January
Jan 10th
You might recall that the Rev. Edwin William Symons of Christ Church in Cotmanhay died last year, on December 19th, aged only 47. We now learn that E. Miller Mundy Esq, of Shipley Hall has presented the Rev. Thomas Fowler with the vacant incumbency. He was previously the curate of St. Mary’s Church in Nottingham.
Jan 12th
Yesterday evening John Hutchinson, unmarried son of cowkeeper Joseph and Catherine (nee Beardsley) of Heanor Road, stepped out of the last, third-class carriage of the Nottingham train at Ilkeston Junction station. As you probably know, at that point the platform is at its narrowest, being about three feet wide, and is situated between the main line and the branch line going to the Town Station at the bottom of Bath Street. John missed his footing, slipped and fell onto the branch line, precisely at the moment that the passenger carriage was coming along the same line from the Town Station. The carriage was pushing five empty trucks in front of it and the first of these went over John’s body, killing him instantly. He was 37 years old.
Jan 13th
Yesterday John Wakefield, a baker living at a yard bearing his name, close to the Travellers’ Rest beerhouse, appeared at the Court of Bankruptcy in Nottingham.
It was at the end of last year that John was declared bankrupt and at this bankruptcy hearing dubious financial behaviour on the part of the baker was suggested.
Prior to his court appearance, the baker had transferred some money which he held in various money clubs in Nottingham to ‘parties, under peculiar circumstances’.
He then left for Manchester, taking with him £200, as his wife Margaret had admitted. A large surplus of this cash remained unaccounted for. His creditors suggested that John’s flight to the north-west was a prelude to his leaving the country but that the declaration of his bankruptcy had forced him to return to Ilkeston.
John seems to have a very ‘relaxed’ business attitude — he keeps no books at all and seems to rely upon memory to recall transactions and debts.
Of course, in his testimony, John put a totally different complexion upon his actions. He had not tried to hide any of his assets, and had given a full account of all the monies he had received and paid over the last 12 months .. all from memory of course, as no account books existed !! He had not fled to Manchester, and while there his bankruptcy came as a complete surprise to him. However the hearing judge seemed unimpressed by what he heard and consequently the baker has been awarded only a third class certificate.
Jan 14th
I see from today’s Nottinghamshire Guardian, that Richard Evans of the Pottery, has just completed ‘very extensive alterations‘ to his premises, introducing the ‘most approved machinery, by hand or steam-power’, leading him to offer lower prices than any competitor and improved quality and durability. Now also, he has just added the manufacture of Terra Cotta goods of every sort: ‘ground indicators, grave, space and section markers’.
Stoneware sanitary pipes, water closet pans, sink traps, water filters, fancy vases, vitreous jars and bottles, border tiles and fire bricks, etc., etc., were still available of course, at Ilkeston Potteries, established 1807.
Jan 17th
The behaviour of some of our town’s residents is often beyond my understanding.
Henry Harrison has been out of work for over six months, and he has a wife and young family, several of whom are sick. Yesterday he appeared at the Smalley Petty Sessions, charged with brawling at the Sir John Warren Inn approaching midnight on January 4th. He was fined a mitigating penalty of 6d plus 18s costs. He said he couldn’t pay — but why was he out drinking, leaving an ailing family alone at home ?
He was allowed 14 days to pay, or 21 days in jail.
Jan 17th
And more strange behaviour, outlined at the same court .. also yesterday
William Woodroffe, landlord of the King’s Head Inn, was walking back from Nottingham on January 6th, having conducted some business in that city in the morning. He stopped for supper at the King’s Head in Wollaton, home to brothers Thomas and William Burton, washing his meal down with a little ale and a drop of gin and water.
About half past nine in the evening William left the Wollaton house to continue his walk back to Ilkeston and on Trowell Moor was joined by Patrick Pollard, tinman and brazier, who has a shop just accross the Market Place from the King’s Head, and John Harrison, lacemaker. They were also walking home to Ilkeston.
The trio journeyed on to Gallows Inn and were crossing the canal there when an argument seems to have developed. William accused Patrick of trying to push him off the road, of hitting him with a bludgeon of some kind and of rendering him senseless, while John was egging on Patrick, using very colourful language.
