Latest Articles

Issue 312 (February 09) - The main article this month is on Edward Smith (1818-1874): Heanor's forgotten son, a medical pioneer. The Society's newly reformed Publications Sub-committee sets out their plans for the next few years.

Issue 311 (January 09) - An old newspaper article on the Consecration of a New Church at Aldercar  in 1871 is accompanied by articles on John Rigdon Groom, and Codnor Memories.

Issue 310 (December 08) - Another eight-side newsletter includes the fourth and final part of John Sterling's Memoirs. An Old Heanor Christmas Tale adds to the festive season, while the Heanor Music Festival of 1934 explains the background to a recent donation, of a silver medallion, to the Society. Finally, Smalley Church Bells includes details of the gift by the Rev. Charles Kerry, which resulted in the building of a new tower at the church.

Issue 309 (November 08) - Richard Bolitho - A Local Dambuster looks at the life of this former Heanor Secondary School pupil who died during Operation Chastise in 1943. The third section of John Sterling's Memoirs is followed by an item entitled What's in a Nickname.

Issue 308 (October 08) - An article on Langley Mill Co-op in the 1950s supplements the second piece of John Sterling's Memoirs.

Issue 307 (September 08) - Another eight-sided newsletter (will this become the norm?) In Follow the Master: A History of Heanor Grammar School the author gives an overview of the Society's  latest book, along with a selection of comments received so far.  Gas from the Water Tap - But Nothing to Worry About is a newspaper article from the 1950s which shows just how severe mining subsidence could be in the Heanor area, and on the Marlpool estate particularly. And John Sterling's Memoirs, sent to us by Margaret Chan, are a fascinating account of this man (also known as John Sterland or Stirland), who was sent to work as a gardener at Shipley Hall in 1804, aged 9 years. The newsletter also reports on the May Meeting (Heanor Grammar School) and the Society's two summer trips.

Issue 306 (May 08) - The second part of How Langley Mill Celebrated Royal Occasions is accompanied by a first-hand account, by John Potts, on his Experiences of a Reluctant Bevin Boy at Shipley.

Issue 305 (Apr 08) - How Langley Mill Celebrated Royal Occasions is a 1937 account of the subject by W.J. Angell. There is a further update on The Raynes Family of Heanor, and newspaper extracts on the Heanor Nursing Home Bazaar, 1931, and a 1967 report on Ormonde Colliery Not Closing.

Issue 304 (Mar 08) - Alan Charlton, who contacted the Society via the website, sent us a fascinating article on Family Tragedies, looking at mining and railway accidents which he has discovered in his family history. Dr William Roe of Heanor looks at the achievement of this 19th century man in founding the "Derbyshire Association in Aid of the Deaf and Dumb". Short articles concern the Langley Mill Telephone Exchange, and the death of John Rigden Groom.

Issue 303 (Feb 08) - With all the local excitement over the television programme, Time Team at Codnor Castle gives a summary of what has been found during their excavations at the site. A newspaper article from 1949 relates to another celebrity, with the Visit of Jack Warner to Heanor.

Issue 302 (Jan 08) - A Heanor Connection with 'Cranford' looks at links between the author, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Heanor's greatest writers, William and Mary Howitt. Alan Brougham recollects his earliest years Working at 'Vic's', and a short piece recalls How Loscoe celebrated Peace in 1945.

Issue 301 (Dec 07) - The second part to the Memoirs of Betty Cooper describes Heanor Wakes and Heanor Carnival in quite some detail. An advertisement from the Langley Mill and Aldercar Co-op for the Top 20 records for Christmas 1963 shows that the Beatles had five separate entries at the time!

Issue 300 (Nov 07) - A special 300th edition contains twice the number of pages. In the Memoirs of Betty Cooper, a correspondent recalls her time working at Aristoc, and before that her school days. A Heanor Link with the Pentrich Revolution looks at the part played by a Heanor framework knitter, John Mackesswick. And in an article on Local Artists, Cyril Bell, William Rodway Barnes, Jack Dodsley and Carl Twigg all feature.  The back page features a number of advertisements for long-gone, but not forgotten, local companies.

Issue 299 (Oct 07) - A theory regarding the pre-Norman history of Codnor Castle takes prime position in this month's newsletter.

Issue 298 (Sep 07) - An article on Edward (Neddy) Prince of Heanor, gives an account of a local character who was born in 1800. The first newsletter of the season, there are also accounts of the summer activities of the Society.

Issue 297 (Apr 07) - A pamphlet issued by the Langley Mill and Aldercar Co-operative Society Educational Department, 1936 gives some idea of the size of the enterprise at that time. A C9 Bus Timetable also accompanies the recent talk on the subject.

Issue 296 (Mar 07) - The newspaper report of the Re-opening of Heanor Church, 1868, together with an explanation of The "Monkey Run", form the main articles. There is also an account of the early years of G.R. Turner's, Langley Mill, and the fourth item on Carnival Bands, with details of the Contest at Heanor, 1938.

Issue 295 (Feb 07) - Articles include a contemporary report on the Rebuilding of Heanor Church, 1868, an account of Vic Hallam and the Derwent Building System, and a short item on Heanor Shops in the Late 19th Century.

Issue 294 (Jan 07) - The Black Sheep of the Family  item is concluded, and there are further items on the Heanor Runner (Edward Stainsby), the Spondon Coronation Band Visit to Langley Mill (1937), and also the rules of the Street Game "Rumstick." The Early Years of Vic Hallam covers the trials and tribulations of the company in the 30's and 40's.

