From Jan Wasley
I was born and grew up in Ilkeston but left when I was 26 in 1962..
I have many fond memories of Ilkeston and still have friends and acquaintances there that you may know. Among them are Garth Newton of Ilkcam game and Joe Cahill. Danny Corns who died last year was a boyhood friend, who also later served as apprentice to my Dad, Bill Wasley at Stanton.
Ironically, although my parents moved from Nottingham to Ilkeston when they got married in 1934, so most of my relatives (that I knew of) were around Nottingham. However, my paternal Grandmother had been born in Shipley/Cotmanhay in 1872 to quite a large family. Her birth name was Matilda Knighting and I noticed a ‘”KnightonFamily” on your site. Ironically, in the photograph that accompanies the Knightuon Photo, one lady is identified as being married to someone called Beecroft! Now, I remember that we had some relatives in Ilkeston called Beecroft/Beecroft. although I don’t know whether they were cousins of my Dad or Granny. One was a man called Ferdinand Beecroft, who was Managing Director of the Coalmine on the Jeanie Rd ( Shipley or Crosswalk?) And I only met him once.
The other family was Arthur and Edith Beecroft and they lived on Heanor Rd just where (I think) Cotmanhay Rd comes up to meet Heanor Rd. They must have been reasonably well off as they had a car in the 1940’s! I also remember going to Simpson’s Sweet shop and meeting my relative Mabel, who worked in Simpson’s Sweet shop .for many years.
Looking at genealogy sites I can trace my Ilkeston “Knighton” forebears back to the 1600’s.but of course just know names and dates. I would love to know more about them and who knows, perhaps I still have living ‘unknown’ relatives still living in dear ole Ilsun. Any information you or your site members can provide would be much appreciated.
