News and Events
Meetings in 2022
January: “Joseph Wright of Derby - The Philosophers’ Painter”. A talk by Lucy Bamford, Senior Art Curator, Derby Museums.
Lucy began her talk by stating that Joseph Wright is widely acclaimed and his paintings are exhibited in galleries all over England and, indeed, the world. Derby Museums are fortunate in holding the largest collection and is one of the very few museums to host a collection of a single, famous, local painter. (Salford is another with the paintings of LS Lowry). Wright was a very skilled artist with great attention to detail, a wide range of subject matter and a particular fascination with the effect of light on them.
Lucy explained that the time of his painting, the second half of the 18th century, was the time of “The Enlightenment”, although that term was then not recognised. This was a period when artists, writers and philosophers became fascinated by “natural philosophy” (or science as we know it today), leading to a more logical, liberal and critical approach to many subjects. It was the time of Erasmus Darwin, Joshua Whitehurst, Francis Hurt and Richard Arkwright and ushered in a new relationship between science, the humanities and mechanisation that was key to societal attitudes during the industrial revolution.
Joseph Wright was central (artistically) to this movement. He was fascinated by “light” and “enlightenment”, terms that were taken to mean improving knowledge and learning as well as mere illumination. Wright was a personal acquaintance of many prominent figures and was himself a member of the Natural Philosopher’s of Derby and had links to the Lunar Society of Birmingham. His portraits include many of the prominent figures of these Societies and Erasmus Darwin was his personal physician.
Lucy illustrated these points by reference to Wright’s paintings. These are too many to list here and images cannot easily be reproduced. However, the range of subjects includes many of the scientific and philosophical challenges of the time. For example, A Philosopher lecturing on the Orrery, one of Derby Museums prize exhibits, illustrates the dramatic effect of the light of an oil lamp (taking the place of the Sun in this early model of a solar system); the attention to detail taken by the painter (the lamp is not seen directly but only in a reflection); the concept of education/enlightenment (the Philosopher is shown demonstrating to a family group, whilst one child mimics his hand posture); and the whole painting is consistent with an increasing acceptance of Newtonian ideas of the world. Even the title shows Wright’s attention to detail as it is properly called A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun. When first displayed, critics found the painting hard to classify because of the unusual composition and dramatic use of light, but it was widely acclaimed and even inspired poetry.
Similar analysis of a number of Wright’s paintings was then used by Lucy to bring out some common themes and lessons about Wright’s life and art. These included:
Lucy finished by suggesting that Wright’s paintings showed that he was not simply a passive observer and recorder of images, but was actively trying to influence the prevailing culture of the times. He had a strong interest in nature and human nature. He had an extensive personal library and carried out extensive research into his subjects. The variety of his work reflects his intellectual curiosity. He fully deserves the title of “The Philosopher’s Painter” if not that of a Philosopher himself.
After questions from the audience, Mike Holcombe offered a vote of thanks to Lucy and recommended a visit to Derby Museums to see the collection in detail.
February: "John Robinson - Architect of Baslow". A talk by Ann Hall, local historian and member of Baslow History Group
Ann had spoken briefly about this topic in January 2016 but has now updated her information with more recent research, including in the Chatsworth Archives, and contact with a great, great, great grandson of John Robinson, Frazer Robertson).
Ann became interested in John Robertson whilst looking at Toll Bar House (near Hassop roundabout), a building that has been vastly changed over the years but where the original parts bear a resemblance to houses in Edensor. Ann took members along the journey she had travelled in researching John Robertson’s life in a talk illustrated by slides, photographs of old Baslow and original documents.
Census details showed that in 1841 John Robertson lived at Woodside, Baslow, and in 1851 in a building, now demolished, opposite the Cavendish Hotel. In 1841 he married Emma Farrer and had two children Kenneth and Ida, both born in Baslow. He died of TB in 1852 and was buried at Edensor Church, though still living in Baslow.
Documents show that Robertson was employed as a draughtsman by the architect, J C Loudon from 1829. The Chatsworth archives show occasional payments from the Chatsworth Estate to him in 1838-1840, directly linked to designing 10 cottages in Edensor and a Marble Mill at Ashford (never built). Ann had obtained proof from Frazer Robertson that John Robertson had previously published "30 Designs for Dwellings in the Cottage Style" in a book entitled "Cottage Gardening, Husbandry and Architecture" whilst working for Loudon. Although none of Edensor's buildings are exactly as described in this article, there is no doubt that many of them were designed and built to the same styles - substantial proof that they should be attributed to Robertson and not Paxton as commonly stated. There is specific proof that Robertson was involved in designs at Edensor for:
Chatsworth archives also show regular payments to Robertson from 1840-1846. Ann concluded that he worked there as an architect in Paxton's department. Plans of a conservatory wall at Chatsworth, dated 1850, can definitely be attributed to him. Other designs, often thought to be Paxton's but almost certainly Robertson's include:
These findings led Ann to question whether buildings elsewhere and attributed to Paxton, were actually designed by Robertson. Her researches and further evidence from Frazer Robertson led her to conclude that Robertson had been mostly responsible for:
Ann then turned to the designs for the Crystal Palace, built for the 1851 Great Exhibition. It is well known that Paxton first doodled a basic design for the Palace on blotting paper. However, Ann has found letters , published in the Derbyshire Times of 1883, of a discussion between two correspondents. This discussion clearly stated, "from those who should know in Baslow", that Robertson had produced designs for the Crystal Palace . Ann thinks that it was probably Robertson who produced the first set of designs, especially as Paxton was very busy at that time with a multitude of other projects.
Ann's talk leaves many questions. What was the truth of all this? It seems clear that Robertson was responsible for more than has been realised and that Paxton has taken credit for many of these things. Should this be corrected? Can it be corrected? Was Robertson anything more than an assistant working to Paxton's direction? Is this any different from famous architects of the modern day?
Mike Holcombe thanked Ann for her interesting and thought-provoking update.
March: ‘There’s More to Walls - A History of Dry Stone Walling” - a talk by Trevor Wragg.
Trevor introduced his talk by explaining his background in a farming family where everyone had to lend a hand in maintaining the walls on the farm. As he developed his interest, this became his main line of work. He was initially self-taught but picked up skills from others and eventually qualified as a Master craftsman, a teacher and an examiner. He also acts as an assessor of disputed work where a second expert opinion is needed. He was National dry stone wall Champion in 1996 and has worked on many prestigious projects, including at Chatsworth.
The talk was wide-ranging covering aspects of history, geology, the development of agriculture, wildlife sustained within walls and the mosses and lichens of walls as well as describing multiple aspects of wall construction and uses. It was lavishly illustrated with slides to emphasise every point made and delivered in a unique question and answer style that ensured every member of the audience was involved (and paying attention!)
Because of the illustrations, it is not really possible to give a comprehensive account of all that was said, but the key points were:
Trevor then showed examples of wall formations for particular or unusual purposes. Some examples: a T-shaped wall or one in the shape of a cross, usually found near the top of a hillside, is a common form of shelter for animals against adverse weather from any direction; a long Y-shaped pattern of walls on a hillside indicates where sheep grazing on the uplands may be channelled down to make shearing and lambing easier; dewponds uncommonly may have a wall in the middle in order to keep animals from neighbouring farms separate; pinfolds of various shapes and sizes were sometimes repurposed for collecting coal ash prior to using it as fertiliser.
He then talked about the construction of walls. For example, how throughstones in the walls should always protrude to the side of the landowner but never protrude onto a public footpath; how boundaries within walls are used to depict change of ownership; how scotch-stones (stones shaped like a buttress against a wall but not supporting it) were used to allow resting places for horses pulling wagons up steep hills (a good example is in Cromford); and how continuous throughstones below the wall cappings are to stop deer or sheep jumping over the wall.
