24-26
Potter Street),
accompanied by
several cottages
which were
presumably let by
the parish as the overseers thought fit. Two
of these cottages, a three-storey pair, form
the present no. 30 and are listed Grade II.
The recent work has involved replacement
of all the windows, back and front, including
adjustment of the openings and rebuilding
of lintels. The brickwork has been carefully
repaired and repointed. The work benefited
from a small grant from the District Council’s
“Historic Buildings and Conservation
Areas grant scheme” and has completely
transformed the appearance of the property,
defaced by unsympathetic alterations
several decades ago.
As the judges rightly commented, the work
was “all the more commendable as the
building is hidden away from public view
where the owners might have been content
to settle for second best”.
Heritage News -11
SNIPPETS FROM
THE ATTIC
Keith Foster writes:
Following the recent successful release
of our DVD on the heritage and history
of Swadlincote Woodlands, the Magic
Attic now intends to further branch out
into movies. We believe the moving
image with suitable commentary will
increase and enhance our paper-based
and digital archives for the benefit,
enjoyment and use of current and future
residents.
We therefore intend to convert all our
films and videos of the area into digital
format so that we can edit and further
document the industrial archaeology of
the area. Whilst we have already been
donated a number of historical films and
videos of the area, we would be very
grateful for further donations to enhance
our collection. Films or videos will be
returned on request and donors will get
a free copy and full credit in any final
production.
Our hard working volunteers have just
completed a publication compiling
newspaper articles on the Woodville
Parade and Gala (from 1945-1961). An
earlier issue - from the beginnings to
1939 - was published in October last
year.
For the last fourteen years the Magic
Attic have participated in and enjoyed
all the fun of the fair at the Annual
“Festival of Leisure” at The Maurice
Lea Park in Church Gresley. This year,
for a number of reasons, we have
decided to take a sabbatical but wish
all participants and the organisers at the
SDDC the very best of luck and hope
to see you all back next year.

SLUM CLEARANCE
. AT MELBOURNE
The Melbourne Historical Research Group’s book on the slum
clearance programme in Melbourne is in its final stages of
preparation for publication and is set to be launched in July.
Although the area centred on the Church, Hall and Pool is
Melbourne’s best known asset, the whole of the historic town
centre is now recognised as something special. It has not
always been so. A writer in 1908 gave a “curate’s egg”
account of the place:
“Melbourne is a curious medley, of which part is as
distressingly commonplace as any newly-built country
town. This we may ignore. The other half, including the
church, the Hall and the great pool, is altogether
charming”
Similar sentiments were still being expressed in the 1950s
and ‘60s when the clearance of whole streets began on the
fringes of the town. Many still considered Melbourne as dull
and dowdy, and the public reaction to the changes was no
more impassioned than a stoic resignation. The main focus
of the programme was the narrow streets laid out between
the 1770s and 1820s during the Industrial Revolution, some
of which were only twelve feet wide and/or unadopted.
Building plots on the new streets were in many cases
developed individually without any prescribed parameters,
producing inconsistent building lines and houses of different
heights and sizes, and varying orientations. In short, the only
planning constraints were imposed by the street itself and
the plot boundaries. The result was sometimes quaint and
picturesque, but was also the antithesis of the 1960s ideal.
First on the hit list was “New York”, a speculative
development of small houses with small back yards, built by
the Melbourne Building Club between 1826 and 1832. Next
on the list was the Lilypool, a higgledy-piggledy complex of
cottages and factories built on and around a small area of
wasteland by the eponymous pool, which was drained in the
early 19 th century.
The Hemsley family built up their successful textile enterprise
at Lilypool, before building grander factories elsewhere in
the mid 19 th century. A row of houses at Lilypool was known
as “Drab Row”, allegedly because the Hemsleys’ profits on
a large order of drab gloves paid for its construction.
Other casualties of clearance included a Georgian farmhouse
and outbuildings later known as “Pingle Cottages”, some
prominent sites in the town centre itself, and cottages
encroached onto the edge of Melbourne Common between
the 16 th and 18 th centuries. A couple of the cleared sites remain
vacant and semi-derelict to this day.
To add variety to the content, the book heads off at related
tangents from time to time, considering such diverse topics
as quarrying in Melbourne, the extravagancies of Earl Moira,
Thomas Cook, the Melbourne “Empire Cinema”, the hanging
of Earl Ferrers, and the rumbustious row over the site of
Melbourne’s new secondary school in the 1890s.
• Pingle Cottages,
originally a farmstead
of about 1812,
demolished in 1969 as
part of the Melbourne
slum clearance
programme.
CONSERVATION AREAS REVIEW
The review of all 22 conservation areas in the district, by Mel
Morris of Staffordshire in consultation with District Council officers,
is reaching its close. The results and findings are currently being
prepared for a public consultation exercise later this year.
