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suzard Researcher

families of langley mill replied on: 5/10/2007 11:11:48 AM Don't remember Michael Beadell,sorry, but found this article about families in Langley Mill, before my time (I'm not quite 100 yet!), but does mention ancestors of mine-and of some who have posted on this topic. R&H 20 Aug 1976 During the past week we have been interested to receive a long account from an old langley Mill reader who wishes to be known by the name of "Millite". It is the story of langley Mill as he remembered it more than 70 years ago. In an invitation to readers to walk down "Memory Lane", he suggests making a start at the Bailey Brook on the borders of langley mill. He continues that the cottage at the side was the home of Tom Abbott, next to the old Horse and Jockey, tenanted then by the Glazebrooks.The cottages at the side were known as Smiths' Row and belonged to Sir William Smith, and were tenanted by Tom Marriott and the Crosses. Over to the right was Wilmotts, Monumental masons, whose son Frank was reputed to be able to hold 3 billiard balls in one of his large hands. Then came the Langley Mill Boys School, the headmaster being Tom Horsley, with his favourite maxim, "Work never brings weariness for work itself is loved". Again on the left was Hartleys, the butchers. Passing over to the right again was the Police Station, in charge of Supt Daybell, who could regularly be seen on horseback, and many is the time he would line his men up in Aldreads lane for inspection. Langley Mill Cricket Ground brings to mind the four Pynegars who played for the club. Again on the left were the davis family, who were stalwarts of the Baptist Church, and Brindleys the Coal merchants. Passing Sedgwick Street we had the surgery of Dr. Rose, the "Derby House", then tenanted by the Holle family, and two families in the next row were the Britts and the Devonports. The old cottage at the bottom of the Baptist Churchyard was tenanted by the Hawksley family and later became the Young men's Institute. Across the road were the families of newtons and Lillies, and a row of cottages, occupied by the Marriotts, Neals and Booth families, and past the chapel on the left were Wilsons Cycle shop, who sold the original Langley Ware, Mother beatons shop, Albert Carvers, hairdressers. Thomas Fancourts grocery shop and the Erewash Hotel under mine host, Mr Bell. Just around the corner was the "Old Coffee tavern" which became VMT. The surrounding streets later became known as "Packman's Puzzle", and in case readers wonder what a Packman was, he was a man who travelled door to door with his pack of various wares. The puzzle was that when he called for his money he would find the book and money inside the house on the window ledge, with the door locked! The off licence and general shop was again in the hands of a Glazebrook, and over the road was Samuel Towson, another mason. The large house lower down was known as Bank House, and occupied by the Wenhams. At the railway station, Mr Wain was stationmaster, Mr Shipley in the signal box, Tom Burrage was head porter, and there was a Mr Fogg. Returning over the road, we had the old langley Mill to Ripley line. The first train to heanor on Monday morning was known as "Sharman's special", named after Mr. Sharman, a pawnbroker at High St heanor. I must make reference to the South African War memorial, the unveiling of which I can just remember, but the area of which has now fallen into a delapidated condition, as is the monument. Passing under the railway bridge, we come to Milnhay, where as a boy I used to deliver newspapers. Meeting the 5am train at eastwood great northern Station, my first call was the Anchor Inn, Bailey Grove, on the side of the canal, then over the fields to Milnhay House, the home of Mr hardwick Smith, and to Edistone House, home of Mr Albert Lovatt. I must also mention the Cooks of Sparrow Row, and the well known Eyre family, Jake Eyre, a familiar langley Mill cricketer, also the bestwicks, Harry Allen, John Cripps, and the frosts, who had a large house at the top of Elnor Street. Returning to Station Road, we were soon aware of the Potteries, with their four salt glaze kilns. pouring dense smoke over the nearby houses. Here again, I feel I must mention a few well known names, in the Ashers, Slaters, Pollards, Mortons, Purdys, Hartleys, and Wards, not forgetting the Dunstans, and the sweet shop. Further along the road, we come to Elnor street and the Infants School, the Mission, better known as the Tabernacle, and the Sunday School, which was in the charge of the late Mr Robert marriott. On the further corner was the old Railway tavern, and mine hosts, the Hendersons, at the side of which stood an old cottage tenanted by the late Ben Brindley." This article also states "to be continued"-but so far we have been unable to trace the continuation.

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