He discussed the correct technique for building walls across hills - an asymmetric wall to resist the differential effects of gravity. For walls built uphill, should the wall courses be horizontal or follow the contour of the hill? They should be neither but “be pleasing to the eye”.
Careful inspection of walls may also reveal specific features. Some are common, for example, smoots (openings) of different shapes and sizes to allow the passage of rabbits, badgers and other animals and smoots for water to prevent erosion damage to the wall. Other features may be less common, for example, boundary markers between parishes or denoting monastic granges, bee skeps and chicken lays to allow the collection of honey and eggs and even money safes built using an elaborate arrangement of stones to hide valuables.
Trevor then went on to demonstrate some regional variations in wall construction and the difference between single walling and double walling. and he finished by discussing the multiple types of animal life (insects, worms, snails, frogs, newts, field mice, birds, etc), and mosses and lichens to be found.
After this wide-ranging talk there was a lively discussion and Mike Holcombe warmly thanked Trevor on behalf of the whole group.
April: “Monks and Monasteries in Derbyshire” - A talk by W Keith Wragg.
The last talk in our Spring 2022 Programme was given by local amateur historian, Keith Wragg. Keith was born in Ashbourne and developed a life-long interest in local history from bicycle rides as a lad. Since his retirement he has worked as a local guide in Derbyshire and the National Park.
Keith gave an account of the physical layout of monasteries, their role in the local community, and the daily life of a monk in mediaeval times. He explained the differences between monks, canons and friars and some of the distinctions between the different orders of each. Some of the most important or interesting points were:
Keith also explained the different official positions and roles carried out by the monks - from abbot, to almoner and highlighted the practical skills and learning that was lost in the dissolution of the monasteries. For example, the “Infirmarium” not only looked after the aged and infirm of the community but, often, was skilled in herbal medicine and even surgical procedures.
This general introduction was illustrated by specific reference to Croxden Abbey. (Although this is in Staffordshire, it is very close to the Derbyshire border and was a place Keith visited on his cycle rides). The Abbey was begun in 1179 after Bertram de Verdun, an important local nobleman, Lord of Alton, granted land to a group of Cistercian monks in 1176. At its peak in the 13th century the Abbey housed about 70 monks but, after its suppression by Henry VIII, the abbey and its lands were laid waste and converted into a farm. Visible remains today are preserved by English Heritage.
Keith explained its original layout and emphasised that this was one of the most impressive of Cistercian abbeys in England. The most remarkable feature of the church is its east end, which was rebuilt from the 1190s. The foundations show that it was semi-circular, surrounded by an aisle and five projecting chapels. This plan was most unusual in English Cistercian churches, which usually had plain, rectangular east ends. Another suggestion of the importance of the abbey is the legend that the Abbot brought the heart of King John back to Croxden after his death.
Keith also gave a list of the most important abbeys, priories, and other religious buildings in Derbyshire. There are three major abbeys - Repton, Dale (Derby) and Darley - with Beauchief in Sheffield (once in Derbyshire) and others in close proximity such as Welbeck.
Repton has evidence of an Anglo-Saxon religious settlement dating from the 7th century established by monks from Northumberland. Although otherwise destroyed by Viking raiders, the oldest part of the present church was left intact and the crypt has been shown to be the burial place for several Mercian kings. The public school at Repton, however, shows significant remains of a Mediaeval Priory. Keith described many of these in detail with good illustrations.
Unfortunately, at this point time ran out. Keith was unable to give us further details of the other religious settlements in Derbyshire that he has researched but he generously offered to return at some future date if we so wished. A generous vote of thanks was given for his talk.
May
Our visit to Crown Derby Pottery Museum had to be cancelled at short notice and no replacement visit could be arranged.
June - Visit to Spital Cemetery, Chesterfield - led by members of The Friends of Spital Cemetery
This cemetery, owned by Chesterfield Borough Council and opened in 1857, is one of the oldest municipal cemeteries in Derbyshire, containing over 26,000 burials. It was designed as a "Victorian Garden Cemetery" to attract visitors as well as mourners to a beautiful hillside site close to the town centre. There are winding paths, attractive trees and flower carvings with informative epitaphs and memorials that are often works of art. Our visit was hosted by the Friends of Spital Cemetery who explained the background to many of the more interesting burials, supported by local historical research into their lives.
The first grave visited was that of an unknown skeleton found by local builders in 2001while excavating the site of the old leper hospital nearby. As this was in a stone coffin with a chalice and paten inside, it was reasonable to assume it to be an important burial of a priest at the hospital. This is the "oldest" resident of the cemetery.
We next visited the area of the paupers graves which number many thousands, mostly unmarked. They are, predictably, positioned at the lower part of the hillside. We saw the site of the first burial at the cemetery in August 1857; Mary Ann Bridgett died only two weeks old and the first four burials were all aged less than one year, a reminder of the high infant mortality of those times. We also saw recently-erected headstones at the previously unmarked graves of five girls aged 12-13 who died when their costumes were set alight in the 1911 fire at the Chesterfield Picture Palace. They were so severely burned that relatives had difficulty in recognising them. There are over 8000 graves of children under 16.
Moving further up the hill, we passed a poppy meadow planted to commemorate the dead of World War I with gateposts carved symbolically and the grave of George Thomas Stokes, a soldier who kept a diary of his time in the Boer War, copies of which can still be obtained on Amazon. Reaching the higher parts we were told of the religious tensions which led to separate areas for catholic and non-conformist burials compared to the Anglican plots. This extended to the two mortuary chapels at the very top which were built as a single structure but with completely separate interiors which did not inter-connect
.
We then visited a number of graves of the more prominent families of the area. These included:
During the visit we also saw the graves of war dead, some of whom are maintained by the Commonwealth Graves Commission, including that of Sgt William Coffey, who was awarded the VC and DCM during the Crimean War, and many victims of the influenza pandemic of 1918. Our visit concluded, fittingly, at the grave of the Wright family, master stonemasons, who were responsible for many of the memorials in the cemetery.
The Friends of Spital Cemetery must be commended for all the work they are doing to help maintain the history and heritage aspects of the site, as well as much of the renovation and clearing of some overgrown memorials. They also kindly provided tea and coffee at the end of our visit and their guides were offered our grateful thanks for a splendid and highly informative afternoon. More information on their activities may be found on their social media pages:
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofSpitalCemetery
https://twitter.com/SpitalCemetery
July - A Walk Around Hathersage - led by Heather Rogers of Hathersage Historical Society.
We started at the Parish Church of St. Michael which is situated on a hill above the main village. This is the site of the earliest part of the village. A defensive mound dating from Anglo-Saxon or Norman times surrounded some early settlement. Parts of the mound still exist and make a prominent feature. Some cottages are scattered around this area – Haybank Cottage, Highbury Cottage – possibly the oldest 16C? The old coffin way leading to the Church has been restored. Besides the Church is the Bell Room. This used to be the 18C Bluebell Inn – nothing to do with the Church bells!
We then went down Hungry Lane. This name may derive from the use of long gardens behind the cottages – called Botanic Cottages - which were used for growing produce. This took us to the first mill – Dale Mill, powered by the stream and used for wire making. A tunnel still exists under the road connecting the mill with the workshops opposite through which long lengths of wire were stretched. Also made in the vicinity were compass dials and buttons from shells.
