Other aspects of Wirksworth Hall can be seen at: Wirksworth Hall Last Lady of Wirksworth Hall Problems at Wirksworth Hall Governess at Wirksworth Hall Gates from Wirksworth Hall Wirksworth Hall Lease 1894 Wirksworth Hall Sale 1903

Wirksworth Hall, demolished in 1922. An old lead mine was its undoing. The Barmote Ledger for 1906 tells the story. Stuart Flint writes: The Butler to first the Price Woods and then to Mead Waldo's was John Benyons daughter Emma at age 21 years a nurse to the family..John Benyon went on to found Wirksworth Labour Party and was a Labour Party Agent.. His son John Benyon married Millicent Harrison daughter of James and Mahala Harrison nee Buckley.. Mahala's father and mother being George and Millicent Buckley Millicent widow of my wifes kinsman John Butler.. nee Brookes.. George being of my own family, as were the Harrisons via my Brookes and Land family of Bolehill.. John and Millicents nephew Norman Harrison married Lilian Petts whose sister Ada married my Uncle John Samuel Flint a convenor for A.S.L.E.F he a steam engine driver.. James and Mahala's son William John Harrison (Labour) when Chairman of Wirksworth Urban District Council had the new road Harrison Drive named after him, Norman Harrison (Labour) being his son who was oft times Chairman of Wirksworth Urban District Council along with Councillor W.Hubert Doxey J.P. M.B.E. Norman Harrison was a Deacon with my father Harry Flint at Middleton Congregational Church I also served as a Deacon at the Church with Norman and Lillian Harrison up to their demise .. The men employed on the Wirksworth Hall Repairs were June 26th 1906 William Haines paid 3/4 (three shillings and four pence) John Bacon 3/4 Jacob Doxey 3/4 S.J Sheldon 6/- The same men worked through that week and following weeks up to July 10th earning the same money I have other letters concerning the subsidence Material for the infilling of the shaft etc was purchased from N Wheatcroft and Son via an agent Jabez Hadfield at a cost of £11 -5 - 6 with an extra cost of carting of same of £4 - 17 -5 with a further load of Caulk for infilling of £3 - 4 -2 The work was completed by July 10th 1906 with the following letter sent to the Agent of Price Wood Middleton By Wirksworth July 10th 1906 Dear Sir I have today completed the work at the subsidence in Mrs Meade Waldo's garden hoping the same will be found satisfactory Yours Respectfully Samuel J Sheldon

Problems at Wirksworth Hall Wirksworth Hall in Coldwell Street was demolished in 1922, due to subsidence as it had been built over an old mine. First inklings of the problems to come are found in entries in the Barmote Ledger for April-May 1906. (See Samuel Sheldon's family and his Will). At the time the Hall was being lived in by Cecily, widow of Edmund Meade-Waldo. Thanks to Stuart Flint for sending scans of the book from which these transcriptions were made. Wirsworth Hall about 1920 Page 69 Wirksworth subsidence. April 25th [1906] Dear Sir, I have today examined the shaft that the sewerage pipes are at and find some portions of it stand on wood. The drainage that comes down here is not the only cause of this subsidence. About 35 feet down this shaft is an open space about 12 feet wide but on the South side of this space is an open joint or Rake Vein that has been cut. There is a shaft in this vein 7 or 8 yards down to some sewerage deposit that comes along the vein from the other houses nearer the Royal Oak. This I believe is the principal cause of this subsidence. It must have been coming on here some time as it has brought down the wall out of one end of this shaft. I have had an Iron rod down into sewerage deposit 10 feet deep and find no solid bottom to it whether this is only partly blocked down and this sewerage lying on the top I cannot say but I certainly should put Iron rails across as it is down in the rock and uncertain what is below. Awaiting your instructions, Yours respectfully, Samuel J Sheldon Page 70 Wirksworth subsidence, Apl 25th [1906] Yours this morning. By all means with dry stone fill no 1 shaft up. The danger is No 2 shaft this is on another distinct vein running South West and North East these two veins cross each other just on the back side of this shaft and certainly at this point the veins would be wider and in all probability be set off wood and with this sewerage running on No 2 vein would certainly rot this wood and draw down the refuse from above the brake? may have started lower than I can see but by all means stop any from from coming down from above you. If you decide decide to fill up both the shafts then all well and good the stone would have to be let down then lifted over this ridge of Limestone and ? into the sewerage deposit. My suggestion for Iron Rails was to look what mischief there was beyond this point towards that Big wall that has shown signs of coming down This vein runs right under the corner of it I enclose for your inspection just a rude sketch Yours Respectfully Samuel J Sheldon Deputy Barmaster Page 71 Middleton Wirksworth May 1st 1906, Wirksworth subsidence Dear Sir, 35 feet down No 1 shaft is the floor of this shaft as far as I can see and 10 or 12 feet wide this width is extended till it takes in the side of the other vein in which shaft No 2 is carried lower down. 7 or 8 yards lower down than the floor of No 1 is this sewerage deposit that comes along that vein No 2. Nothing coming down No 1 would find its way into No 2 they are two distinct veins with a ridge of limestone between them. Its no use poring [sic] anything down at the other houses and expect to see it drain? No 1 shaft this has no connection. These houses are connected only with that vein that goes towards the Royal Oak and the outlet of that appears 7 or 8 yards lower than the floor of No 1 shaft and more South. If Mr Wood wishes the drains to remain in as they are and run the risk of any further subsidence then almost anything will do for filling up with. Page 72 No 1 shaft receives Hawley and no other. No 2 shaft the other houses and can only be seen by going down 35 ft and standing in the vein along which the sewerage comes in the sides of the vein you can see whence it has come down. Yours respectfully, Samuel J Sheldon. Dates: Photo taken: Size: Source: Stuart Flint Click on photo for enlargement (on CD only) Have any more information about this photo? Please e-mail the author on:

