Buy on Amazon:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DZNHNPPM
Historically Dronfield was the centre of a large and extensive parish including the smaller settlements of Holmesfield, Unstone, Coal Aston, Dore,Totley, Dronfield Woodhouse, Little Barlow, Apperknowle, Cowley, Hundall, Stubley, Summerley, Birchett and Hill Top. The impressive size of the Parish church is an indication of the wealth of the medieval settlement as is the significant number of cruck-framed buildings first identified by Bessie Bunker, the most important of which is in Dronfield’s Church Street.
Wills and inventories in the period 1530-1640 show that more than half of testators were farming but there is also evidence of other occupations including emerging metal working, coalmining, lead smelting industries as well as textile trades such as weaving (websters)and fulling, all contributing to the growing wealth of the town.
Dronfield’s rich legacy of historic buildings owes much to its location on the edge of the Peak District’s lead-ore wealth, the local mineral wealth of coal and iron, and particularly to the entrepreneurship of individuals such as Ralph Burton and John Rotherham in the 18th century and later of the Lucas family in the 19th and 20th century.
This book will look at the buildings left behind and the people who lived, worked and used them
It was the development of the Lucas works, the creation of Wilson Cammells and the growth of the mining industry which led to Dronfield’s most rapid period of growth in the second half of the nineteenth century and particularly in the decade 1871-1881. This period saw the development of housing in The Alma, the Dronfield Freehold Land Society estates in Hartington Road and Scarsdale Road, and the many small developments such as West Street and Quoit Green. It also saw the rapid population rise in the town centre with the development of the historic burgage plots behind HIgh Street and down Farwater Lane which in 1881 had a population of 711, many working in metal industries and coal mining. This was the period in which the village of Dronfield acquired the trappings of a town with a local council, new town hall, school board school, town cemetery and railway station. Fortunately it was also a period when the historic houses were protected through their ownership by local manufacturers. The threat to their existence came much later in the post war years when we did lose some important buildings.
Buy on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DZNHNPPM Historically Dronfield was the centre of a large and extensive parish including the smaller settlements of Holmesfield, Unstone, Coal Aston, Dore,Totley, Dronfield Woodhouse, Little Barlow, Apperknowle, Cowley, Hundall, Stubley, Summerley, Birchett and Hill Top. The impressive size of the Parish church is an indication of the wealth of the medieval settlement as is the significant number of cruck-framed buildings first identified by Bessie Bunker, the most important of which is in Dronfield’s Church Street. Wills and inventories in the period 1530-1640 show that more than half of testators were farming but there is also evidence of other occupations including emerging metal working, coalmining, lead smelting industries as well as textile trades such as weaving (websters)and fulling, all contributing to the growing wealth of the town. Dronfield’s rich legacy of historic buildings owes much to its location on the edge of the Peak District’s lead-ore wealth, the local mineral wealth of coal and iron, and particularly to the entrepreneurship of individuals such as Ralph Burton and John Rotherham in the 18th century and later of the Lucas family in the 19th and 20th century. This book will look at the buildings left behind and the people who lived, worked and used them It was the development of the Lucas works, the creation of Wilson Cammells and the growth of the mining industry which led to Dronfield’s most rapid period of growth in the second half of the nineteenth century and particularly in the decade 1871-1881. This period saw the development of housing in The Alma, the Dronfield Freehold Land Society estates in Hartington Road and Scarsdale Road, and the many small developments such as West Street and Quoit Green. It also saw the rapid population rise in the town centre with the development of the historic burgage plots behind HIgh Street and down Farwater Lane which in 1881 had a population of 711, many working in metal industries and coal mining. This was the period in which the village of Dronfield acquired the trappings of a town with a local council, new town hall, school board school, town cemetery and railway station. Fortunately it was also a period when the historic houses were protected through their ownership by local manufacturers. The threat to their existence came much later in the post war years when we did lose some important buildings.
Buy on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DY5BHKK8 A book charting the histories of 4 remarkable women who were born, lived or died in Dronfield. Sarah Outram, born in Dronfield in 1868, spent 47 years as a teacher and local councillor. Her story gives an insight into what it was like being a woman of authority in the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods. Charlotte Mary Ward, born in Barnsley in 1889, into a humble grocer’s family but in time would become one of the wealthiest women and landowners in Dronfield and the surrounding villages. Olive Adlington, born in Dronfield in 1921, into a shop keepers’ family. Became one of the few WRNS to come from Dronfield during World War II and spent the wars years in a secret establishment in Liverpool working in intelligence. Edith Gregory, born in Hull in 1921 to a barrel maker. She moved to Dronfield 4 years later where she became part of the Women's Land Army during World War II but lost her life whilst on active service.
Issue 38 of Miscellany is available now! Usually published bi-annually, this issue is a special Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter 2021 edition priced at £3.50. Included inside are some of the following features:
Lady Alice Deincourt was a woman who was destined for life as just a daughter, sister, wife or widow. Her story would have been a casualty of time, to be lost to the past. Without investigation into the history of Dronfield Hall Barn, Alice would have remained anonymous forever. But what was her story, and why did she never remarry? As a noble woman she was connected by family and friendship to the movers and shakers of the political landscape that lead to the onset of the War of the Roses. Her story takes us right to the heart of the seminal historical events that shaped the Britain of her time. Discover her fascinating story with this book.
Discover Dronfield's history with the second of our fascinating heritage trail booklets - available for just £3!