We passed what was once Rock House School, a Victorian private boy’s school. There is the remains of a pinfold for holding wandering animals. Next, we caught a glimpse of Hathersage Hall dating from 1496 although little is visible from that date. A story is that it and 6 other halls in the area were built by the Eyre family for their 7 sons. The former Hall Farm has been renovated and transformed into a business centre.
The former general grocers – Ramsden’s – was once several in a chain in the area. Alongside was another mill, this time making nails. A pub formerly called the Ordinance Arms was founded with money - £200 - given by the Manners family to a former soldier returning from the Napoleonic Wars.
We passed Baulk Lane, so called after the baulk left after ploughing between two fields. Behind the Old Bank are cottages which were once used for brass making. Close by is the old Hathersage Farm and an old cheese press. We admired the award winning public toilets. The walk ended at the George Inn which was once visited by Jane Eyre. The landlord’s name was Morton which the author used as the name of a town inspired by Hathersage in her novel. Beyond the George is Hood Brook which used to power a paper mill and another mill making nails.
We walked back up to the Church behind the village, by the cricket ground, and finished in the Bell Room with a cup of tea and delicious cake.
Some of us later looked round the Church. There is evidence of a Norman church and then a 12C Early English building. The present building was built in1381. It was enlarged in 1415 and restored by the Victorians. There are some notable brasses and the East window stained glass was recovered from Derwent Church before it was flooded by the reservoir. Little John’s grave is said to be in the graveyard.
August - No Meeting
September - Visit to Derby "Museum of Making" at the Derby Silk Mill
Only a small number of members managed to make this trip and no report is available.
October: "Pictures in Glass. The History and Construction of Stained Glass Windows." - A talk by Tony Waldron
At the age of 14 during travels around Europe, Tony was smitten by the appearance of the windows in Notre-Dame de Paris. Thus began a life-long passion and career in all aspects of glass from apprenticeship to manufacturing and then to a degree in conservation and ultimately to a Lecturer at the University of Derby.
In this talk, Tony described 1400 years of windows containing coloured glass. He explained that, although “stained glass” is the widely accepted term, true staining of solid glass could only be achieved by the use of gold salts mixed with urine and fired to produce a translucent yellow stain on the surface. Others colours had to be introduced by including various compounds into the glass-making process whilst it is in a molten state. Later, other effects were produced using enamel paints on the glass surface but with a loss in translucency.
The earliest known existing examples of coloured glass are in Ravenna, Italy dating to around 580 with the earliest in England at an abbey in Monkwearmouth, Jarrow in 680. In both cases, the windows were made by French workmen who must therefore have developed their skills even earlier. During the Norman period (11-12C), coloured-glass windows were of a very simple design but gradually became more complex and intricate as the design of churches changed to incorporate larger windows and less masonry. The earliest example of a coloured window in a church in England is in Dalbury, Derbyshire (1135). The use of stained glass gradually increased. and reached its height in the 15th century.
Famous glaziers were really accomplished artists responsible, primarily, for the design of the windows and supervising a team of other workmen to do the actual construction. Thomas of Oxford is one of the most famous and is responsible for windows in many of the Oxford colleges. There were also familial connections: John Thornton, the glazier responsible for the Great East Window in York Minster, was the son of the glazier at Windsor Castle. John seems to have included an image of his own face in an image in York Minster. The Great East Window was commissioned in 1405 and Thornton was paid £46 plus a £10 bonus for delivering within the stipulated 3-year timespan. (He had to pay for all materials and his workmen from this). The 72ft-high window was the largest in England at the time.
The 16th and 17th centuries were bad times for stained glass. Henry VIII and the Reformation, successive waves of anti-Catholic feeling and Civil War and the Puritanism all meant that most stained glass was defaced or disappeared completely from churches in England. This was especially true in the counties of the South East and accounts, for example, why there is very little mediaeval glass in Canterbury cathedral. In one instance, Winchester, all the old glass fragments were rescued by parishioners and subsequently used to replace the windows but, with no original designs to follow, this produced a random effect, very akin to a piece of modern art. In contrast, there was an increasing use of stained glass in secular settings, for example heraldic windows.
With the later passing of the Churches Act, stained glass windows made a comeback. In the 18th and 19thcenturies over 600 new churches were built but had to follow a certain style, now known as Gothic Revivalist. The glass here is relatively easy to differentiate from mediaeval glass as methods and chemicals used had changed over the years to produce more vivid colours and contrasts.
By the 20th century, stained glass was increasingly appearing in domestic and commercial settings (a common example was in fish shops) with more modern designs (art-deco or abstract compositions). The material continues to be used to the present day, but its popularity waxes and wanes with fashion. It remains an expensive luxury.
Throughout this rapid run-through of history, Tony illustrated his talk with multiple photographs showing all the points he covered. These cannot be reproduced here, but certainly stimulated an interest to visit the places he referenced. Following this tour-de-force, he briefly demonstrated the practical art of making a stained glass panel. The audience were enthralled by the details even though health and safety regulations severely restricted what he could demonstrate.
After a brief question and answer session, Mike Holcombe, on behalf of the group, thanked Tony for his most interesting and stimulating presentation.
November: “In War and Peace - The Life and Times of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle” - a talk by John B Taylor, local historian.
To most people local to Baslow, Cavendish is the name associated with the Dukes of Devonshire. But John Taylor explained that this talk was about another branch of the family with the same name, both deriving from grandsons of Bess of Hardwick’s second marriage.
In a wide-ranging talk, John covered:
Cavendish was not particularly clever but was highly personable and seemed to befriend almost everyone with whom he came into contact. This led to extensive networks of influential friends and colleagues including the royal household where he developed his interest in horsemanship. This led, in turn, to his accompanying a deputation to the Court of Savoy and exposure to European culture and Mannerist art. Further friendships were formed with the eminent philosophers and scientists of the day.
John described in detail William Cavendish’s interest in Bolsover Castle, even though the main family residence was Welbeck Abbey. Following the death of his father he completed fitting out the Castle, adopting many of the themes from his European trip and building the foremost equestrian training school in England. He married Elizabeth Bassett, a member of the Duke of Norfolk’s family and by the age of 30 was the third wealthiest man in Britain.
His longstanding friendship with Charles I meant that he became governor to his son (later Charles II) and he was trusted to accompany Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles, in a trip to Holland to purchase arms during the Civil War.
During the Civil War, William was Master of Horse for Charles in the North of England, a position from which he supported Charles’ campaign financially for two years. William accounted himself well as a war-leader, rescuing Henrietta Maria from Parliamentarians at Bridlington and defeating three prominent forces, including those of Thomas Fairfax near Bradford.
The entry of the Scottish Covenanters into the war in 1644 turned the tide against Charles’ forces. William skilfully delayed their advance but had to retreat to York, which he successfully defended against siege with his “Newcastle White Coats”. However, Prince Rupert, leading a much-delayed force from the south, insisted that the York garrison should come out of the city and their combined forces meet the Parliamentarians in a set-piece engagement. At the ensuing Battle of Marston Moor, the White Coats were heavily outnumbered and decimated, only 30 of three thousand men surviving. William Cavendish took ship from Scarborough leaving England for the next 16 years.
In Europe he supported Henrietta Maria in exile and married his second wife, Mary Lucas, 30 years his junior, who became an accomplished writer. Following the execution of Charles the first, the failure of the Commonwealth and the restoration of the Monarchy, he returned to England in 1660, eventually paying off all his debts and returning to Welbeck. Such was his standing with Charles II that a special Act of Parliament was passed to enable the restoration of Bolsover Castle, which had been pillaged following Marston Moor. In 1665, William was made a Duke and he and his wife were allowed to style themselves as “ The Prince and Princess of Newcastle”, although the royal debt due to him from the Civil War was never repaid.