X578b Sam Sheldon, who lost his foot in an accident.

X578b The man sitting on the floor in Colconda Mine Coe examining mineral is Samuel Joseph Sheldon [Stuart Flint's] Gr Gr Uncle. Also the report of accident printed in Derby Mercury when S.J Sheldon lost a foot when trapped under a loaded stone wagon on Middleton Top Incline Derby Mercury c1919-20 TRAPPED BY WAGONS Quarry Manager Injured on High Peak Line. Mr Samuel Sheldon, of Middleton-by- Wirksworth, manager of the Bradwell Quarry, Hopton, a former owner of the Golconda Lead Mine, and one of the Deputy Barmasters under the Duchy of Lancaster, was seriously injured on the High Peak Railway on Friday of last week. Mr Sheldon was walking up the Middleton inclined plane on the London and North-Western Railway towards the quarry, and, stepping out of the way of descending wagons, was knocked down by trucks being drawn in the opposite direction. He was badly injured, one of his feet being so nearly severed as to necessitate amputation. He was conveyed to Wirksworth Hospital, and later to Derby Infirmary, where on Tuesday he was reported to be making as good progress as could be expected in view of his great age. Mr Sheldon is a well-known public man, and formerly represented Middleton on the Ashbourne Board of Guardians. He is a member of Wirksworth Old Age Pensions Sub-committee.

Family of Samuel SHELDON

Census 1841 Census 1841 1801 1801 1793 1802 Joseph 1821 Elizabeth Job 1824 Elizabeth SHELDON=====v=====SHELDON LONGDEN=====v=====BRADLEY 1848 | 1856 1859 | 1887 | | |----------|-------|---|---|---------|------|-----| |----|-----|-------|--|--|------|----------|-------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1824 1825 1830 1835 1841 1844 1848 1825 1826 1827 1829 1831 1838 1842 1844 Elizabeth John Martha Abernatha Emily Edith Samuel Ann Mary Martha Job Mabel Elizabeth Joseph Jane Philip | | | | Census 1891 | Census 1891 | Samuel | Joseph 1891 Jane SHELDON========================v==============================LONGDEN 1920 1919 Census 1901

1911 Census for The Lanes, Middleton by Wirksworth, Derbyshire SHELDON, Samuel Joseph Head Married 19 years M 63 1848 Barmaster And Mineral Agent Middleton by Wirksworth SHELDON, Jane Wife Married 19 years F 66 1845 Ible Wirksworth

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