Issue 293 (Dec 06) - The newsletter contains short articles on Heanor Midland Road Station, a Prize Fight at Horsley, and the Funeral of George Oldershaw. There is a second item on Carnival Bands of the 1930's, and the beginning of  a genealogical search for the history of John Soult, "Black Sheep of the Family."

Issue 292 (Nov 06) - A Noted Heanor Runner gives an account of the life of Edward Stainesby, born in 1825, who ended up making a living from prize races. Local Carnival Bands of the 1930's details the establishment of the Langley Mill Jubilee Band in 1935.

Issue 291 (Oct 06) - Memories from Oz are the childhood reminiscences of Wyn Nelson - originally from Langley Mill. John Allport of Smalley gives a potted history of the life and death of the head master at Smalley School in the mid 19th century.

Issue 290 (Sep 06) - The Miller Mundy Divorce, 1881 gives details of the court case following the elopement of Mrs Miller Mundy with Lord Shrewsbury, and a dramatic chase across Europe by the wronged husband! What a scandal for the area. Being the first newsletter after the summer break, there are also reports on the spring meetings and visits.

Issue 289 (Apr 06) - Harold Brocklesby - A Story of my Life continues from the time that he went down the pit, at the age of 14, until he was injured in 1939. Memories of a Wartime Evacuee is Reg Crook's reminiscences of being sent to Loscoe from Surrey in 1944.

Issue 288 (Mar 06) - Heanor's Connections with the Raynes Family looks at the Heanor roots of the Raynes family, which included the first Labour Mayor of Derby, and a missionary after whom a church in Ohio, USA, is named. Harold Brocklesby - A Story of my Life gives a highly personal account of this man's childhood, up until 1914 - a fascinating picture of times now forgotten.

Issue 287 (Feb 06) - An article on Arnold Warren, of Codnor, gives details cricketing life, and his part in the Ashes series of 1905. The Diaries of John Goodwin conclude with him moving away from the area in 1933. And Heritage Ignorance looks at the views of our local politicians in the 1960's regarding the preservation of the Codnor Castle Dovecote.

Issue 286 (Jan 06) - It's in the Paper - it must be True! looks at a confused newspaper article from 1876 about the "Postman's Inn" at Codnor, the continuing Diaries of John Goodwin sees the author leaving home in 1927,  and the Miller Mundy Family Tree summarises the genealogy of the principal family of the area.

Issue 285 (Dec 05) - A Christmas Quiz, and recollections of an Airship of Heanor (the R101 in 1929), are followed by the main article on the Ilkeston and Heanor Waterworks, 1902. The Diaries of John Goodwin continue, with details of his family's first crystal set in the 1920's.

Issue 284 (Nov 05) - A timely article on the link between Heanor and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, is accompanied by the third part of the Street Games article. The Diaries of John Goodwin give details of life in Heanor in the first half or the twentieth century.

Issue 283 (Oct 05) - The article on Street Games continues, accompanied by old newspaper articles on Fishing Matches (1937) and on Loscoe arsonists of 1892.

Issue 282 (Sep 05) - The main article covers a major fire at Calvert and Lovatt's Art Pottery, Langley Mill, in 1892. There is also the start of an article on Street Games of the past, contributed by members of the internet discussion forum, together with reports on the Society's trips in the spring.

Issue 281 (Apr 05) - has a list of Shops and Businesses of Heanor - 1965, and an article written in the 1960's by John Dunford of Rutland who, in the 1910's/20's, came to Heanor for Holidays - not, perhaps, the obvious destination, but he seemed to enjoy it!

Issue 280 (Mar 05) - Features an article by Jack Hallam, who was prompted to contact us after reading this site. Memories of Shipley Hall and Woodside Colliery is a fascinating reminiscence! Smaller articles cover A.B.Williamson and Swarfega (as seen on this site), concerns over A School for Loscoe (1892), Whistling Dustbin Men (!), and the Sale of Shanakiel 1934.

Issue 279 (Feb 05) - The Mysterious Disappearance of an Aldercar Farmer in 1768 is our main story - was the body found at Alderwasley in 1771 that of Thomas Oldham? Excerpts from the Codnor and Loscoe Parish Magazine from 1911 talk of the need for a new church in this now booming village. Plus an announcement from 1722 concerning a Glass House at Codnor.

Issue 278 (Jan 05) - The main article gives details of the abortive Sale of Aldercar Hall in 1883, and looks at what happened when the premises failed to sell. (The site's Aldercar page is based on this article.) Two major news stories - the publication of a new book, and the closure of the Heritage Centre.

Issue 277 (Dec 04) - The final part of Heanor Wakes and Fairs takes us from the 1930's to the 1950's, including a description of the "X-Ray Lady" and "hook-a-duck"!

Issue 276 (Nov 04) - More drawings of old fairground rides in the continuing article on Heanor Wakes and Fair, plus a report on last month's popular meeting on the subject of Haddon Hall.

Issue 275 (Oct 04) - Betty Hughes' article on Heanor Wakes and Heanor Fair continues, with descriptions of some of the rides, together with drawings of the rides and a diagram of the layout of the fair on Heanor Market Place.

Issue 274 (Sept 04) - The first part of an item looking back at Heanor Wakes and Fair through the eyes of a child in the 1920's and 30's, and a summary of the use of this website to date, are joined by reports from the last three meetings of last season.