His later years were plagued by Parkinson’s disease, but he was still active, bringing in a new architect to extend Bolsover where his wife did much of her writing. She died from a stroke in 1673 and William died three years later. Both were taken to their London home, Newcastle House, before being buried in Westminster Abbey, their ornate memorial being inscribed as “The Royal Duke”.
After taking questions from the group, John Taylor was thanked by Mike Holcombe for this detailed and well-illustrated talk.
December 2022. “The High Peak Dambusters” - a talk by Frank Pleszak
Frank, a former WHO tropical pest control expert, is an author and blogger specializing in Polish history, aviation and local history around his home near New Mills.He spoke to us about one of the most famous airborne attacks of WWII, Operation Chastise, more popularly known as the “Dambuster” raid. On the night of 16/17 May 1943, 133 men in 19 specially adapted Lancaster bombers, set off to attach 6 dams deep in the heart of Germany. Eight of the aircraft and 56 men did not come home (53 killed, 3 PoW).
We learned that three of the aircrew who took part were from the Peak District. Flight Lieutenant Bill Astle, the pilot of ED864 who came from Coombs near Chapel-en-le Frith was killed after flying in to an electricity pylon on the way to the dams and the navigator in ED924, Sgt John Nugent from Stoney Middleton, survived the raid but was killed later in the war. But Frank was to concentrate on the third airman, Sgt Jack Marriott from Chinley, the flight engineer on Lancaster ED937.
Frank Pleszak became interested in Jack Marriott when he learned that a neighbour that he had met when walking his dog knew a lot about Lancasters and the Dambusters. It turned out that she was Jack Marriott’s niece and had a lot of private papers relating to him and the broader subject. These papers stimulated further research and reading and, together, these form the basis for this talk and a book that he has published.
In considerable detail and with superb maps, photographs and facsimiles of wartime correspondence, the talk covered:
To summarize some important points:
Six dams were targeted for attack but there were three others that might have been attacked if the earlier ones had been easily breached. In reality, the technical difficulties encountered during the flight to the target, intense defenses and the strains of low-level flying, led to only the Mohne and the Eder dams being breached.
Of the 19 aircraft sent out, three returned without reaching their target, five crashed and three were shot down, eleven bombs were dropped in anger.
Marriott’s Lancaster reached the Mohne to find it had already been breached after some 5 bombs had been released at it. They diverted to attack the Eder, where their bomb hit the parapet of the dam and the ensuing explosion severely damaged the plane. As they struggled towards home, they were shot down at the German/Dutch border with the loss of all the crew.
Frank was able to show photographs of the telegrams and subsequent letters that were sent to Jack Mrariott’s family notifying of his missing in action and then confirming his death. There were letters from Guy Gibson, the squadron leader, the air ministry and the king. Jack received a decoration, the Distinguished Flying Medal, but for his previous service, not Operation Chastise. None of the aircrew lost were decorated.
Jack’s remains were initially buried in a cemetery in Dusseldorf but 5 years later were relocated to a central military cemetery in the Reichswald Forest, only about 10 miles from where he had been shot down; initially with a temporary cross but later with the uniform headstones used by the War Graves’ Commission.
Frank then showed how the books and film representations of the Dambusters in the decade after the war served to enhance the legend of the raid. Although there are some inaccuracies in all these and the stories focus largely on the pilots and not other members of the aircrew, it is noteworthy that the film of 1955 depicts scenes of Henry Maudley flying his plane. The person next to him was not named but would have been the position occupied by Jack Marriott.
Jack’s name is also commemorated on various roles of honour; locally in Chinley, at the 617 squadron memorial at RAF Woodhall Spa , in the RAF Remembrance Garden at the National Arboretum and at RAF Scampton. There was also a memorial unveiled in 2019 in Emmerich am Rhein where the aircraft was shot down 76 years previously and the current owner of Jack’s home of Middleton House in New Smithy has erected a blue plaque to his memory.
Mike Holcombe thanked Frank for his detailed and well-researched presentation. Further details of the raid can be found in various places on a regular blog written by Frank Pleszak. A good place to start is:
https://pleszak.blog/2022/02/12/the-high-peak-dambuster/
Meetings in 2022
January: “Joseph Wright of Derby - The Philosophers’ Painter”. A talk by Lucy Bamford, Senior Art Curator, Derby Museums.
Lucy began her talk by stating that Joseph Wright is widely acclaimed and his paintings are exhibited in galleries all over England and, indeed, the world. Derby Museums are fortunate in holding the largest collection and is one of the very few museums to host a collection of a single, famous, local painter. (Salford is another with the paintings of LS Lowry). Wright was a very skilled artist with great attention to detail, a wide range of subject matter and a particular fascination with the effect of light on them.
Lucy explained that the time of his painting, the second half of the 18th century, was the time of “The Enlightenment”, although that term was then not recognised. This was a period when artists, writers and philosophers became fascinated by “natural philosophy” (or science as we know it today), leading to a more logical, liberal and critical approach to many subjects. It was the time of Erasmus Darwin, Joshua Whitehurst, Francis Hurt and Richard Arkwright and ushered in a new relationship between science, the humanities and mechanisation that was key to societal attitudes during the industrial revolution.
Joseph Wright was central (artistically) to this movement. He was fascinated by “light” and “enlightenment”, terms that were taken to mean improving knowledge and learning as well as mere illumination. Wright was a personal acquaintance of many prominent figures and was himself a member of the Natural Philosopher’s of Derby and had links to the Lunar Society of Birmingham. His portraits include many of the prominent figures of these Societies and Erasmus Darwin was his personal physician.
Lucy illustrated these points by reference to Wright’s paintings. These are too many to list here and images cannot easily be reproduced. However, the range of subjects includes many of the scientific and philosophical challenges of the time. For example, A Philosopher lecturing on the Orrery, one of Derby Museums prize exhibits, illustrates the dramatic effect of the light of an oil lamp (taking the place of the Sun in this early model of a solar system); the attention to detail taken by the painter (the lamp is not seen directly but only in a reflection); the concept of education/enlightenment (the Philosopher is shown demonstrating to a family group, whilst one child mimics his hand posture); and the whole painting is consistent with an increasing acceptance of Newtonian ideas of the world. Even the title shows Wright’s attention to detail as it is properly called A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun. When first displayed, critics found the painting hard to classify because of the unusual composition and dramatic use of light, but it was widely acclaimed and even inspired poetry.
Similar analysis of a number of Wright’s paintings was then used by Lucy to bring out some common themes and lessons about Wright’s life and art. These included:
- Use of his networks to support himself by painting portraits of his wealthy contacts
- At the same time, promoting the concepts of natural philosophy - many of his subject titles included the word Philosopher or Philosophy and many were of natural phenomena (e.g. over 30 sketches of an eruption of Vesuvius, later analysis of the works showing the actual use of volcanic material in the paint)
- The use of light to show a movement from mystery and drama towards logic and scientific thinking, thereby echoing a theme of the Enlightenment
- A move towards landscape painting later in his career, but always with an emphasis on geological aspects and mirroring an emerging interest in minerals and coal as the industrial revolution progressed
- An interest in manufacturing processes with subjects such as blacksmiths, iron works and Arkwright’s mills
- Subjects focusing on themes relevant to Derbyshire, for example, local landscapes and many covering multiple themes (The latest acquisitions by Derby Museums are portraits of Francis Hurt and his wife Mary. Francis, the seventh son of a local gentry family of Alderwasley, inherited as all his older brothers died. His “enlightened” attitude led to exploration of his estate discovering lead, iron and coal which led, in turn, to major industrial development in the Alfreton area. The painting links the family and its wealth to the industrial process by showing Hurt’s hand resting on a lump of galena!)
