Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS
What was in the local
news this weekend in 1893?
MAIN NEWS –
*Matlock Cable Tramway opens –
The spa town of Matlock was in full regalia on 28th
March 1893 when the cable tramway was opened in the town. The tramway ran in between Crown Square near
to the railway station and on to the Rutland Street terminus. Its purpose being to transport the visitors
as they arrived in the town to their hotels.
Matlock has many steep hills and until the arrival of the cable tramway
these hills had prevented many people visiting the area.
On the grand opening day the weather was good to them and
the sunshine was out, “the floating streamers, triumphal arches, mounted yeomanry
and brass bands” were all to be seen and enjoyed by the attendees.
The Smedley’s Hotel would benefit from the new tramway as
now its residents could be conveyed up the hill for a small fee to receive all
the wonderful health benefits that the spa town hotel offered.
OTHER ITEMS –
*Drowning at Killamarsh –
The body of a lady named Sarah Taylor was found in a pond
at Upperthorpe, Killamarsh. Sarah had
been ill for some time and this had meant that she needed to sleep
downstairs. On the night in question she
had left the house in only her nightie and was later found drowned in the
pond. It was not known whether the drowning
was accidental or suicide.
*Accident at Grassmoor Colliery –
John Mitchell was admitted to Chesterfield Hospital after
he was injured by a piece of falling coal.
The coal caused an injury to his hand and once at the hospital it was
found to be necessary to amputate 3 of his fingers. John was a pony driver at the pit.
*Deserting family –
Alexander Froggatt of Whittington was charged and found
guilty of neglecting to support his children.
On 8th February his children had become charges of the
Chesterfield Board of Guardians and this had cost £2 14s. Alexander admitted desertion and was gaoled
at Derby with one month’s hard labour.
*Infection risk –
Mr Thomas George Edwards the Sanitary Inspector had
brought a charge upon a lodging house keeper named Maria West. Maria lived at Totley and there had been
60-70 cases of small pox recently. One
of the cases was at the lodging house which Maria kept. On 6th March she was seen to throw
the infected bedding out into the lane, take it back into the house and then
throw it out a further time. Witnesses
to the event were called but Maria did not attend the court hearing. She was fined either £2 and 25s costs or 1
month gaol.
MARRIAGES –
*James Wright of Smithy Moor to Elizabeth Brunt of Knott
Cross were married on 22nd March at Ashover
DEATHS –
*Harold Devonport aged 1 year and 10 months of Compton
Street, Chesterfield on 29th March.
The son of Frank Devonport and Elizabeth Udall
*William Robinson aged 77 years of Coal Aston on 23rd
March
*Samuel Clarke aged 55 years of 15 Lea Road, Dronfield on
25th March
*Alice Littlewood, infant daughter of George Littlewood
of South Normanton on 24th March
*Martha Maria Littlewood aged 20 years, wife of George
Littlewood of South Normanton on 26th March
*Bethia Bacon aged 1 month, daughter of Solomon Bacon of
South Normanton on 28th March
*Thomas Armstrong aged 40 years of Whittington on 22nd
March
*Mable Ethel Holt aged 15 months at Hasland on 23rd
March
*Ada Anthony aged 15 years at Whittington on 27th
March
*Mary Wheatcroft aged 73 years at Walton on 28th
March
SPORT –
*Easter football –
Easter fell early in 1893. There were “3 GRAND MATCHES AT CHESTERFIELD”
planned for the Easter holidays –
Chesterfield Town Football Club would play –
v Ecclesfield
on Good Friday
v Heeley
on Saturday 1st April
v Barnsley
on Wednesday 5th April
Admission to the games was 3d
Elsewhere in Chesterfield –
v Chesterfield
v Sheepbridge on Monday 3rd April (Easter Monday)
v Sheepbridge
v Ecclesfield on Tuesday 4th April
v Eckington
v Holbrook on Tuesday 4th April at the Recreation Ground, Staveley
Playing the semi-final of the Benefit Cup
AND FINALLY…
*Billiards –
Staveley Works Mechanics Institute played against Tibshelf. Seven games were played at Tibshelf’s club;
the visitors winning 6 of the 7 games gained 91 points.