You and Yesterday

Royal standard set for grand reopening

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:11:00 +0000

After having been boarded up since January 2007, the Royal Standard pub at the corner of Derby's Exeter Place reopens tomorrow night as The Brewery Tap at the Royal Standard.

The refurbishment is the brainchild of Derby micro-brewery pioneer Trevor Harris, formerly landlord of the Brunswick Inn. More information can be found in tonight's Evening Telegraph.

The history of the pub, which is believed to have been visited by Queen Victoria, has previously been covered by Peter Seddon in an article on You and Yesterday entitled The Royal Standard - Will Old Derby Pub Fly The Flag Again?.

Well, now we know the answer, Peter!

Book marks local history society's 40 years

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Heanor History Society is celebrating its 40th anniversary with the publication of a new book tracing the history of Heanor Grammar School.

The school was originally founded in 1893 as a District Technical School, covering a vast area from Clay Cross to Long Eaton. It finally closed in 1976, following a merger in 1974 with the local further education college to form a new institution called the South East Derbyshire College.

Now, 32 years after the school's closure, the Heanor and District Local History Society has published its eighth book called Follow the Master: A History of Heanor Grammar School, 1893 -1976.

It has been written and researched over the last two-and-a-half years by the society's webmaster, Robert M. Mee, with much assistance from the school's last headmaster, Geoffrey Stone. More information about it can be found in the Evening Telegraph.

The book, priced £8.50, can be ordered directly from the society or by post from: 12 Walton Court, West Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 6NS. PP (for UK addresses) is £1.25. Orders can also be placed via the History Society's website.

Among those who attended Heanor Grammar School was Audley Williamson, the inventor of Swarfega. His story can be read on You and Yesterday HERE.

Florence Nightingale's real home used for TV drama

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:32:00 +0000

Today's Evening Telegraph reports that Lea Hurst, near Matlock, Derbyshire, has been used as the location for a TV drama about Florence Nightingale, who lived there until she was 23.

The programme, starring Laura Fraser as the pioneering nurse, will be shown at 7.30pm on Sunday, June 1.

Florence Nightingale's life story can be read on You and Yesterday, and she also features in Christmas stories of Derbyshire's rich and famous.

Our picture, top left, shows an actress playing the part of Florence on the BAFTA award-winning educational website Headline History.

Derbyshire playwright plans new book on Clough

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:45:00 +0000

The mounting bibliography on legendary former Rams' manager Brian Clough is set to increase further with a planned new book by BAFTA award wininng Derbyshire playwright Don Shaw.

According to today's Evening Telegraph, "Clough's War" will show "a side to Cloughie that only a few knew."

The book appears to be a response to David Peace's successful novel The Damned United which charted Clough's 44 days in charge of Leeds and rehashed the conspiracy theory that he had deliberately set out to destroy a team he hated.

Shaw told the Telegraph: "Although it is supposed to be a novel, David Peace painted Clough as a one-dimensional character, which is nothing like the man that I was friends with."

As you would expect, there is loads about Clough on You and Yesterday. His life-story can be found HERE and there are also articles about What happened when he left Derby and The day he nearly returned.

Clough is pictured centre, above, flanked by his one-time Derby chairman Sam Longson and assistant Peter Taylor.

Queen's ID card up for sale

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:04:00 +0000

This is a wartime identity card belonging to Queen Mary, the widow of George V and mother of George VI. It was recently discovered in a drawer in Stenson Fields where it had lain for the past 60 years. It is being put up for sale at the Staffordshire Summer Antiques auction in Lichfield on June 19.

More about the story behind this unique find on You and Yesterday.

Dambusters anniversary marked in Derbyshire

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:44:00 +0000

Today is the 65th anniversary of the World War II Dambusters mission and Derbyshire is figuring strongly in the celebrations to mark the event.

This morning, a Lancaster bomber will fly three times over the Howden-Derwent-Ladybower Reservoir complex in the Peak District, above, which was used by the original pilots to train ahead of their famous raid.