Lucy finished by suggesting that Wright’s paintings showed that he was not simply a passive observer and recorder of images, but was actively trying to influence the prevailing culture of the times. He had a strong interest in nature and human nature. He had an extensive personal library and carried out extensive research into his subjects. The variety of his work reflects his intellectual curiosity. He fully deserves the title of “The Philosopher’s Painter” if not that of a Philosopher himself.
After questions from the audience, Mike Holcombe offered a vote of thanks to Lucy and recommended a visit to Derby Museums to see the collection in detail.
February: "John Robinson - Architect of Baslow". A talk by Ann Hall, local historian and member of Baslow History Group
Ann had spoken briefly about this topic in January 2016 but has now updated her information with more recent research, including in the Chatsworth Archives, and contact with a great, great, great grandson of John Robinson, Frazer Robertson).
Ann became interested in John Robertson whilst looking at Toll Bar House (near Hassop roundabout), a building that has been vastly changed over the years but where the original parts bear a resemblance to houses in Edensor. Ann took members along the journey she had travelled in researching John Robertson’s life in a talk illustrated by slides, photographs of old Baslow and original documents.
Census details showed that in 1841 John Robertson lived at Woodside, Baslow, and in 1851 in a building, now demolished, opposite the Cavendish Hotel. In 1841 he married Emma Farrer and had two children Kenneth and Ida, both born in Baslow. He died of TB in 1852 and was buried at Edensor Church, though still living in Baslow.
Documents show that Robertson was employed as a draughtsman by the architect, J C Loudon from 1829. The Chatsworth archives show occasional payments from the Chatsworth Estate to him in 1838-1840, directly linked to designing 10 cottages in Edensor and a Marble Mill at Ashford (never built). Ann had obtained proof from Frazer Robertson that John Robertson had previously published "30 Designs for Dwellings in the Cottage Style" in a book entitled "Cottage Gardening, Husbandry and Architecture" whilst working for Loudon. Although none of Edensor's buildings are exactly as described in this article, there is no doubt that many of them were designed and built to the same styles - substantial proof that they should be attributed to Robertson and not Paxton as commonly stated. There is specific proof that Robertson was involved in designs at Edensor for:
- A Castellated Lodge
- The Fountain
- The stepped wall next to what is now Edensor Cafe
- The school (now demolished)
- the Gamekeeper's House
- The Schoolmaster's House
Chatsworth archives also show regular payments to Robertson from 1840-1846. Ann concluded that he worked there as an architect in Paxton's department. Plans of a conservatory wall at Chatsworth, dated 1850, can definitely be attributed to him. Other designs, often thought to be Paxton's but almost certainly Robertson's include:
- Park Lodge, Chatsworth, built for the Duke’s doctor
- Entrance to the Great Stove
- Rose Cottage and Churchdale Hall in Ashford in the Water
- Barbrook, Paxton’s house on the Chatsworth Estate
- Swiss Cottage on the Chatsworth Estate
- Housing in Beeley and Pilsley
These findings led Ann to question whether buildings elsewhere and attributed to Paxton, were actually designed by Robertson. Her researches and further evidence from Frazer Robertson led her to conclude that Robertson had been mostly responsible for:
- Prince’s Park, Liverpool
- Birkenhead Park
- Coventry Cemetery
- Burton Closes, Bakewell.
- Railway buildings in Matlock
Ann then turned to the designs for the Crystal Palace, built for the 1851 Great Exhibition. It is well known that Paxton first doodled a basic design for the Palace on blotting paper. However, Ann has found letters , published in the Derbyshire Times of 1883, of a discussion between two correspondents. This discussion clearly stated, "from those who should know in Baslow", that Robertson had produced designs for the Crystal Palace . Ann thinks that it was probably Robertson who produced the first set of designs, especially as Paxton was very busy at that time with a multitude of other projects.
Ann's talk leaves many questions. What was the truth of all this? It seems clear that Robertson was responsible for more than has been realised and that Paxton has taken credit for many of these things. Should this be corrected? Can it be corrected? Was Robertson anything more than an assistant working to Paxton's direction? Is this any different from famous architects of the modern day?
Mike Holcombe thanked Ann for her interesting and thought-provoking update.
March: ‘There’s More to Walls - A History of Dry Stone Walling” - a talk by Trevor Wragg.
Trevor introduced his talk by explaining his background in a farming family where everyone had to lend a hand in maintaining the walls on the farm. As he developed his interest, this became his main line of work. He was initially self-taught but picked up skills from others and eventually qualified as a Master craftsman, a teacher and an examiner. He also acts as an assessor of disputed work where a second expert opinion is needed. He was National dry stone wall Champion in 1996 and has worked on many prestigious projects, including at Chatsworth.
The talk was wide-ranging covering aspects of history, geology, the development of agriculture, wildlife sustained within walls and the mosses and lichens of walls as well as describing multiple aspects of wall construction and uses. It was lavishly illustrated with slides to emphasise every point made and delivered in a unique question and answer style that ensured every member of the audience was involved (and paying attention!)
Because of the illustrations, it is not really possible to give a comprehensive account of all that was said, but the key points were:
- Walls throughout the country differ mainly because they make use of the local stone, although there are also different local styles of construction. This talk concentrated on Derbyshire and Staffordshire styles but mentioned other regional differences in passing.
- The local materials here are the limestone of the White Peak and the gritstone of the Dark Peak. Ancient tectonic plate movement and volcanic activity, had forced the “Derbyshire Dome” to the surface - in one mine near the Via Gellia, obsidian had been found, clear evidence of volcanic activity - making these stones easily available.
- The pattern of dry stone walls can be linked in many cases to agricultural and social changes. So a pattern of small, irregular walls near villages (the “Runrig” system) reflect the areas farmed by individual villagers and was probably the earliest; wall patterns with longer fields and a reversed “S” pattern reflect the later “strip” system of farming where teams of oxen drawing the ploughs needed a wide turning space at each end, and long, perfectly straight walls were a product of the Enclosure system. Good examples of each from Hartington, Chelmorton and New Haven Straight were shown.
- Most walls visible today were built following the Enclosure Act in the 1740s, although some enclosures were much earlier by common consent of the landowners involved. Many walls have fallen into disrepair because of adverse weather conditions or neglect as agricultural efficiency led to fewer employees on farms to maintain them. This led to the formation of the Drystone Walling Association in 1968.
Trevor then showed examples of wall formations for particular or unusual purposes. Some examples: a T-shaped wall or one in the shape of a cross, usually found near the top of a hillside, is a common form of shelter for animals against adverse weather from any direction; a long Y-shaped pattern of walls on a hillside indicates where sheep grazing on the uplands may be channelled down to make shearing and lambing easier; dewponds uncommonly may have a wall in the middle in order to keep animals from neighbouring farms separate; pinfolds of various shapes and sizes were sometimes repurposed for collecting coal ash prior to using it as fertiliser.
He then talked about the construction of walls. For example, how throughstones in the walls should always protrude to the side of the landowner but never protrude onto a public footpath; how boundaries within walls are used to depict change of ownership; how scotch-stones (stones shaped like a buttress against a wall but not supporting it) were used to allow resting places for horses pulling wagons up steep hills (a good example is in Cromford); and how continuous throughstones below the wall cappings are to stop deer or sheep jumping over the wall.
