DARLEY ABBEY HISTORICAL GROUP
NEWSLETTER
October 2023. No. 132
Chairman & Editor:- Alan Bradwell (Tel. 557203)
Meetings
The Events and Programme of Talks for 2023, arranged by Marie, is on our website;
Our Talks Programme for the near future is :-
20 OCTOBER 2023 — “The Tudor House” by Colin Stewart.
17 NOVEMBER 2023 — “The Gretna Girls and the Devil’s Porridge” by David Skillen.
15 DECEMBER 2023 — ‘Research Roundup 2023 part 2’ by Alan Bradwell followed by Xmas Fuddle.
19 JANUARY 2024 — AGM and Election of Chair & Committee – followed by short talk -‘Thomas Evans, Darley Abbey Mills and Boscobel House’ by Liz Lockwood.
Events
On 27th Sept. your committee met informally to discuss new roles and responsibilities for the future. All is well and will be revealed at the AGM in January.
Research
Liz Lockwood has put together the following research, initiated by John Bishop’s work on Darley Abbey Church gravestones
St Matthews Church Gravestones
John Bishop is currently digitising the monumental records for St Matthews Church.
He located a list made some 50 years ago which has been invaluable as over time many of the gravestones are badly worn and sadly some are illegible. I believe that the list will eventually be deposited at the Derbyshire Record Office and with the society and this will be invaluable for future research.
John mentioned that there were two gravestones that recorded both men had been awarded the OBE. One is Edward Hulse, Mayor of Derby during WW1 and the other, Norton Joseph Hallett Hughes, Clerk of the Peace for Derbyshire.
Edward James Hulse
Edward was born in 1875, the son of Edward and Kate Hulse. On the 1881 census he is listed as born in Derby and he spent his early life in Curzon Street. Ten years later in 1891 he is shown as a scholar at Malvern School. It would seem he joined at the age of 16 and he excelled at sport as he was in the Shooting Eight and house cricket teams.
He left school at 18 after sitting the equivalent of A levels and he went straight into business with his father. In 1899. Edward James married Hilda Gertrude Overs Bate. The marriage certificate shows that both Edward’s and Hilda’s fathers were Clothing Contractors. Two years later, Edward has moved to 180 Uttoxeter Road and he is listed as a Clothing Contractor. Latterly he is shown as the director of Messers J Smith and Co Ltd of Drewry Lane Derby.
Edward and his wife had 4 children 2 daughters and 2 sons (plus a handful of Servants) and on the 1911 census the family are shown as living at Oakdene, Duffield Road Derby, a substantial house having 14 rooms.
In these later years he started to take an active part in Derby life and was elected to the town council in 1912 following his appointment as a magistrate the year before. With the onset of the First World War Edward quickly rose through the ranks and was elected the Mayor of Derby in 1917. He also became the Head of the Food Control Committee here in Derby dealing with the rationing of food during the war. He was reported to have made a sizeable contribution and it is for this work he was awarded the OBE.
After standing down as Mayor at the end of the war he did stand for the Coalition in the General Election but had to withdraw before the election as it would appear that he had little or no support. Sadly, Edward died on the 1 Dec 1920 at the age of 46. His obituary states that he had an astute business mind and devotion to duty. He was a keen follower of hounds at the Meynell Hunt and played tennis and golf. It also states that he was a Freemason. His estate was left to his sons and totalled £22 363.
Although he is buried in St Matthews Church, he is reported to be a well-known member of St Werburgh’s Church where he was church warden. So, what made him change?
Edward’s wife, Hilda also had an interesting career. In her obituary in the Skegness News, 1934, it states that she was Mayoress of Derby alongside her husband. She also had many other public offices. She was the first female member of Derby Town Council and the first Derby woman to contest a parliamentary election. She was a representative of Derwent Ward and chairman of the Derby Woman’s Conservative Association in 1922.
During the First World War she was Commandant of a hospital for the wounded at Hays Leigh, Duffield Road and for this work she was awarded the MBE. She was also a Justice for the Peace, a Governor of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and the Derby High School as well as a member of the National Council of Women and the Derby Society for the Help and Protection of Girls. She retired to Skegness in the early 1920s shortly after her husband died.
Norton Joseph Hallett Hughes
By comparison ,Norton Joseph was an incomer to Derby as he was born in Patrixborne Kent. The son of a vicar, Norton was born in 1854 and in the 1861 census is shown as living at the vicarage in Petham, Kent. Interestingly his father James Hughes Hallett was born in Kent, but his mother Mary is listed as born in the East Indies. Her maiden name was Montresor and she was the daughter of Sir Thomas Gage Montresor. Thomas is claimed to be one of the oldest General officers in the British Army having spent over 70 years in service. Clearly, that side of the family was well loved as Norton’s son was named Norton Montressor Hallett Hughes.
By 1871 Norton Joseph is listed as a pupil at Hailey Berry College School, Great Armwell in Hertfordshire. On leaving school he studied law and is listed as a solicitor on the 1881 census. This census shows that he was a boarder at 73 Market Street, Ashby De La Zouche. It may be coincidental, but his wife Alice nee Denton is listed as born Ashby De La Zouche and her father was the local Vicar!
10 years later in 1891 Norton is now married, and the family are listed at 63 Uttoxeter New Road with their daughter Mabel and several servants. From 1901 Norton is listed as Clerk of the Peace (in fact he was CP for Derbyshire County Council from 1894- 1930) and was living at The Knoll, Duffield Road with their 2 daughters and sons, Norton and James. Interestingly Norton is listed as born in Melbourne – did they move out there or was there a nursing home nearby?. Norton was awarded the OBE in 1920 though I haven’t been able to find the reasons for this award, perhaps it was awarded for his service to Derbyshire Council.
During the First World War he attended St Matthews Church Darley Abbey and is listed as part of the congregation in 1917. He retired from his duties as Clerk of the Peace in 1926 after 37 years’ service having suffered ill health following an operation.
Norton latterly moved to Lovat House in Cheltenham and died in 1934 aged 83. His estate was worth £51, 142, and this was left to his sons and son in law. By comparison, his daughters were each left £500. Norton was buried in St Matthews Churchyard though there is a memorial plaque in St Mary Church, Patrixborne, Kent alongside memorials dedicated to his parents and other Hallett Hughes family members.
Liz Lockwood
“Memories”
No Memories this month. Please get in touch and share your memories.
Books etc. …..
We have an ever-growing archive of books, Reports, maps and other memorabilia.
An updated book list will be issued in due course and made available electronically too.
Members (only) to note that any item can be borrowed by contacting Barrie through the group email address.
As you know all Booklets can be purchased from Graham’s Village Shop and via the website. These sell at the current Booklet price of £2.50 each (plus p & p, if required).
Use our DAHG email address to get in touch.
darleyabbeyhistoricalgroup@gmail.com
All emails are appropriately distributed.
Visit our website at: https://darleyabbeyhistoricalgroup.wordpress.com
Alan Bradwell, Chair – 16 October 2023
DARLEY ABBEY HISTORICAL GROUP 