In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron destroyed two dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley, significantly boosting Britain's war effort. A service of commemoration to be held eld on top of the Derwent dam after the flypast will remember the eight aircraft and 53 crew who were lost.

Barnes Wallis, who invented the legendary bouncing bombs that were used in the raid, was born in Ripley, Derbyshire. You can read his amazing life story on You and Yesterday.

JFK's sister died 60 years ago today

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:00:00 +0000

This is the grave of Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish, sister of JFK and widow of William Cavendish, one time heir to the Chatsworth Estate. She died on 13 May, 1948 - sixty years ago today - in a plane crash while on her way to visit her father in the States. Her husband, the Marquess of Hartington and heir to the Devonshire dukedom, had been killed in the war a few years previously.

Fifteen years later, JFK paid a visit to the grave at Edensor, shortly before he himself was assassinated. The full tragic tale of the Kennedy's Derbyshire connection can be read on You and Yesterday.

Where is Helen Fletcher?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:23:00 +0000

This is Helen Fletcher, probably Derbyshire's finest-ever tennis player who reached the quarter finals of Wimbledon in 1954. You can find out more about her career on You and Yesterday HERE and more about the history of tennis in the county at Anyone for Tennis?

There is however an unanswered question in our piece on Helen - namely what happened to her after her tennis career was over. Is she still living in Derbyshire, perhaps in or around her home town of Heanor? It would be great to hear from anyone who knows or who knew her.

You and Yesterday has first ever picture of England football team

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:08:00 +0000

You and Yesterday has landed a world exclusive after one of the site's regular contributors uploaded what appears to be the first-ever photograph of an England football team.

Peter Seddon discovered the photograph, which dates from 1876, in an old copy of a Derbyshire football newspaper and added it to the site on Sunday. It can be seen HERE.

The FA has described the picture as a "major find" and has confirmed that it predates the previous earliest-known photographs of England teams from the 1880s and 90s.

Today's Derby Evening Telegraph also carries a report on the discovery of the photograph, which was taken on March 4, 1876 - before England's fifth international match against Scotland in Glasgow.

More Hippodrome memories

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:27:00 +0000

As the controversy over the Derby Hippodrome rumbles on, we have more memories of the theatre's heyday. This time they come from former lighting engineer Brian Collis who recalls, among other things, the day an elephant emtied its bladder onstage and the day comedian Ken Dodd got knocked into the orchestra pit.

Election days past and present

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:25:00 +0000

Today is local election day in England and Wales, with the possibility once again of a change in political control at Derby City Council. But what were the burning local political issues in the town a hundred years ago? See this piece on You and Yesterday by local author Harry Butterton.

Are you related to Bess of Hardwick?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:23:00 +0000

Derbyshire people are being given the chance to find out if they are related to one of the county's most famous historical figures - Bess of Hardwick.

Derby Cathedral and Derbyshire Family History Society are organising a series of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of the Elizabethan landowner aand DFHS volunteers will be on hand to help people discover whether they are descended from her.

The Duke of Devonshire, who is himself descended from Bess, will attend a service at the Cathedral this Sunday, which will conclude the celebrations.

Gadsby bids to save "gently curving building"

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:50:00 +0000

This is what could become of Derby's currently empty former Debenham's store if developer Peter Gadsby has his way - though he faces opposition from supermarket giant Tesco in his bid to buy the vavant site.

Tonight's Evening Telegraph has a full report on the former Rams' chairman's ambitious plans which would retain the "gently curving building" lauded by historian Maxwell Craven.

More about the history of the building can be found on You and Yesterday HERE.

Hippodrome saved

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Derby's Hippodrome is safe from the bulldozers. Derby City Council's leader Chris Williamson said the authority had succeeded in getting an injunction from the High Court, preventing the owner of the former theatre, Christopher Anthony, from carrying out any further work on the building - other than removing an asbestos curtain.