He discussed the correct technique for building walls across hills - an asymmetric wall to resist the differential effects of gravity. For walls built uphill, should the wall courses be horizontal or follow the contour of the hill? They should be neither but “be pleasing to the eye”.
Careful inspection of walls may also reveal specific features. Some are common, for example, smoots (openings) of different shapes and sizes to allow the passage of rabbits, badgers and other animals and smoots for water to prevent erosion damage to the wall. Other features may be less common, for example, boundary markers between parishes or denoting monastic granges, bee skeps and chicken lays to allow the collection of honey and eggs and even money safes built using an elaborate arrangement of stones to hide valuables.
Trevor then went on to demonstrate some regional variations in wall construction and the difference between single walling and double walling. and he finished by discussing the multiple types of animal life (insects, worms, snails, frogs, newts, field mice, birds, etc), and mosses and lichens to be found.
After this wide-ranging talk there was a lively discussion and Mike Holcombe warmly thanked Trevor on behalf of the whole group.
April: “Monks and Monasteries in Derbyshire” - A talk by W Keith Wragg.
The last talk in our Spring 2022 Programme was given by local amateur historian, Keith Wragg. Keith was born in Ashbourne and developed a life-long interest in local history from bicycle rides as a lad. Since his retirement he has worked as a local guide in Derbyshire and the National Park.
Keith gave an account of the physical layout of monasteries, their role in the local community, and the daily life of a monk in mediaeval times. He explained the differences between monks, canons and friars and some of the distinctions between the different orders of each. Some of the most important or interesting points were:
- Monks in monasteries were private and lived secluded lives of personal prayer, whereas canons also lived in monastic settlements but carried out their work in local communities. Friars were mendicant orders, living a mostly nomadic life, even if having a monastic base.
- The main orders of monks - Benedictine, Cistercian, Carthusian and Cluniac - arose in that order as different interpretations of preceding rules. The Cistercians arose as a reaction to the Benedictine rule becoming too laxly observed; Carthusians were hermit-like living in cells of only two; Cluniacs laid a greater emphasis on acts of worship.
- The Gilbertine order was the only order of monks arising exclusively in England.
- Many monasteries co-existed with a nunnery (including the Gilbertines) and some had female abbots.
Keith also explained the different official positions and roles carried out by the monks - from abbot, to almoner and highlighted the practical skills and learning that was lost in the dissolution of the monasteries. For example, the “Infirmarium” not only looked after the aged and infirm of the community but, often, was skilled in herbal medicine and even surgical procedures.
This general introduction was illustrated by specific reference to Croxden Abbey. (Although this is in Staffordshire, it is very close to the Derbyshire border and was a place Keith visited on his cycle rides). The Abbey was begun in 1179 after Bertram de Verdun, an important local nobleman, Lord of Alton, granted land to a group of Cistercian monks in 1176. At its peak in the 13th century the Abbey housed about 70 monks but, after its suppression by Henry VIII, the abbey and its lands were laid waste and converted into a farm. Visible remains today are preserved by English Heritage.
Keith explained its original layout and emphasised that this was one of the most impressive of Cistercian abbeys in England. The most remarkable feature of the church is its east end, which was rebuilt from the 1190s. The foundations show that it was semi-circular, surrounded by an aisle and five projecting chapels. This plan was most unusual in English Cistercian churches, which usually had plain, rectangular east ends. Another suggestion of the importance of the abbey is the legend that the Abbot brought the heart of King John back to Croxden after his death.
Keith also gave a list of the most important abbeys, priories, and other religious buildings in Derbyshire. There are three major abbeys - Repton, Dale (Derby) and Darley - with Beauchief in Sheffield (once in Derbyshire) and others in close proximity such as Welbeck.
Repton has evidence of an Anglo-Saxon religious settlement dating from the 7th century established by monks from Northumberland. Although otherwise destroyed by Viking raiders, the oldest part of the present church was left intact and the crypt has been shown to be the burial place for several Mercian kings. The public school at Repton, however, shows significant remains of a Mediaeval Priory. Keith described many of these in detail with good illustrations.
Unfortunately, at this point time ran out. Keith was unable to give us further details of the other religious settlements in Derbyshire that he has researched but he generously offered to return at some future date if we so wished. A generous vote of thanks was given for his talk.
May
Our visit to Crown Derby Pottery Museum had to be cancelled at short notice and no replacement visit could be arranged.
June - Visit to Spital Cemetery, Chesterfield - led by members of The Friends of Spital Cemetery
This cemetery, owned by Chesterfield Borough Council and opened in 1857, is one of the oldest municipal cemeteries in Derbyshire, containing over 26,000 burials. It was designed as a "Victorian Garden Cemetery" to attract visitors as well as mourners to a beautiful hillside site close to the town centre. There are winding paths, attractive trees and flower carvings with informative epitaphs and memorials that are often works of art. Our visit was hosted by the Friends of Spital Cemetery who explained the background to many of the more interesting burials, supported by local historical research into their lives.
The first grave visited was that of an unknown skeleton found by local builders in 2001while excavating the site of the old leper hospital nearby. As this was in a stone coffin with a chalice and paten inside, it was reasonable to assume it to be an important burial of a priest at the hospital. This is the "oldest" resident of the cemetery.
We next visited the area of the paupers graves which number many thousands, mostly unmarked. They are, predictably, positioned at the lower part of the hillside. We saw the site of the first burial at the cemetery in August 1857; Mary Ann Bridgett died only two weeks old and the first four burials were all aged less than one year, a reminder of the high infant mortality of those times. We also saw recently-erected headstones at the previously unmarked graves of five girls aged 12-13 who died when their costumes were set alight in the 1911 fire at the Chesterfield Picture Palace. They were so severely burned that relatives had difficulty in recognising them. There are over 8000 graves of children under 16.
Moving further up the hill, we passed a poppy meadow planted to commemorate the dead of World War I with gateposts carved symbolically and the grave of George Thomas Stokes, a soldier who kept a diary of his time in the Boer War, copies of which can still be obtained on Amazon. Reaching the higher parts we were told of the religious tensions which led to separate areas for catholic and non-conformist burials compared to the Anglican plots. This extended to the two mortuary chapels at the very top which were built as a single structure but with completely separate interiors which did not inter-connect
.
We then visited a number of graves of the more prominent families of the area. These included:
- Merchants of the town: Isaac and John Isaac Eyre whose furniture store, founded in 1875 has only just ceased trading and JK Swallow, an even older store of 1862 which no longer exists.
- Wilfred Edmunds, editor of the Derbyshire Times
- Charlie Nadin, photographer whose work illustrates many of the old Chesterfield postcards
- Thomas Philpott Wood, Wine and Spirit Merchant, who was largely responsible for the establishment of the Queen's Park and cricket club
- John Bradbury Robinson, originally a pharmacist but who moved into the packaging industry beginning with small cardboard boxes made by two employees in his kitchen but eventually expanding to factory sites employing over 3000 people
- Frederick Swanwick, chief engineer to George Stevenson and responsible for the Clay Cross railway tunnel
- GA Eastwood, owner of the railway wagon works
- John Marsden (Marsden St) and several other mayors of the town, collectively overseeing the expansion of Chesterfield from a small market town of 7,101 (in the 1851 census) to a thriving industrial centre with a population of 103,000 in 2011
- James Harvey and William Haslam, who had worked together in the mines at the age of 11 and became founder members of the Derbyshire Miners Association and MPs of the town. Their statues stand outside the former DMA headquarters on Saltergate
During the visit we also saw the graves of war dead, some of whom are maintained by the Commonwealth Graves Commission, including that of Sgt William Coffey, who was awarded the VC and DCM during the Crimean War, and many victims of the influenza pandemic of 1918. Our visit concluded, fittingly, at the grave of the Wright family, master stonemasons, who were responsible for many of the memorials in the cemetery.