As the alleged assault was taking place a young Stapleford lad, Samuel Richards, was returning home from Ilkeston and saw Patrick strike at William. After a brief conversation the lad hurried to the nearby brickyard of John Wilson and enlisted the help of Charles Beighton, foreman at the brickyard, and labourer William Hallam, both of whom were working there. Together the three found the injured William and he was escorted home to the Market Place in Ilkeston by two of the Good Samaritans.
On their return to Ilkeston, innkeeper William and his two ‘rescuers’ went immediately to confront Patrick at his home where they found him still with John Harrison and not in the best of moods. He was most uncooperative while lacemaker John threatened to re-arrange young Samuel Richard’s teeth. The confrontation seems to have ended when Police Constable Rouse arrived.
Yesterday they all appeared at Smalley Assizes where Patrick and John suggested this was a case of self-defence. Despite the fact that none of the other witnesses agreed with them, the defendants argued that innkeeper William was helplessly drunk and they had taken him ‘in charge’ to prevent him from being robbed. As they approached the town William had become belligerent, struck out at Patrick and threatened to push him into the canal. What else could they do but retaliate?
This testimony did not impress the Bench and Patrick and John were each fined 10s with costs; or in default of paying, six weeks in gaol with hard labour.
Jan 18th
At the inquest into John Hutchinson’s death which occurred three days ago, Joseph Tarlton, breaksman of Chapel Street, stated that is was usual to clear the Town Station of empty trucks at night which is what he was doing. There were three standing lights on the Junction platform but the one where the accident took place was obscured by the carriages as they came down the line. Consequently it would be pitch black at that end of the platform.
Today the Pioneer again took this opportunity to criticise the Midland Railway Company for its ‘gross inattention’, and to call for better lighting, a wider platform and improved accommodation at both stations.
Jan 30th
Wheatley Straw is the mine’s bailiff of Samuel Potter living on Heanor Road. Very sadly his youngest child Philip died yesterday. Some days before, the 8-year-old lad had been with his friends at the schoolroom, enjoying his dinner-hour when he wandered too close to the fire; his pinafore caught alight, and, naturally panicking, he tried to escape the room. This only made the fire worse. He was taken home where he lingered in some pain for four days.
Too late for the young lad, it was recommended that a fireguard be used in future at the school.
On the very same day, a similar death has also just befallen little George Beardsley, not yet two years old, the son of Alfred and Elizabeth of Grass Lane. I wonder how many more children must perish before more care is taken with unattended fires and unattended infants.
February
February 4th
Close by the property of Joseph Carrier, in Bath Street, the watch and clock-maker Joseph Carnill has just moved into the shop previously occupied by Edwin Wragg. It is close by the offices of the Pioneer newspaper.
Edwin has moved into Market Place premises.
February 6th
As you may recall — from January 17th !! — William Woodruffe is the landlord at the King’s Head Inn in the Market Place, and which he keeps with his wife Maria Nightingale Simpson — I believe they have been there at least since their marriage in 1837.
Last October Maria noticed that she was missing a metal tankard from the inn, one easily recognisable as it had her husband’s initial on it, along with a number 5. It reappeared at the beerhouse of John Barker on Ilkeston Common, when his wife Sarah bought it for 4s from William McKnight, a visiting draper of Mount Street in Nottingham. He, in turn, had just bought it from someone for the same price and resold it immediately — not a clever piece of business !!
Suspicious Sarah took it eventually to the town policeman, Sergeant Hudson, and further enquiries identified labourer Alfred Cooper as the original seller of the mug — and landlord William was able to identify him as being in the King’s Head when the tankard went missing. Alfred initially pleaded innocence — he had bought the jug from a boatman, name unknown, but at the County Court yesterday, thought it wiser to plead guilty. Because of a previous offence he was awarded 3 months in prison with hard labour.
February 14th
The Ilkeston Pioneer now reports that the famous Cantelupe Monument has been restored and re-erected at the parish church, courtesy of present Lord de la Warr and Cantelupe.
“In the restoration of this monument the most eminent antiquarians have been consulted. They advised that the effigy should remain in its mutilated state, with one or two slight exceptions; but that the pediment should be restored to its original state, since sufficient remained to give a clear indication of what it once was. The manner in which the work has been done, and the correctness with which every detail has been followed, reflects the highest credit on Messrs. Lindley and Firn, who have shown themselves not only workmen but men of good taste”.
Here is a sketch of it made by a friend of mine.
