Middleton as it was in 1928 (from Memories of Middleton by Edith Taylor) The Basin was at 12, Mount Zion chapel at 10, and Edith lived at 27. Only 9 taps are shown for around 30 houses

T Water Taps P Pump 1 Red Hill Quarry 2 Hopton Wood Quarry 3 Holy Trinity Church 4 School 5 Church Hall now Village Hall 6 Gas House 7 Hopton Wood Works and Sawmill now C+G fitting shop 8 Wesleyan Chapel 9 Mount Zion Primitive Methodist Chapel 10 Old Primitive Methodist Chapel - site now Chapel Croft 11 Slaughter House used by Jones now a garage 12 The Basin 13 Duke of Wellington 14 Congregational Chapel 15 Jos Slack's Shop 16 Nelson's Arms and Cottages 17 Statham's Shop and Newsagent - demolished 18 Clayton's Shop now P.O. sold groceries 19 Doxey's Clothes, wool, cotton etc. 20 Wigley's Bakehouse and Shop now 45 Main Street 21 Jones' Butchers - also fish, fruit and veg. 22 Belmont House now Eastas Gate 23 Allotments 24 Cottages and Police House 25 Vicarage 26 Co-operative Store now flats 27 Our House now No. 11 Main Street 28 Uncle Jim and Aunt Esther's House 29 Fountain House which was also doctor's surgery 30 Mr Brooks - pork butcher 31 Boden - barber 32 Uncle John Fox's Field 33 Gregson's Grocer and P.O. Mrs Gregson was a Midwife

Emails on the subject Howard Evans writes (11 Dec 2008): Dear John, I thank you for this wonderful storeroom of memories from the past. I lived on the Green Middleton from 1933 until 1950. As a youngster I remember well sitting on the Basin chatting with the old men. I can recall some of the details of the stone plaque mounted on the wall behind the basin. The plaque referred to the Enclosures Act, it was dated but I can't remember that. Just below the plaque was a sqare wooden door and I always wondered what was behind that door! I remember well the slaughterhouse and hanging onto the rope that was passed through a hole in the wall to tether whatever animal was being slaughterd. As kids we would hang around and help with the hope of getting an animals bladder as a plaything. I grew up in Middleton during the war years, and as kids we had to make our own games and amusements. Toys and sweets etc were very scarce, so we had to improvise and make what we needed like bows and arrows etc. Although we did not have the material things of today, we were never bored. I remember the games we played on the Green, all were happy days and filled with things to do. We had the seasonal trips collecting hazel nuts and blackberries, and we would pick bunches of primroses and lilies of the valley hoping to sell the for a copper or two. Finally John, with regard to my EVANS family tree, my earliest record is as follows Hannah? No surname unmarried, had a son Henry 1748-1807 at Middleton. Is there any way I could find a surname for Hannah ? [Hello Howard, Checking on the IGI I found the following: Hannah EVANS 1717-1768 of Bonsall was unmarried when she gave birth to Henry EVANS 1748-1807. Hannah may have married Anthony CARR 1711-1799 of Alfreton, but no marriage found. Hannah's parents were probably Edmund EVANS and Rebecca GELL, but no marriage found. For later decendants, see Evans pedigree, sent by Stuart Flint. (Webmaster)] With best regards, Howard Evans Margaret Howard writes: Hello John, Your question concerning the geology of Middleton having a "perched" water table is answered by referring to a sketch map of the National Stone Centre and Gulf area, near Wirksworth on page 87 of "Rocks and Scenery of the Peak District" by Dr. Trevor D. Ford published by Landmark Publishing in 2002. Because of a very important fault called "The Gulph" which runs approximately north west up through Middleton to approximately The Green (in fact the main road through the village lies on the approximate line of this fault), rocks lying to the west of the fault are of Carboniferous limestone (in which the largest underground limestone mine in Britain was worked until recently i.e. Middleton mine), and rocks lying to the east of the fault are Edale shales. Shales are impervious (i.e. do not let water penetrate), a comparison can be made to the "navigators" of old who constructed the canals and lined the bed of the canal with an impervious layer of puddled clay to hold the water)! so they have supported the "perched" water table at Middleton, whereas (from memory) I think it is volcanic rocks that support the "perched" water table at Taddington, but I can't remember