Updated 29 Jan 2009

WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900

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Taken c.1910, Main St, looking East.

Unposted. Main Street, looking East. The Bull's Head on the right.

"Rock cottage, Kirk Ireton", probably taken before 1910.

Ian Manifold writes: The cottage is just off the Main Street on Coffin Lane and next to the Bulls Head. I lived there from 1949 to 1953, my mother was born there and her grandfather William Brown who was a stonemason built the cottage in around the turn of the last century circa 1906. I think this date was carved in the stonework above the front door, I cannot check this anymore as the cottage is no longer in the family, following my grandmother's death in the early eighties. My grandmother Marien Brown is standing in the porch with presumably her mother behind her you can just about make out the outline. She lived in the house the majority of her life and although following her marriage to Wilfred Dean she had a brief spell living on Well Banks she came back to Rock Cottage to look after her ailing mother Agnes Jane Brown who died in 1942 at the age of 84 years. It is hard to date the photograph exactly, as you said it is around the 1910 mark. My grandmother was born in 1900 and from the photograph she looks to be around ten years of age. I am unsure if it is William Brown in the photograph as he died in 1910 at the young age of 56. The male in the photograph looks considerably older than that but old photographs tend to exaggerate and age people.

Enlargement

Kirk Ireton, Main Street.

Looking South West down Main Street, with Holy Trinity Parish Church on the left. The Parish Register held at Matlock Records Office records baptisms and burials back to 1572, and marriages to 1574. Kirk Ireton is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name probably means "Farm of the Irishmen".

The old Post Office, (on the right with the "Telephone" sign). The large black sliding door on the right used to be a smithy, run by Isaac Beeston and his wife Annie in 1901.

The Post Office opened in 1852, with George Ford as sub-postmaster. When George retired in 1870, his wife Elizabeth took over. She is found in the Census in 1871, 1881 and 1891, when she finally retired at 83. Selina Smedley took over, retiring in 1910.

In 1855 the mail Arrived from Wirksworth at 10.15am and departed at 4.30pm. In 1876 it arrived at 9.30am, and in 1895 arrived at 7.20am and departed at 5.30pm.




The Bull's Head, on Main Street was originally at Lowton House at the East end of Main Street. It later moved to the position shown in the photo, but eventually closed in 1982, becoming a private residence. The villager's choice of pub, it was home to domino and darts teams, and had a tennis court.

Year, Victualler and occupation 1841  William Miles Publican 1851 William Miles Farmer, publican 1857 Joseph Matkin  Farmer 1861 Joseph Matkin Farmer, victualler 1871 James Matkin Licensed victualler 1881 John Wright Farmer of 21 acres 1891 John Wright Butcher, publican 1895 John Wright Butcher and victualler 1901 Archibald Cole Agent & hotel keeper 1913 F.Jackson ---

Fashions of the time
The smart young man has waistcoat, watch-and chain, patent leather shoes, starched collar and cloth cap
The girls have pinafores, bonnets, and boots.
They are all very curious about the photographer with his equipment.

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