February 19th
Next month the three newly-erected houses which you may have seen at the corner of Albion Place and Bath Street, are to be sold at auction by Charles Chadwick. So get along to the Rutland Arms on March 4th, well before 3 o’clock to ensure a place there !!
But before that, get yourself along, next week, to the Rutland Arms where auctioneer Charles is selling off some building land adjoining Ebenezer Terrace. That’s on February 25th at 7 o’clock in the evening.
However, in the morning, at 11 o’clock, at the building land mentioned above, Charles will be auctioning off a narrow boat and a wide boat, both at present moored at the Bridge Inn. Also in the auction will be a double-barrelled gun, a horse, two carts, two gas metres, some Bulwell stone, timber, widows, doors, iron pipes, chimney pieces, slates, tiles — the list goes on !!
You will know that Charles’s wife — Mary — is the sister of Thomas Hives, the proprietor of the Rutland Arms.
March
March 3rd
It looks like the bankruptcy of John Wakefield has finally been settled. His creditors can look forward to a payment of 6s in the £ !!
March 5th
I see that John Wombell is advertising for a man to take charge of his business when he is temporarily absent, He describes it as a General Book and Jobbing Office where a small weekly newspaper is printed. That paper would of course be the Pioneer.
March 7th
Yesterday saw the final edition of the Ilkeston News … it has now ceased publication.
March 16th
George Chadwick, who assists his father James in their ironmongery at the bottom of Bath Street, was in court at Derby Assizes yesterday — not as ‘an accused’ but as a witness. He was giving evidence against a young chap, 19 years old, called George Heaps who had brought a brass brick mould casing into the shop, trying to sell it. This was about January 20th. James smelled a rat and informed Sergeant Hudson. It turns out that the brass was stolen from the brickyard of John Whitehead in Bath Street.
Yesterday, despite his plea of innocent, George Heaps was found guilty of being in possession of stolen goods and was sentenced to four months with hard labour.
March 19th
It appears that the police don’t always ‘get their man‘.
At the same Spring Assizes, John ‘Jack’ Harrison was charged by PC John Dawes with violently assaulting him. It happened just about a week ago, Saturday night in Ilkeston, when PC Dawes approached a group of men who, he said, were creating a disturbance in the street. He tried to break them up and claimed that he knew ‘Jack’ very well. The latter was wearing a muffler, covering part of his face and the PC tried to pull it down to look at his face when Jack wacked him a couple of times in the face with his stick. This seemed a bit strange to the judge at the court — the policeman claimed to know Jack well, so why did he need to remove the muffler ?!
Another, nearby PC — John Hardy — heard the whistle of his mate and ran to assist. He saw Jack running away, and the latter also hit him as he passed.
Things were looking pretty bleak for Jack, but two character witnesses were then called to swear what a fine chap he really was !!
In summing up, the judge said that PC Dawes was perfectly correct to try to break up the disturbance, but it was no part of his duty to attempt to pull the muffler from Jack’s face. The constable was interfering with him and had no right to do so. There was a distinct mystery about why he had chosen to do that, and about his account of the events leading up to the ‘assault’.
The jury, too, was mystified, and immediately acquitted Jack.
March 20th
I see that Messrs Bailey, Son & Co. is extending its factory in Heanor Road. All it now needs is a builder !!
April
April 1st
The White Cow beer house at Hungerhill in Nottingham Road is available once more to let. The present tenant is James Gold — or is it Gould ? — or even Gouldingay ? — whatever !! James is retiring through ill-health, and perhaps even old age; I am told he is about 82 years old.
April 2nd
And Thomas Machin is back in town !!
For those of you who are unaware, Thomas is the “Mute Photographic Artist” who irregularly visits Ilkeston. This time he will be appearing at John Mellor‘s garden in the Market Place where he will be taking portraits daily, from 9am until dusk. Prices vary from 1s to 10/6d, according to size and finish.
April 8th
We shan’t be seeing John Hofton and his wife Charlotte around town, at least for the next six months. Yesterday, at Derbyshire Assizes, the couple were found guilty of “keeping a disorderly house for immoral purposes” in East Street, and were each sentenced to six months in prison with hard labour. After their release they have been ordered to each provide a £20 security to be of good behaviour for twelve months. The lead magistrate at the trial commented that he had never come across such disgusting immorality before.