what the rocks are at Tideswell. Trust this solves the problem for you, will be contacting you offline over the weekend with more details. Best Wishes, Margaret Howard. ------------------------- Stuart Flint writes: --------25may2007----------------------- Hello John Another piece of info what you may consider trivial re Edith Taylor's family connections On number 32 Uncle John Fox's field (John Samuel Fox) which is on Chapel Lane just below the Congs chapel and where in the 1930s Mr Sidney Birley a Stone Mason at Hopton Wood Stone Grandson of John Richard Birley built a Bungalow recently demolished to make way for a new house ..and where other Bungalows were built 1960s - The following is John Fox's pedigree John Samuel Fox was born at Starkholmes on the Willersley Lane side of the village nearest Cromford to Timothy and Anne Fox nee Willans Killer (Anne daughter of my 3XUncle William Killer the founder of Killer's Quarry, her brothers Adam Joseph John and William known as Killer Bros Hopton Wood Stone Co.) Timothy was cousin to my wife's Gr Gr Grandfather George Fox Building Contractor / Monumental Mason (George married Emma Blackham 1st wife she my wife's Gr Gr Grandmother 2nd wife Mary Anne Barker widow nee Jepson widow of Amos Barker Blacksmith of Ilkeston he having been a Blacksmith at High Peak Junction Workshops Cromford & HPR. Mary Anne's father Peter Jepson being Manager on the Cromford & HPR) When Timothy Fox died in 1868 aged 33 years Anne Willans Fox nee Killer married William Batterley who was Uncle to Mr Alec Spencer mentioned in my previous e mails concerning Edith Taylors Memories..William Batterley also of my sister in laws family via Farnsworth's John Samuel Fox married Alice Slack daughter of William Thomas Needham Slack my wife's Gr Gr Gr Uncle brother to my wife's Gr Gr Grandmother Mary Slack who married Joseph Evans W.T.N.Slack was a Methodist Local Preacher and Quarry Manager at Manystones Quarry Longcliffe near Brassington owned by my allied kinsman Thomas Brittain (married Mary Colledge of my kin) John Samuel Fox's sister Anne Elizabeth Fox married Joseph Boden son of Edward Boden Quarryman.. Bodens also of my sister in laws family see Batterley / Farnsworth family Peds. John Palmer's Web Pages Anne Willans Fox nee Killer was as I say daughter of William Killer whose sister Mary married Samuel Flint they my Gr Gr Grandparents .. William Killer founded Killer's Quarry 1849 / 50 he then a Joiner in the family firm of Killer Bros Middleton and North End Wirksworth. It was whilst preparing the footings for the foundations of a new workshop just above where he lived off main Street Middleton (Killer's Yard) that he struck a seam of pure Hopton Wood Stone which he instantly recognised for what it was.. The Hopton Wood Stone Company on Middleton Moor where having problems getting to the stone on their site and William being an astute businessman made a deal to supply block stone to the company.. Within a few years when his sons took over the business they became an independent company continuing to call their stone Hopton Wood..By the early 1900s Killer Bros were taken to court by the original quarry of that name ..but Joseph Killer the last remaining brother had written evidence of the deal made between the original Hopton Wood firm and Killer's which proved that Killer's stone was traded as Hopton Wood Stone and thus had the legal right to call their product by that name I have seen the original transcript of the Court Case.. William Killer on the demise of his 1st wife Mary Willans she born at Brinksway near Stockport, where Anne Willans Killer their daughter was born re married Anna Brownson daughter of John and Elizabeth Brownson nee Walker Elizabeth my Gr Gr Aunt sister to my Grt Grandfather Joseph Walker the founder of Joseph Walker & Sons Master Stonemason's / Building Contractors Joseph born 1815 married 3 times his 3rd wife Martha Sheldon my true Grt Grandmother ... Anna's sister Elizabeth married into the Eaton family of Cromford Eaton's of my brother's wife, the Farnsworth family who were also Building Contractors / Master Stonemasons ..some of the Eaton family Boatsmen on Cromford Canal ) Re the Jones family who at one time used the Slaughterhouse on Middleton Green Jones Killer's Slack Flint Spencer Doxey Greenhough and Fearn all intermarried Peter Jones married my 3XAunt Mary Flint sister to Samuel who married