Whether you live in any of the conservation areas or not, this will
be your chance to say whether you think their special character
has been properly captured in the descriptions, comment on any
inaccuracies, and (in some cases) comment on proposed boundary
changes.
The areas involved vary widely. Perhaps the most unusual is the
Trent and Mersey Canal conservation area, which comprises the
canal and towpath, broadening out occasionally to include groups
of neighbouring buildings at, for example, Stenson, Willington and
Swarkestone. The others are all based on historic settlements.
Some of them are tiny, such as Twyford, Trusley and Woodhouses.
Others are substantial, such as Repton, Melbourne and Swadlincote. In several cases, areas of old landscaped parkland
are included in the conservation area boundaries, most notably at Bretby, Lullington, Melbourne and Newton Solney.
Heritage News -12
• Woodhouses, in the parish of Melbourne, is one of the
district’s smallest conservation areas

SHARPE’S POTTERY EVENTS FEBRUARY TO MARCH 2008
Museum Shop exhibitions
May and June: ·Wood fired porcelain by Sandy
Bywater. ·Pyrography by Bob Neil
July and August: Glass and ceramic painting, Kathy
Spall. Jewellery, Sue Gent.
Coffee Shop exhibitions
May Victor Bowcott: “Wind in the Willows”
June Marion Adams & Keith Foster: “Transcendence”
July Duncan Redpath
August Mary Smith: Oils and Acrylics.
www.sharpes.org.uk
writer/photographer Marian Adams, artist Keith Foster
and the children of Pennine Way School. Frank
McArdle, Chief Executive of South Derbyshire District
Council will open the exhibition on Saturday 31 st May,
and Sophie Churchill, Chief Executive of The National
Forest Company will close it on Saturday 29 th June.
In the coffee shop there will be an exhibition of text,
digital artwork and charcoal and pencil drawings,
inspired by the people, the landscape and the mining
history of South Derbyshire. In the Conference Room
there will be artwork by Raymond Eames, a former
miner at Rawdon Colliery, and by the children of
Pennine Way Junior School. Also on display will be
artwork by the women involved in S.D.M.P.G., and
artefacts and mining memorabilia. There will also be
heritage talks on the area and its changing landscape
and people.
The stimulus for the exhibition has been taken from
the colliery sites, Keith Gilliver’s book “There’s still
more Coal i th’ole”, the book “Out of the Dark” from
the South Derbyshire Writer’s Group, and from the
collection of mining memorabilia in the miners’ group
collection at Gresley Old Hall.
Derbyshire Literature Festival – in the Kiln.
Saturday, 7 th June – “Celebrating Women”. A chance
to preview material for a new book by community
organisation “People Express”, edited by writer-inresidence
Kevin Fegan. The material includes stories
and poems written and read by women of all ages
from across the South Derbyshire region. Admission
free, but tickets must be reserved in advance. 7pm-
9pm.
Thursday, 12 th June – “Let your left hand sing”, written
and performed by Kevin Fegan. An epic poem of
stories of migration to the East Midlands.
Tickets £5 (including a free glass of wine), available in
advance or on the door. 7pm-9pm.
Museums on the Air – an international event when the
South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio
Society broadcast from the museum. Saturday 21 st
and Sunday 22 nd June. Time and details to be
announced.
Forthcoming summer events July: Saturday 12 th ,
10am-2pm - Sharpe’s “village fete” Join the staff and
volunteer’s for Sharpe’s and Magic Attic for a day of
Farmers’ Market held on the third Saturday of the
month in the Museum Courtyard 10am – 2pm, plus
Volunteers’ book sale in the Kiln.
Valuation Day every first Wednesday of the month.
James Lewis of Bamford’s Auctioneers offers advice
and valuations on items brought in by members of the
public in return for a £1 donation towards museum
upkeep.
Creative Writing Workshops with Catherine Roth. A
series of five monthly workshops aimed to help
participants write their own short stories. 10am –
1pm, £7. Remaining sessions 20 th May, 17 th June,
22nd July.
“Swadfest” variety of cultural events May 19 th - 30 th .
Tuesday, 20 th May - a writers’ workshop “Playwriting
and Professional Development”. ·Wednesday 21 st May
- Alf Cobley and Friends. Concert in the Kiln. Doors/
bar opens 7pm. Tickets £5. ·Thursday, 22 nd May –
Digital Arts and Animation workshop. ·Friday, 23 rd May
– “Celebrating Women” – A chance to create your
own poetry and stories. ·Friday 23 rd May – Moira Male
Voice Choir. Concert in the Kiln. Doors/bar opens
7pm. Tickets £5. ·Saturday, 24 th May – World Arts
Day. Further details available later. ·Tuesday, 27 th May
– Craft Fair, including smoothie making and other
healthy living demonstrations. 10am – 4pm. Free
admission.
Concerts in the Kiln Friday, June 13 th – Melbourne
Male Voice Choir. Doors/bar opens 7pm. Tickets £5.