Interestingly, at their trial, the court couldn’t make up its mind about the accused’s surname. Let me help .. as far as I can. I believe that collier John Hofton is the illegitimate son of Ellen Hofton who then married John Stirland, four years after the son’s birth. The son then adopted the name of Stirland. The surname of Hooley derives from Charlotte’s maiden name before her marriage, in April 1839, to John Stirland alias Hofton.
I hope that has cleared up the confusion !!
April 9th
At the recent vestry meeting William Riley, butcher of Bath Street, was reappointed as the vicar’s churchwarden, while Samuel Potter, gentleman of Ilkeston Park, was chosen as the parish churchwarden.
June
June 10th
John Stocks is a hosier who lives in Bath Street, just by Smith’s Yard. That’s where I met him yesterday when he showed me a couple of letters from his son Isaac who enlisted in the 90th Light Infantry some years ago. The letters are dated from April, and marked from Lucknow, India, where Isaac and his regiment are serving in their efforts to quell the rebellion in that area, and where they have just captured that city.
He writes “the city was taken with ease; we soon got the natives on the run, and kept them to it. We have lost very few men, only 150 since we left home; and I have escaped all dangers so far. We are very comfortable in the city. I did not receive your letter containing stamps; I suppose it would be in the mail that was robbed by the sweet little Sepoys, who were thought so much of before the mutiny that the gentry had their likenesses painted on the walls. A European soldier was thought nothing of in this country. When on parade, the Sepoys are pretty spectacles, with their charming belts, oiled faces, and bootless shanks. Had our hearts been tender when we were relieving the women and children at Lucknow, they would all have been broken; all the thanks that we got for it was that we were dirty soldiers, and anything but gentlemen, except when they saw us charge, and found their births safe; then they said “Oh, brave Britons !”
June 12th
Recently the Ilkeston Pioneer has suggested that the town’s brass band should extend its practice venues so that more inhabitants might hear how talented its members are.
The musicians have customarily been frequenting the town’s taverns and playing to the clientele therein. Perhaps there is a hint of self-interest in this choice of venue?
The Pioneer has suggested that the group should play on the Cricket Ground to a wider, more diffuse audience which will doubtless pay “to a general fund for the use of the band, as some compensation for the satisfaction they had thus enjoyed”. Perhaps the experience will also be morally uplifting for the town’s population.
It seems that he band has taken this advice to heart and I have heard that it will begin to play at the Cricket Ground venue, every Monday evening, weather permitting.
June 20th
Another letter from Lucknow has recently surfaced … from the son of James Tomasin, Thomas; he writes …
Camp before Lucknow, April 17th, 1858.
My dear father, Our Regiment left Calcutta on the 17th of October, and since that time until the fall of Lucknow we had little or no repose.
We commenced by giving chase to a party of the Ramgurh Battalion that had encamped near Chittrae, and they kept us at it night and day for upwards of three months, however they were too wide awake to be caught napping. For ninety-seven hours we were without a halt or breaking our fast –sometimes climbing the hills, then through jungles and crossing swamps, again traversing a sandy plain, until our men were actually falling down worn with fatigue and the burning heat of the sun.
At last we came in sight of the enemy but were not a little surprised when we saw they were something like four thousand strong and a strong body of artillery, and our whole force amounted to sixty men — no ordnance. We got the order to fix bayonets which was soon obeyed, and with a wild hurrah we dashed at them, met by vollies of musketry and cannons playing on us from three different directions; their grape and canister did fearful execution amongst us, but as soon as our bayonets were fairly at play we quickly silenced them, in fact we turned their own big guns on them as they flew pell-mell, and left us masters of the field after two hours hard fighting; they left seven hundred dead on the field.
We took possession of their camp entire, with about two thousand camels, eight elephants, seven boxes of treasure and plunder of every description. Our next piece of business was at the bloody field of Cugewa; here our Colonel was shot through the head in front of his Regiment. This was a short but desperate affair, but the British bayonet was too cold for them and they beat a retreat with great loss; we then reached Lucknow without interruption, and commenced operations for the relief of General Havelock and gained our object in twelve days; then back to Cawnpore, and in a short time we retook that city and chased the rebels for forty-nine hours, and overtook a party endeavouring to cross the river Ganges with some cannon, from whom we took twenty-one pieces without losing a man, and then reached Bithcor, the seat of the once-powerful Nena Sahib.