Mary Killer my Gr Gr Grandparents ..Peter and Mary's son William Jones married three times to members of the same Spencer family ..Via these marriages came Ellen Jones who married Alfred Axe whose brother William married Mary Rose Killer living in a house at the foot of Chapel Lane Middleton where in the 1880s my Grandmother Gwenillian Flint came from Blaenafon South Wales as a Governess to a family of wealth from Monmouth who stayed in the summer months at Ashleigh House ... In more recent years in my youth the house was owned by my sister in laws allied family of Millward.. Alfred and William's brother Samuel Axe who married Roseanne Slack my wife's 3XAunt...lived at South View Chapel Lane Middleton where in the 1940s my family and I lived Dad altering the name to Axeholme after which Frank Holmes Butler my wife's Grt Uncle 1/2 brother to her Grandfather Herbert Evans lived with his wife Sally nee Slack Sally also my wife's Grt Aunt by Slacks their daughters living there up to recent times...Samuel and Roseanne Axe's Grandaughter married into the Badnall family who back in the 1820s - were Solicitors with Challinors of Leek whose clients were members of the Killer family at Middleton Slack /Doxey's of Middleton and Flint's of Leek and Hartington ... Samuel and Roseanne's Grandaughter and husband are my fellow Family History Researchers today ..Mr Bednall ( the name was changed the e replacing the a) has a huge library of family papers / documents from which he has sent me original legal documents concerning my distant Flint family of Leek and Hartington whose line ceased in 1906 with Elizabeth Flint spinster Members of the Jones / Killer / Greenhough / Flint / Simpson / Colledge family live close by my home today.. We have researched our joint kinship together If this is of little interest please feel free to dump it in your waste bin Regards Stuart G Flint --------24may2007 2122 hrs------------- John The shed next to The Jubilee Chapel photograph no 1 photo 519 was at one time a Slaughterhouse owned by Killer / Doxey's Butchers at Middleton (related to the Axe / Slack family I have seen the conveyance document when Doxey's /Killers transfered ownership of the slaughterhouse and Sweedley Cottage to Slacks the Solicitors being Challinor & Badnall of Leek who were Solicitors to my Killer Quarrying family and my distant Flint family of Leek ..The Badnall's today related to my Axe / Slack family. By the late 1950s Alec Spencer leased it as a Paint Shop (He was a Painter & Decorator previously a Hanger On Cromford & HPR Middleton Top) I worked for him as an apprentice alongside his two sons but by age 16 years I had to enter Bretby Hospital for major surgery to my legs spending over 11 months in the T.B.Wards which put paid to my apprenticeship.. Douglas Slack's daughter and my friend today lived at Sweedley Cottage The Green next to the slaughterhouse as did Douglas's kinswoman Monica Marshall nee Batterley her father John Samuel Battlerly who married into Slacks his kin also Alec Spencer via Batterley's being among the 1930s Middleton bandsmen who won Silver Prize he playing Euphonium.. Douglas Slacks daughter and I were inducted as Deacons at Middleton Congregational Church at the same service to replace our fathers in the 1960s I becoming Sunday School Superintendent there in the late 1960s .. The Lanes ( Duke Street) leading off The Green past The Jubilee Chapel was where my Sheldon Grand forebares lived owning much of the land where they built cottages To this day a group of cottages on Duke Street is called Shedlon's Yard where in the early 1900s my wife's Grandfather Herbert Evans was born ..Herbert took in Eric Sheldon of my Sheldon kin whose parents died young.. whilst Alec Joe Sam and Walter Spencer were all born into Sheldon houses my Gr Gr Uncle Samuel Joseph Sheldon charging William Samuel Spencer 1/- rent which never altered all the while they lived at one of the cottages along with another he left my mother and her sisters. W.S.spencer lived next door to his Batterley family . S.J.Sheldon who married Jane Longden of Ible died in his 80s 1930s .he a Deputy Barmaster Quarry Director and owning Lead Mines .. Jane Longden's sister Mary married Joseph Hall a manager to his brother Ebenezer Hall who became Managing Director of Martin, Hall & Co Silversmiths Shrewsbury Works Broad Street Sheffield living at Abbeydale Hall Dore. In previous