Saturday, July 5 th – Karl Harper. Doors/bar opens
7pm. Tickets £7
National Forest Walking Festival – 17 th – 26 th May. The
first ever “Footsteps in the Forest” walking festival
with a fantastic range of walks across the wonderful
old fashioned fun and nostalgia. August: Tuesday 12 th
countryside of the National Forest, and its historic
& Wednesday 13 th Kraftiz card workshops 10amtowns
and villages. There are 37 walks from 0.5 to 12
12pm Join the Kraftiz team and create more great
miles in length, with opportunities to learn about the
cards with this talented pair. Suitable for young and
area’s rich and varied history, its wildlife and geology,
old. £7, including materials and refreshments.
and even its myths and legends. More information
Children over 7 years old only; under 10s must be
and booking details from the Swadlincote TIC on
supervised by an adult.
01283 222848 or visit
www.thenationalforestwalkingfestival.org.uk.
For more information ring Sharpe’s Pottery on
“Transcendence” – A month long exhibition presented
01283 222600 or e-mail
by South Derbyshire Mining Preservation Group, emma.ward@sharpespotterymuseum.org.uk.
Heritage News -13

Sue Grief writes:
A lively, colourful history of one of Derbyshire’s most
celebrated schools was officially launched in London in
February this year.
Contributions, comments and photographs for the lavish
hardback, called Repton to the End, have come from former
and current staff, pupils and the families of those who have
attended Repton School at various points in its history.
The book takes its title from the last line of the school song
and was published as part of Repton’s 2007 celebrations,
being the 450th anniversary of the school’s foundation by
the executors of Sir John Port’s will.
Repton to the End recalls the experiences and memories
of Reptonians during their time at the school - the highs, the
lows, work and play, characters and personalities, the
glimpses of the famous before they were famous, even
scandals.
These form an unmissable record of, and a fascinating insight
into life in, the school and the incredible influence that it and
those who have passed beneath its famous Arch have had
on British society.
South Derbyshire Heritage News No. 27 Spring/Summer 2008
“Heritage News” is published by South Derbyshire District Council three times a year, usually around April/May (Spring issue),
August/September (Autumn issue) and December/January (Winter issue). It is circulated to all parish councils / meetings, amenity
societies and historical groups within South Derbyshire, and is also distributed to libraries and to local press contacts. We are
always pleased to advertise the work of local groups where possible, so please call us with any news for our next issue. The
deadline for inclusion in No. 28 (Autumn 2008) is Friday 25 th July.
Contacts:
Philip Heath
Heritage Officer /Editor of “Heritage News”
Marilyn Hallard
Design & Conservation Officer
Emma Ward
Curator, Sharpes Pottery
“REPTON,
REPTON,
REPTON TO
THE END”
Sharpes Website: www.sharpes.org.uk
S.D.D.C. Website: www.south-derbys.gov.uk
The postal address is: Philip Heath, Heritage Officer, South Derbyshire District Council, Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote,
Derbyshire DE11 0AH. “Heritage News” may be downloaded in .pdf format from the South Derbyshire District Council (SDDC)
website.www.south-derbys.gov.uk,
Note: The non-editorial contributions to “Heritage News” reflect the views of their authors and may not necessarily coincide with
those of the District Council.
Heritage News -14
Editor John Plowright, Master of Scholars at Repton School,
says: “I was keen that the book wasn’t too parochial and in
reading it you do come to appreciate the impact that Repton
School has had in all kinds of areas, for example, in
contributions it has made to the English language - from
Broad Church to Stig.”
Top Gear producer Andy Wilman and presenter Jeremy
Clarkson, both former pupils at Repton, have popularized
the term Stig by giving the name to the programme’s inhouse
racing driver. The term was originally applied to first
year Reptonians!
Asked to pick out stories that he thought people would find
surprising or interesting, John Plowright mentions those of
the student who made a feature film in Repton - the first
ever filmed in a British school - during his time as a student
there and who went on to a career as the film director John
Paddy Carstairs.
John also makes reference to Evelyn Perry, a pupil at Repton
at the beginning of the 20 th century and of whom the book
includes a stunning photograph. Perry is thought to have
been the first officer killed in action in WWI.
“There are just too many fascinating facts, people and
accounts to pick out individuals”, John says, but is keen to
add: “As Editor I have not approached this book or any
contribution with a blue pencil or wearing rose-tinted glasses,
the true colour of the history has not been drained from it.”
Copies of the book, published by Third Millennium
Publishing, are now available from Repton School Shop,
priced £37.50 plus postage and packing if required. The
shop can be contacted on 01283 559323.
Phone:01283 595936 fax: 01283 595850
e-mail: philip.heath@south-derbys.gov.uk
Phone:01283 595747 fax: 01283 595850
e-mail: marilyn.hallard@south-derbys.gov.uk
Phone/fax 01283 222600
e-mail: emma.ward@sharpespotterymuseum.org.uk