The Friends of Spital Cemetery must be commended for all the work they are doing to help maintain the history and heritage aspects of the site, as well as much of the renovation and clearing of some overgrown memorials. They also kindly provided tea and coffee at the end of our visit and their guides were offered our grateful thanks for a splendid and highly informative afternoon. More information on their activities may be found on their social media pages:
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofSpitalCemetery
https://twitter.com/SpitalCemetery
July - A Walk Around Hathersage - led by Heather Rogers of Hathersage Historical Society.
We started at the Parish Church of St. Michael which is situated on a hill above the main village. This is the site of the earliest part of the village. A defensive mound dating from Anglo-Saxon or Norman times surrounded some early settlement. Parts of the mound still exist and make a prominent feature. Some cottages are scattered around this area – Haybank Cottage, Highbury Cottage – possibly the oldest 16C? The old coffin way leading to the Church has been restored. Besides the Church is the Bell Room. This used to be the 18C Bluebell Inn – nothing to do with the Church bells!
We then went down Hungry Lane. This name may derive from the use of long gardens behind the cottages – called Botanic Cottages - which were used for growing produce. This took us to the first mill – Dale Mill, powered by the stream and used for wire making. A tunnel still exists under the road connecting the mill with the workshops opposite through which long lengths of wire were stretched. Also made in the vicinity were compass dials and buttons from shells.
We passed what was once Rock House School, a Victorian private boy’s school. There is the remains of a pinfold for holding wandering animals. Next, we caught a glimpse of Hathersage Hall dating from 1496 although little is visible from that date. A story is that it and 6 other halls in the area were built by the Eyre family for their 7 sons. The former Hall Farm has been renovated and transformed into a business centre.
The former general grocers – Ramsden’s – was once several in a chain in the area. Alongside was another mill, this time making nails. A pub formerly called the Ordinance Arms was founded with money - £200 - given by the Manners family to a former soldier returning from the Napoleonic Wars.
We passed Baulk Lane, so called after the baulk left after ploughing between two fields. Behind the Old Bank are cottages which were once used for brass making. Close by is the old Hathersage Farm and an old cheese press. We admired the award winning public toilets. The walk ended at the George Inn which was once visited by Jane Eyre. The landlord’s name was Morton which the author used as the name of a town inspired by Hathersage in her novel. Beyond the George is Hood Brook which used to power a paper mill and another mill making nails.
We walked back up to the Church behind the village, by the cricket ground, and finished in the Bell Room with a cup of tea and delicious cake.
Some of us later looked round the Church. There is evidence of a Norman church and then a 12C Early English building. The present building was built in1381. It was enlarged in 1415 and restored by the Victorians. There are some notable brasses and the East window stained glass was recovered from Derwent Church before it was flooded by the reservoir. Little John’s grave is said to be in the graveyard.
August - No Meeting
September - Visit to Derby "Museum of Making" at the Derby Silk Mill
Only a small number of members managed to make this trip and no report is available.
October: "Pictures in Glass. The History and Construction of Stained Glass Windows." - A talk by Tony Waldron
At the age of 14 during travels around Europe, Tony was smitten by the appearance of the windows in Notre-Dame de Paris. Thus began a life-long passion and career in all aspects of glass from apprenticeship to manufacturing and then to a degree in conservation and ultimately to a Lecturer at the University of Derby.
In this talk, Tony described 1400 years of windows containing coloured glass. He explained that, although “stained glass” is the widely accepted term, true staining of solid glass could only be achieved by the use of gold salts mixed with urine and fired to produce a translucent yellow stain on the surface. Others colours had to be introduced by including various compounds into the glass-making process whilst it is in a molten state. Later, other effects were produced using enamel paints on the glass surface but with a loss in translucency.
The earliest known existing examples of coloured glass are in Ravenna, Italy dating to around 580 with the earliest in England at an abbey in Monkwearmouth, Jarrow in 680. In both cases, the windows were made by French workmen who must therefore have developed their skills even earlier. During the Norman period (11-12C), coloured-glass windows were of a very simple design but gradually became more complex and intricate as the design of churches changed to incorporate larger windows and less masonry. The earliest example of a coloured window in a church in England is in Dalbury, Derbyshire (1135). The use of stained glass gradually increased. and reached its height in the 15th century.
Famous glaziers were really accomplished artists responsible, primarily, for the design of the windows and supervising a team of other workmen to do the actual construction. Thomas of Oxford is one of the most famous and is responsible for windows in many of the Oxford colleges. There were also familial connections: John Thornton, the glazier responsible for the Great East Window in York Minster, was the son of the glazier at Windsor Castle. John seems to have included an image of his own face in an image in York Minster. The Great East Window was commissioned in 1405 and Thornton was paid £46 plus a £10 bonus for delivering within the stipulated 3-year timespan. (He had to pay for all materials and his workmen from this). The 72ft-high window was the largest in England at the time.
The 16th and 17th centuries were bad times for stained glass. Henry VIII and the Reformation, successive waves of anti-Catholic feeling and Civil War and the Puritanism all meant that most stained glass was defaced or disappeared completely from churches in England. This was especially true in the counties of the South East and accounts, for example, why there is very little mediaeval glass in Canterbury cathedral. In one instance, Winchester, all the old glass fragments were rescued by parishioners and subsequently used to replace the windows but, with no original designs to follow, this produced a random effect, very akin to a piece of modern art. In contrast, there was an increasing use of stained glass in secular settings, for example heraldic windows.
With the later passing of the Churches Act, stained glass windows made a comeback. In the 18th and 19thcenturies over 600 new churches were built but had to follow a certain style, now known as Gothic Revivalist. The glass here is relatively easy to differentiate from mediaeval glass as methods and chemicals used had changed over the years to produce more vivid colours and contrasts.
By the 20th century, stained glass was increasingly appearing in domestic and commercial settings (a common example was in fish shops) with more modern designs (art-deco or abstract compositions). The material continues to be used to the present day, but its popularity waxes and wanes with fashion. It remains an expensive luxury.
Throughout this rapid run-through of history, Tony illustrated his talk with multiple photographs showing all the points he covered. These cannot be reproduced here, but certainly stimulated an interest to visit the places he referenced. Following this tour-de-force, he briefly demonstrated the practical art of making a stained glass panel. The audience were enthralled by the details even though health and safety regulations severely restricted what he could demonstrate.
After a brief question and answer session, Mike Holcombe, on behalf of the group, thanked Tony for his most interesting and stimulating presentation.
November: “In War and Peace - The Life and Times of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle” - a talk by John B Taylor, local historian.
To most people local to Baslow, Cavendish is the name associated with the Dukes of Devonshire. But John Taylor explained that this talk was about another branch of the family with the same name, both deriving from grandsons of Bess of Hardwick’s second marriage.
In a wide-ranging talk, John covered:
- His own recent research that suggested the name Cavendish derives from a village in Suffolk where William de Guinard (who ultimately became Bess’s second husband) took the name as part of his Anglicization following the Norman Conquest.
- Intricate inter-relationships between the branches of the Cavendish family and the Talbots
- The many properties owned, built or acquired by the family, including Bothal Castle, Ogle Hall, Stoke Hall, Worksop Manor, Welbeck Abbey and Bolsover Castle
- The close relationship that developed between William Cavendish and James I and subsequently his son, Charles I
- William’s great interest and developing expertise in the art of Manege, the forerunner of dressage and in the art and culture of the times
- His skill and bravery as a military man (a prominent Cavalier leader in the Civil War).