times The Lanes were called Paddengate.. By the early 1900s the road was called Duke Street as The Duke of Wellington Inn was built in the late 1800s where the Landlords were of my wife's and my kin ie Holmes Butler Sheldon ... In the 1950s early 60s The Basin Middleton Green was filled in with concrete which made a natural staging..It was from here that Open Air Services were held at a time in the late 1950s when the churches were closely linked especially in the time of Rev Father Richard Nicholls he cousin to Jimmy Edwards the Comedian Father Nicholls lived at The Vicarage Middleton..He wore long habits as a monk would wear.. He was a good friend of my father up to Dad's demise and when I was in Bretby Hospital for long months he walked from Middleton to Bretby hitching lifts to visit me.. He never ever let me down Sometimes he would gain a lift with Pastor Frank Brown he Lay Pastor at Middleton Congregational Church a Director of Browns Foundry Derby Frank a previous Flt Lt in The Fleet Air Arm ..Frank trained me to replace him as Sunday School Superintendent and with my friend the daughter of Douglas Slack led the induction service when we became Deacons at the Congs.. Frank emigrated to Rhodesia when Ian Smith was Premier..Frank a Liberal as was my father and I .then moved to South Africa and played his part in opposing Apertheid by peaceful means Frank Brown and Father Nicholls along with Rev Arthur Roebuck Circuit Methodist Minister held united open air services using the Basin as a stage..I remember The Green being packed with people at these services .. Frank Brown died of Cancer in his mid 40s living in Canada.. He will remain in my memory as a man who believed in putting his all into whatever he did .regardless of what it may cost in effort or time..His home Brassington Hall (previously living at Priors Croft Wigwell and Yokecliffe House Wirksworth) was open house to all the children of Middleton Congs For a man who grew up from within a privilaged social background he was a most humble of men. My Aunt Laura Doxey nee Flint she my GodMother lived at a large house bordering Middleton Green On the 3rd photgraph showing the foot of Water lane some railings can be just seen along the dull part of the wall adjoining the white Wall next to The Basin Above these railing was where Aunt Laura lived with husband George Doxey he having survived the 1st W.W. being mentioned in despatches along with son Sidney Doxey and daughter Gwenillian known as Gwen ..Gwen and I were great friends up to her premature demise in her 40s Photo 3 again the house on the left foot of Water Lane Just below is a building which in my youth Mr Benny Gretton (his wife a Slack ) had a Fish and Chip Shop He served the best chips ever..Rather than in bags the customer would take a bowl and have it filled or served in Grease Proof Paper using a page of newspaper to hold the fish/chips in..this was just after W.W.2 when basic needs were in short supply..Mr Gretton replaced my father Harry S Flint as Middleton Ward Councillor on Wirksworth Urban District Council Dad having served from 1928 - 1948 when diagnosed with skin cancer he resigned Benny Gretton sang in Mount Zion Methodist Church Choir being related to Spencers via Slacks ..He was a man of music and made instrruments..My brother had meningitis as a child and lost the use of his hearing Mr Gretton made a Violin with a sound box which when my brother held it to his throat he could sense the change in vibration and thus sound.. Mid week Mr Gretton would hold music sessions at his home for all the youngsters who were interested..The band would play tin whistles mouth organs recorders and combs with grease proof paper which when the player blew made a reasonable sound .. He was a master at playing the saw and his home made violins (made out of orange boxes) By 1953 William Hubert Doxey J.P. M.B.E. took the seat until removing to Wirksworth when he was elected for a Town seat which he held up to his near 80s in recent years W.H.Doxey (one time Bandsman Middleton Silver Prize Band) and I have been choristers in choirs and friends for many years ... Regards Stuart G Flint --------24may2007 1913 hrs-------- Hello John The first photograph shows the basin on Middleton Green..This was taken before 1905 as where the smaller of the two cottages middle of photo it was where my Grandfather John Walker and his nephews / brother's ( Joseph Walker & Sons) built Mount Zion Methodist Church which was dedicated on January 20th 1906. The church to the right of the first picture was the Old Jubilee Chapel replaced by Mount Zion ..I have a photograph of Jubilee church when it was still holding services with the members stood outside complete with a small orchestra who played for the services..My Grandparents John and Annie Walker nee Cauldwell were founding Trustees of Mount Zion Methodist Church along with my wife's kinfolk of Butler and Fearn ..Grandmother Walker was the first Sunday School Superintendent there after whom came Mr Alec Spencer who she trained when he was a scholar at Zion..Mr Alec Spencer became Choir Master at Mount Zion Methodist Church..I sang in his choirs along with my brother and sister (my sister also the organist at Zion) Mr Spencer was my singing teacher My mother and her sister Doris nee Walker were Trustees at the church up to recent years before their demise.. Mr Alec Spencer's brothers were each Choir Master's.. Joseph Samuel Spencer at Main Street Weslyan Methodist Church where Mrs Edith Taylor nee Slack attended she as my wife of the Slack family as was Mr Alec Spencer's wife Mr Walter Spencer was Choir Master at Holy Trinity C of E Church Middleton ..he Uncle to my sister in law Jennifer Flint nee Farnsworth whilst Alec Joe Sam and Walter's father William Samuel Spencer was Choir Master at Middleton Congregational Church. William Samuel Spencer was founder of Middleton Victoria Brass Band formed out of a previous Fife and Drum Band to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee..By the 1930s W.S.Spencer took the band to Belle Vue Manchester to contest in The National Brass Band Championships winning Silver Prize after which the band became known as Middleton Silver Prize Band.. Thereafter, up to the outbreak of W.W.2 the band played at every home match of Derby County F.C. at The Baseball Ground Derby.. The original Prize winners were drawn in the main from the same allied families including my wife and my own of Killer, Jones, Mather, Statham, Evans, Pearson, Houghton, Spencer (3 brothers + father Musical Director) Slack etc.. Alec Spencer's son today has recently taken up the baton of B.M.W. Brass Training Band (Brassington Middleton and Wirksworth Bands amalgamated in the 1960s ) to ensure that the present band continues to flourish .. Alec's son and myself co-founded The Dalesmen Male Voice Choir at Mount Zion Methodist Church he the first Musical Director . Mount Zion was sold in recent years to a private owner who is changing the church into a residential property The cottage twixt where Zion Church was built and The Jubilee Sweedley Cottage was owned by the Slack family of my / my wife's allied kin Douglas Slack who married Mary Stone of Street Lane Denby lived here the cottage previously owned by Killer's of Douglas Slack / my kin.. Douglas and my father were fellow Deacons at Middleton Congregational Church Douglas who was a Stone Sawyer at Wheatcrofts Hopton Wood Saw Mills Buckland Hollow nr Ambergate lost his fingers in an accident on the saws and there after being a great friend of my father managed Dads Drapery Shop at Market Place Wirksworth ..In time he purchased the business but unfortunately died in his 40s.. The shop was taken over by Herbert Leonard Doxey his Uncle who placed his daughter Mary Livingstone and her husband Samuel as managers H.L.Doxey being the Newsagent at Wirksworth Market Place H.L.Doxey's wife Ada nee Botham was cousin to my Uncle Arthur Botham who married Dads sister Amelia Leah Flint The Basin 2nd picture was where the main supply of water was obtained up to 1938 when my father Harry Sprake Flint as Chairman of The Water Authority oversaw the establishment of treated water taken from Slaley Moor ( the land owned by George Henry Key whose family today own Viaton Industries Hopton once owned when known as Hopton Mining Co. (Upper / Nether Golgonda Mines) by my Gr Gr Uncle Samuel Joseph Sheldon) The water was pumped up Via Gellia Wood into storage reservoirs on Middleton Moor where it was treated..In my youth Mr Samuel Pearson (Drummer Middleton Silver Prize Band) was Middleton Lengthsman who cared for the local highways , Grave Digger and was responsible for treating the water ..Sam Pearson often took me with him he with his large wooden council barrow. Samuel Pearson was a fellow Trustee of Mrs