Archive for the ‘History’ Category

WI & Local Rituals

Don’t forget tomorrow’s WI meeting:

‘Local Rituals’ a multi-media presentation
(including Winster Morris & Parwich Guizing)
by Rob Francis
7-30pm Thursday 15th May, Memorial Hall
Non-members welcome

   

Winster Guizers 1875                         Parwich Guizers 1992

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Talk on Cromford Mill tonight

Don’t forget that the History Society is hosting an illustrated talk on

“The Restoration of Cromford Mill
7.30pm Thursday 8th May Parwich Memorial Hall
All welcome

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NFU Centenary

This year sees the centenary of the National Farmers Union. The actual date for the founding of the NFU was 10th December 1908. Do let us know if any local celebrations are planned. Also we would welcome any suggestions for more farming related posts and contents for this site.

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Click here to find out more about Parwich & District Local History Society

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Over the next few days I am going to be posting a “Diary of Tissington Well Dressings”. In 2007 I was fortunate enough to be invited to join one of the Well Dressing teams, either they are desperate or I did a reasonable job last year because I am joining them again.

The Tissington Well Dressings are a fantastic tradition, something to be proud of, a part of our heritage which is all too often being eroded. Today for me was Day 1 – a very easy one. I joined some of the other Parwich Ladies who are involved in other wells at Communion at Tissington Church led by Christopher to celebrate the preparation for the Well Dressings. Afterwards we retired to the village hall for a wonderful cooked breakfast. Work for the Wells has been going on for days, with boards being soaked in the pond, clay puddled and designs drawn. The final boards were lifted today & taken to a “secret” location so that we can begin early tomorrow.

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Parwich Hospital in Derby Telegraph

There were two photos of Parwich Hospital taken while it was a Red Cross hospital during World War II in a recent Derby Evening Telegraph issue.  I have not seen them yet but hopefully more details will follow or someone will add more information under the comments.

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Sharing Parwich History 2

The informal meeting at the Sycamore last night went well. Some eight of us met and looked through a collection of press cuttings and some photographs taken by the Ashbourne Telegraph, from the last fifty years. However by the end of the evening the group had been swelled by others who had come in for a drink, but were interested in the cuttings.

We did have some discussion about how a wider audience could get to see these materials, and the archives held by the Local History Society. There is not enough material for anything on the scale of the 2002 exhibition in the Church, but it would be interesting for villagers to know what is there. Nowhere in the village is currently suitable for a permanent display, but does have anyone suggestions for something more temporary?

Dates for your diary:

7-30pm Thursday 8th May an illustrated talk on “History of Cromford Mill” at the Memorial Hall (£1 members, £2 non-members).

7-30pm Wednesday 4th June an evening tour of Brassington, meet in front of the Miner’s Arms (no charge).  Contact Peter Trewhitt tel. 287 with a rough idea of numbers.

7pm Wednesday 11th June an evening tour of Parwich, laid on for Wetton Local History Group but others welcome to join in, meet in the Sycamore Inn car park (no charge).

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Sharing Parwich history

Don’t forget the History Society are holding an informal meeting at the Sycamore tomorrow (Thursday 10th April) at 8pm in the back room. The idea is to come along and share any information you have or memories you have or share any topics you want to find out more about. The idea is to explore recent history: your life time, your parents’ life time and your grandparents’ life time.

We have set no specific agenda as we want to see what interests the people who come along. However if no one has any specific topics in mind we have several fall backs, including local working life, the carbide shed and the Methodist Chapel. This is a new venture for the History Society, but if successful we will hold more such events.

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Parwich Honey

I was chatting with a neighbour about bees, and we were wondering how much is known about the history of local bee keeping and honey production.

The Domesday Survey of 1086 mentions the Royal Estate’s income from Parwich before 1066 as having been “£32 and 6½ sesters of honey“, suggesting that in Saxon times Parwich was a net exporter of honey. However by the time of the survey the income is recorded as being worth “£40 of pure silver“, making no mention of honey. There is a place name ‘honeylands’, located below Hawkeslow, suggesting this was associated with bee keeping. Before the Enclosures of the late eighteenth century and land improvement that would have eradicated heather here, this is likely to have been somewhere where the hives would have been taken in summer to take advantage of the heather blossom.

honey-bee-2.jpg

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LEAWOOD IN STEAM

Looking for something to do this weekend, then you might be interested in this information sent to us by Rob Francis:

Leawood pump on the Cromford Canal will be in steam this Sunday and Monday – 23/24th March. Entry is free but donations are welcome.

This is a fantastic way of looking through into the power of the industrial revolution that shaped Derbyshire. Also fun for children to see the massive beam engine fully working (all that fire,oil and steam) drawing up water from the Derwent to fill the canal. All functioning as it did 160 years ago.

More information www.middleton-leawood.org.uk

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Bradbourne Mill

Our thanks to Alan Gifford, for mailing us this update on Bradbourne Mill.

Much as I would like to have seen this lovely building stay as a water mill, it was not to be and Amos Developments Ltd. are making a good job of the work on site. Much of the approved conversion, other than of the mill, is in the late stages of activity.

In the mill, the top floor has been panelled but the old sack hoist has been retained in place.

On the stone floor, the ruin of the dresser has been removed and the the best pieces conserved. The removal operation was well recorded. A new staircase is in place.

The wheel pit has been dug out and the framings of both wheels are clearly visible. These have now been slowly turned by hand. (See photo below.) Both are to be rebuilt and will be recorded, since access is now possible. They will be turned from time to time with recycled water from the mill pond, since there is no direct access to the main stream water.

Bradbourne Mill

Against the recommendation of the Midland Mills Group, planners ruled that the 1750-ish Hurst frame should be enclosed in glass panels, which are currently being installed. About six old mill stones, some 18th Century, have been found and are now displayed in the patio area at the back of the mill.

Overall, considerable effort is being made to try and best preserve into a house conversion the main features of the mill.

To find out more about Bradbourne Mill see
Bradbourne & Lea Hall History and
Parwich & District Local History Society Newsletter 21

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7-30pm Thursday 13th March 2008
“Ashbourne, Gateway to Dovedale”
An illustrated talk by Danny Wells
All welcome (admission: members £1 & non-members £2)

Many will know Danny Wells, either from his courses and walks in Ashbourne, or his very successful talk last year to Parwich WI, on Joseph Paxton.  He has an extensive knowledge of local history with a special interest in the Victorian period, but he is also an entertaining speaker, making his topic interesting to the more general audiences.

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It is estimated that world wide, up to twelve million individuals are subject to some form of forced labour or slavery. Can we be confident that the contents of our shopping baskets in the current global market were produced without oppression and exploitation? To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the British Abolition of the Slave Trade, Parwich Church and the Local History Society organised a short series of events.
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The Red House Raid.

In October 1975, Time Magazine in the USA published a news feature on the police raid that took place at the so-called “Red House” (better known as White Meadow House), which was then being used as a training centre for the Workers’ Revolutionary Party. The article has now been made available online, and makes for fascinating reading.

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