Derbyshire Family History Society

The Street is the medieval name for the Roman road that crossed the high limestone plateau of central Derbyshire, running southeast from the spa town of Buxton toward modern Derby.
Its course can be traced from visible features and archaeological evidence from Buxton to Longcliffe, just north of Brassington. From there, it is believed to have continued eastward to Wirksworth, where it joined another Roman route that crossed the River Derwent at Milford and followed its eastern bank toward Little Chester, the site of the Roman settlement Derventio in present-day Derby.
A 1723 map of Brassington Moor shows the road's line from Buxton through Pikehall to Upper Harborough Field Gate, continuing along Manystones Lane and Brassington Lane toward Wirksworth, traditionally associated with the probable Roman town of Lutudarum. Records from 1613 refer to the Brassington-Wirksworth stretch as "Highe Streete."
The Romans also established farmsteads along this route to support soldiers and local communities, one of which was discovered near Minninglow. Excavations conducted there by Lomas in 1958 revealed the layered agger, or raised embankment, characteristic of Roman road construction.
https://www.facebook.com/p/RuralHistoria-100087855281319/?locale=en_GB

What do we know of the upper echelons of Derbyshire during the English Civil War? In today's terminology Sir John Gell of Hopton Hall, Parliamentarian Colonel and Governor of Derby was 'mad, bad and dangerous to know'. https://thehistoryjar.com/tag/sir-john-gell/
The lesser well known Colonel Randle Ashenhurst, who we first met last week, was Justice of the High Peak Hundred, captain, major, then colonel in the Parliamentarian army, captured, released or escaped, appointed Governor of Bolsover Castle, JP. Do you have Ashenhursts in your tree? Descendants in the USA are actively researching.
https://ancestraldata.com/lineages/Ashenhurst/

Michael Cooley's Genealogy Pages /lineages/Ashenhurst/index.html Growing up in California during the fifties and beyond, our great-grandmother, Euphemia Ashenhurst McDowell (1880-1977), told us about Ashenhurst Hall in England. (Actually, she believed it was a castle). For decades, I told anyone who would listen that I'm descended from a Colonel John Ashenhurst,....

When attempting to trace our families back to the 17th century we need to be aware how turbulent in terms of religion and politics this time was.
From the Autobiography of Leonard Wheatcroft of Ashover we learn "Then was there wars in Ingland betwixt King and Parliament: then was father against son, and son against father, and brother against brother. Then did I run up and downe the cuntry to save myselfe from being a soulger, but at last I was forced to take up armes, and was a solger for the space of 8 of 9 years." Leonard survived unharmed.
Blacksmith James Cawverd served under the command of Colonel Randle Ashenhurst in the parliament's service in the defence of Shawcross Hall. He was badly injured as we learn from his petition for a military pension https://www.civilwarpetitions.ac.uk/petition/the-petition-of-james-cawverd-derbyshire-c-1650/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRysfJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETA4QmNjWnN3dFk4VFNlM1Fmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmWWdH7L2825V6Qwfum3Zg5_aq4i3MHr-9ZjrwFHu0hjMSSxalTi4gIL4dij_aem_RAoqEpcYTF3Euq3pfm7Kkw and https://www.lostheritage.org.uk/houses/lh_derbyshire_shallcrossmanor_info_gallery.html

When divorce was an impossibility - Derby Mercury April 1773 https://jvc.oup.com/2015/08/03/lauren-padgett-the-british-scandal-victorian-spouse-selling/

Do you have anyone in your tree who had the misfortune to be in Mickleover Asylum or indeed ended their days there? For as Aunty Dolly once commented 'once you went in you never came out'
Mental Condition on Admission
14/11/1928 Admitted in a drowsy condition and seemingly under the influence of drugs and the stuporose state continues. Although she is for the most part stuporose she sometimes bursts out into self laughter but soon relapses into an anergic state in which she will not speak nor pay attention to anything. She has an apparent definite feeling of inadequacy however as when she is asked to get up and try to walk she says her feet won’t let her or that she is glued to the bed and cannot move. She is dull but does not seem depressed and she mutters to herself in an unintelligible manner with apparent contentment and an occasional smile in the ? of an euphoric mental state with complete disregard for her condition and position. She is disorientated for all the spatial relationships and has no idea where she is or when she came and she cannot give any coherent account of herself. She has a mask like expression and is liable to occasional attacks of restlessness with moody variations all of which coupled with the fact that she is ?ppsed and dull without being obviously depressed and exhibits a peculiar restiveness to nursing attentions and requires feeding and is wet and dirty in her habits and has a drawling child like speech suggests that she may be a possible case of General ?qsis of the insane and a Wasserman test is indicated. Physically she appears devitalised and in weak health all her movements are clumsy and inco-ordinate and her sensations are diminished and her gait is shuffling. WR McGlashan.

11/2/1929
Appears weaker today and is mentally distressed and confused.

12/2/1929
Chest loaded with phlegm heart feeble great bodily weakness give ? and ? hypermanically mental confusion and excitement are exhausting her.

13/2/1929
Died today at 12.20 am

Pastures - County Asylums Pastures, Mickelover - Derby. Formerly Derby County Lunatic Asylum. Designed by Henry Duesbury to a corridor plan. Opened 1851. Closed 1994

We are looking forward to our talk tomorrow. Please join us at the Museum of Making or Zoom is available for members. The story of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (The Milk and Honey Line) which operated both passenger and freight services. Passenger services were suspended in 1947, whilst freight lasted until 1989. This talk by relates to the background and development of the railway into the enterprise it is today.

Sound advice!

Our county

10 of the Best Historic Sites in Derbyshire Discover the historic marvels of Derbyshire, from the magnificent Hardwick Hall and Chatsworth House to Cromford Mill, the cradle of the Industrial...