Edith Taylor at Main Street Weslyan Methodist Church . Mr Harrison was Water Bailiff before the treated water supply was established He was lame as Mrs Taylor rightly stated this caused by falling out of an upper floor barn door opening in his youth breaking the leg which never healed properly..His Grandaughter married my fellow chorister and friend ..... Spencer Alec Spencer's son aforementioned they friends of mine who were neighbours of my mother and cared for her so well up to her demise with cancer Footnote Up to recent years the stone tablet which originally had pride of place over the basin was stored in the Grave Diggers Hut Middleton Cemetery ..I remember seeing it The 3rd photograph shows The Green adjoining Water Lane in the distance I have many photographs of this area showing Middleton Silver Prize Band marching from the Green down Main Street also large gatherings of people probably taking part in some form of Gala Day as flags and bunting are to be seen As children my mates and I played on The Green or in The Old Quarry on Middleton Moor Water Lane leading onto The Moor.. I was born into a house just below The Green known to this day as Berleigh it being owned by the Birley family of my wife's kin (via Slacks) and my distant kin via Flint ..The Birley family owned a Quarry on Middleton Moor above Killer Bros Hopton Wood Stone Quarry.. Birley's were Monumental Masons having workshops at Buckland Hollow and at Heage..They had a narrow guage stone carrying tramway from their quarry on Middleton Moor which co joined a smaller tramway with my Sheldon family quarry at Bradley Quarry at Middleton Top (Bradley Quarry opposite the present cycle hire depot ) The stone then taken down to Cromford and transfered onto the canal to Ambergate John Richard Birley of this family was a Deacon at Middleton Congregational Church, his son John Brookes Birley being a friend and fellow Deacon of my father and Douglas Slack.. The fourth photograph shows Mount Zion Church built in 1905 as I have previously stated .. The walled area foot of photo adjoined The Nelson Arms Public House It was opposite here that my family lived at Berleigh House 1940s - early 50s removing to South View Chapel Lane Middleton which my father renamed Axeholme it being owned by my wife and my allied kin of Axe and Slack afterwards owned by Frank Holmes Butler my wife's Grt Uncle The roof of the building seen to the right of the photograph with two chimney stacks was Southams Grocery Shop ..Mr Southam married into the Slack family aforementioned he my father's competitor in the grocery trade at Middleton, as was the Co Operative Store managed by Mr Fred Spencer then Mr Dennis Kneebone and yet between them there was a friendship ..When the Co-op shut down Mr Kneebone and I were fellow workers at Bryan Donkins Lumsdale Mill Tansley Matlock ..The 1st street tap at Rise End as mentioned in Edith Taylors Memories was where Dennis Kneebone lived He and his wife bred Spaniels which were called Kneedene Cocker Spaniels ..Dennis was born at a cottage at Middleton next to my father's Grocery Shop Central Stores once owned by the Gregson family .. By the 1950s Dad converted the house Dennis had lived into a Drapery Shop.. Mr and Mrs Taylor were the first family to own a television at Middleton in the late 1940s a Bakelite Ecko T.V. with a moveable plastic magnifying screen which adjusted the focus ..Every Friday night Mrs Taylors small front room was packed to the gills with youngsters yours truly among them to watch The Cisco Kid and The Lone Ranger or P.C.49 or Roy Rogers .. By the 1950s Uncle Bill Flint purchased a T.V., and every Saturday night I visited Uncle Bill to watch Quatermass ..the signature tune being from Holst Planet Suite which haunted me for years...By the late 1950s the Millwards who lived across the road from my family of my sister in laws family owned one their son and I school mates .. It took my father many years to buy one as he thought it would distract his children from their schooling ...(never being an acedemic as my brother and sister were, I think Dad realised I was a lost cause in as much as scholastic attainment was concerned..and so I was allowed more leaway than my sibling kin ) I have other information but leave it with you to decide what you wish to use or if you require more detail Regards Stuart G Flint

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