Our next route was to Furekabad and Futtepore, taking each city as we went along; then to Chaw, where fourteen of our men were blown up by the bursting of a mine; and finally accomplished the destruction of Lucknow, after nineteen days’ hard fighting, which became ours on the 21st of March; but the war is not over yet. So long as a Sepoy remains at large he will do his best to give us some trouble. I have had a many narrow escapes, but as yet, thank God, I retain a whole skin.
I was not a little surprised when you mentioned Captain Ash’s name; I was not aware he would have recollected an insignificant object like me so long — I am glad to hear that such is not the case. I well remember his son, Mr. Andrew, also his elder brother, but I forget his name; he used to teach my class at the Church Sunday School with his father — that was the happiest time of my life — I often think of those dear old times; it seems as but a few days since.
I must now conclude with my best and kindest love to you all, as I hope to remain your ever affectionate son and well-wisher. T.B. Tomasin, No. 6 Company, H.M.’s 53rd Regiment. — P.S. Please give my humble respects to Captain Ash.
You will probably know that Captain Ash is land proprietor Henry Ash who lives at Beers or Bears Lane in Cotmanhay.
July 1st
Ebenezer’s back in town !!
August
August 2nd
Something very noteworthy has just occurred in the town. It is about 30 years since a victualler’s licence has been granted to an Ilkeston tradesman by the licensing magistrates. Well, now three have been granted !!
The lucky reciprients are firstly Samuel Lowe of Kensington, who has kept a beerhouse there for the last 20 years — without a complaint against him !! Secondly Jedediah Wigley at the Market Tavern … and finally Matthew Fetcher of Stanton Road.
Unfortunately, at the Mundy Arms, Henry Clay’s application failed.
September
September 2nd
I read that Joseph Knighton, beerhouse-keeper of the Nag’s Head in South Street, has, once more, appeared at the Petty Sessions on the wrong side of the law. It was claimed that, on August 12th, he had assaulted Mabel Webster as she was walking with ‘her chap’ Henry Hughes, in the Market Place; he struck Mabel, knocking her down and then kicked her several times. Henry of course corroborated all of this. To add to Joseph’s woes, he was also accused of trying to bribe a witness to stay away from court and not give evidence !!
Joseph’s defence was that the couple were both very drunk when they entered the Nag’s Head that day, and so had been refused further drink. Some choice language preceded the couple leaving the beerhouse, followed by Joseph, who was himself accused of being the worse for liquor. Their argument continued along South Street until the alleged assault took place. On hand was P.C. Butcher and it was probably his testimony against Joseph that led to the latter’s fine of 5s, with 8s expenses.
However no sooner had the parties left the justice room after the court case than cries were heard from outside. “Police, police, come and save my chap” cried Mabel as Joseph once more threatened Henry.
And immediately the beerhouse keeper found himself once more facing an assault charge.
And once more, a guilty verdict against him, another fine, more expenses, and this time Joseph was bound over to keep the peace for one year.
September 3rd
Who are we to believe ? That is a question the answer to which often perplexes the magistrates at Ilkeston’s Petty Sessions.
Ephraim Eaton is a young framework knitter who lives in Park Road and only just over a year ago was married to Harriet Cowlishaw at the parish church. Well, just over a week ago he was out in the town having a drink, (and more !!) on Saturday night, with his friends. According to PCs Butcher and Patterson, Ephraim was still out on the following Sunday morning, August 22nd, now much the worse for drink, and found himself in a fight — this was about 10 o’clock. However there must be two such men in Ilkeston because Ephraim’s wife swore that he was at home, soundly asleep in his bed !! His mother, Mary Ann Eaton, also vouched for his innocence !!
Yesterday we know exactly where Ephraim was — he was in court defending himself before the magistrates against the charge of being drunk and fighting in a public place. Because of the conflicting evidence, they gave Ephraim the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case.
September 8th
A wedding was enacted yesterday at the Independent Chapel in Pimlico. It was an event which generated much interest and re-energised much of the gossip which has occupied certain sections of the town’s populace in recent years, especially among the members of the Primitive Methodist community.
The bride was Maria Beardsley who has a young son, now almost five years old, I am told. Rumours have circulated that the putative father of the child is John Wombell, proprietor of the Pioneer newsapaper — though, as I eschew gossip, I can neither confirm nor deny these stories.
The groom was Lewis Russell, a stone miner originaly from Diseworth, again, I believe.