Cavendish was not particularly clever but was highly personable and seemed to befriend almost everyone with whom he came into contact. This led to extensive networks of influential friends and colleagues including the royal household where he developed his interest in horsemanship. This led, in turn, to his accompanying a deputation to the Court of Savoy and exposure to European culture and Mannerist art. Further friendships were formed with the eminent philosophers and scientists of the day.
John described in detail William Cavendish’s interest in Bolsover Castle, even though the main family residence was Welbeck Abbey. Following the death of his father he completed fitting out the Castle, adopting many of the themes from his European trip and building the foremost equestrian training school in England. He married Elizabeth Bassett, a member of the Duke of Norfolk’s family and by the age of 30 was the third wealthiest man in Britain.
His longstanding friendship with Charles I meant that he became governor to his son (later Charles II) and he was trusted to accompany Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles, in a trip to Holland to purchase arms during the Civil War.
During the Civil War, William was Master of Horse for Charles in the North of England, a position from which he supported Charles’ campaign financially for two years. William accounted himself well as a war-leader, rescuing Henrietta Maria from Parliamentarians at Bridlington and defeating three prominent forces, including those of Thomas Fairfax near Bradford.
The entry of the Scottish Covenanters into the war in 1644 turned the tide against Charles’ forces. William skilfully delayed their advance but had to retreat to York, which he successfully defended against siege with his “Newcastle White Coats”. However, Prince Rupert, leading a much-delayed force from the south, insisted that the York garrison should come out of the city and their combined forces meet the Parliamentarians in a set-piece engagement. At the ensuing Battle of Marston Moor, the White Coats were heavily outnumbered and decimated, only 30 of three thousand men surviving. William Cavendish took ship from Scarborough leaving England for the next 16 years.
In Europe he supported Henrietta Maria in exile and married his second wife, Mary Lucas, 30 years his junior, who became an accomplished writer. Following the execution of Charles the first, the failure of the Commonwealth and the restoration of the Monarchy, he returned to England in 1660, eventually paying off all his debts and returning to Welbeck. Such was his standing with Charles II that a special Act of Parliament was passed to enable the restoration of Bolsover Castle, which had been pillaged following Marston Moor. In 1665, William was made a Duke and he and his wife were allowed to style themselves as “ The Prince and Princess of Newcastle”, although the royal debt due to him from the Civil War was never repaid.
His later years were plagued by Parkinson’s disease, but he was still active, bringing in a new architect to extend Bolsover where his wife did much of her writing. She died from a stroke in 1673 and William died three years later. Both were taken to their London home, Newcastle House, before being buried in Westminster Abbey, their ornate memorial being inscribed as “The Royal Duke”.
After taking questions from the group, John Taylor was thanked by Mike Holcombe for this detailed and well-illustrated talk.
December 2022. “The High Peak Dambusters” - a talk by Frank Pleszak
Frank, a former WHO tropical pest control expert, is an author and blogger specializing in Polish history, aviation and local history around his home near New Mills.He spoke to us about one of the most famous airborne attacks of WWII, Operation Chastise, more popularly known as the “Dambuster” raid. On the night of 16/17 May 1943, 133 men in 19 specially adapted Lancaster bombers, set off to attach 6 dams deep in the heart of Germany. Eight of the aircraft and 56 men did not come home (53 killed, 3 PoW).
We learned that three of the aircrew who took part were from the Peak District. Flight Lieutenant Bill Astle, the pilot of ED864 who came from Coombs near Chapel-en-le Frith was killed after flying in to an electricity pylon on the way to the dams and the navigator in ED924, Sgt John Nugent from Stoney Middleton, survived the raid but was killed later in the war. But Frank was to concentrate on the third airman, Sgt Jack Marriott from Chinley, the flight engineer on Lancaster ED937.
Frank Pleszak became interested in Jack Marriott when he learned that a neighbour that he had met when walking his dog knew a lot about Lancasters and the Dambusters. It turned out that she was Jack Marriott’s niece and had a lot of private papers relating to him and the broader subject. These papers stimulated further research and reading and, together, these form the basis for this talk and a book that he has published.
In considerable detail and with superb maps, photographs and facsimiles of wartime correspondence, the talk covered:
- The period leading up to raid - the development of the Avro-Lancaster and the “bouncing bomb’ (really a depth-charge) in brief, but the recruitment and training of the men of 617 squadron in detail
- Jack Marriott’s early RAF career - he trained as an airframe and aero-engine engineer but transferred to a flying engineer/pilot as larger 4-engined aircraft replaced earlier 2-engined machines. His experience of low-level raids led to transfer to 617 squadron as part of a crew, led by Henry Maudsley.
- The sites used by the squadron and Avro-Lancaster for training, development and practice in low-level flying. (The raid was to require the aircraft to fly at 100 feet for the whole period across Europe and lower for the actual attack).
- A minute-by-minute account of the attack itself with descriptions of position of each plane (in 3 waves), where they encountered heavy fire, what happened with each bomb dropped and where various planes crashed or survived
- The aftermath of the raid for the various crew members and the history of 617 squadron over the next 12 months
- A review of various books and the famous film of 1955 about the raid and some of the myths that arose from them
- Lasting memorials in various places for the men of the squadron and Jack Marriott in particular.
To summarize some important points:
Six dams were targeted for attack but there were three others that might have been attacked if the earlier ones had been easily breached. In reality, the technical difficulties encountered during the flight to the target, intense defenses and the strains of low-level flying, led to only the Mohne and the Eder dams being breached.
Of the 19 aircraft sent out, three returned without reaching their target, five crashed and three were shot down, eleven bombs were dropped in anger.
Marriott’s Lancaster reached the Mohne to find it had already been breached after some 5 bombs had been released at it. They diverted to attack the Eder, where their bomb hit the parapet of the dam and the ensuing explosion severely damaged the plane. As they struggled towards home, they were shot down at the German/Dutch border with the loss of all the crew.
Frank was able to show photographs of the telegrams and subsequent letters that were sent to Jack Mrariott’s family notifying of his missing in action and then confirming his death. There were letters from Guy Gibson, the squadron leader, the air ministry and the king. Jack received a decoration, the Distinguished Flying Medal, but for his previous service, not Operation Chastise. None of the aircrew lost were decorated.
Jack’s remains were initially buried in a cemetery in Dusseldorf but 5 years later were relocated to a central military cemetery in the Reichswald Forest, only about 10 miles from where he had been shot down; initially with a temporary cross but later with the uniform headstones used by the War Graves’ Commission.
Frank then showed how the books and film representations of the Dambusters in the decade after the war served to enhance the legend of the raid. Although there are some inaccuracies in all these and the stories focus largely on the pilots and not other members of the aircrew, it is noteworthy that the film of 1955 depicts scenes of Henry Maudley flying his plane. The person next to him was not named but would have been the position occupied by Jack Marriott.
Jack’s name is also commemorated on various roles of honour; locally in Chinley, at the 617 squadron memorial at RAF Woodhall Spa , in the RAF Remembrance Garden at the National Arboretum and at RAF Scampton. There was also a memorial unveiled in 2019 in Emmerich am Rhein where the aircraft was shot down 76 years previously and the current owner of Jack’s home of Middleton House in New Smithy has erected a blue plaque to his memory.
Mike Holcombe thanked Frank for his detailed and well-researched presentation. Further details of the raid can be found in various places on a regular blog written by Frank Pleszak. A good place to start is:
https://pleszak.blog/2022/02/12/the-high-peak-dambuster/