The council sought the injunction after large parts of the roof collapsed during repair work last month.

Last lap for motorcycling legend Alf

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:09:00 +0000

Alf Briggs, one of the leading British motorcyclists of his day, passed away earlier this month, almost a year to the day that his wife Molly died. Together the couple formed a dominant force in the pre-war and post-war motorcycling scene.

They shared a passion for the sport which lasted for more than 70 years. They met and fell in love in the 1930s when Molly joined the well known Derby Pathfinders Club, where Alf was a founder member and star rider.

Such was their all-consuming love of motorcycling that when they discovered their wedding day coincided with the club’s annual motorcycle scramble, on Boxing Day 1937, they postponed their marriage for 24 hours so they could both take part.

Staying so active was obviously good for them as they both reached the ripe old age of 95. Alf ’s funeral service will be held at All Saints’ Church, Alderwasley, on Wednesday, April 30, at 1pm.

St George's Day parade

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:33:00 +0000

Who says we English don't celebrate St George's Day? As this picture from 1974 shows, these Scouts from the 145th Breadsall Hilltop group even braved the rain to demonstrate their patriotic fervour.

They are photographed taking part in the Derby and District Boy Scouts' Association's traditional march through the city centre on April 23.

The Scout movement adopted St George as its patron saint early on and has been celebrating his day annually ever since. Scouts generally use the occasion to renew their promises and no doubt will be doing so tomorrow.

As well as England, St George is also the patron saint of several other countries, including Portugal and Bulgaria. In England, St George's Day is also our National Day. April 23 is traditionally accepted as the date of the saint's death in 303.

Happy birthday Freda!

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:11:00 +0000

Congratulations are in order for Freda Baughan today as she celebrates her 105th birthday. The Derby pensioner has lived through two world wars and remembers when Allenton was a village.

In an article in the Derby Evening Telegraph, she recalls: "In Allenton, there were only a few houses around what is now the Crown pub.
"You used to get to it down a country lane and it was dark because there wasn't any street lighting."

She left the local village school when she was 13 and then worked at a hosiery factory nearby. Later on, she moved to Nottingham and then Derby, where she worked as a parlour maid for various wealthy families.

She gave up work when she married her husband Arthur. "Women didn't go to work then but a lot of things have changed now. When I was younger, you didn't lock your door. Nobody stole anything because you were all in the same boat," she said.

One of her abiding memories of the First World War was that there was no rationing. "When anything came in, everybody rushed to the shop. There were no queues so the elderly people pushed to the front. It was left to the shopkeeper to decide who had what."

And the secret of her long life? Plenty of water, an afternoon nap and the odd glass of wine or sherry.

Judgement day looms for theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:03:00 +0000

The future of Derby's Hippodrome hangs in the balance. A judge is set to decide next week whether the former theatre in Green Lane should be demolished.

The building's owner, Christopher Anthony, is seeking permission from the High Court to carry out the the demolition work, because he says the building is no longer safe. The roof and large sections of the wall collapsed last month when contractors began to carry out repairs ordered by the council.

Derby City Council disagrees that the Grade II listed building poses a risk to the public and is seeking an injunction to stop it being pulled down. Experts from both sides are due to give evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday on the state of the Hippodrome.

We'll keep you posted...

Pets corner under threat

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:55:00 +0000

A couple of weeks back reader Deborah Short contacted You and Yesterday to alert us to the fact that Allestree Park is planning to close its much-loved animal corner without any consultation with local people. We passed this on to the Derby Evening Telegraph and reporter Aly Walsh has now put together this story.

It seems that this facility has given a huge amount of joy to generations of small children in Derby. It would be a shame if it were to be lost.

Child star Drina still has her Equity card

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:14:00 +0000

A couple of weeks' back, we asked if anyone had any idea what had happened to Drina Pavlovic, a Derby-born child star of the 60s and 70s who appeared in a famous episode of the Likely Lads. We're pleased to say that Drina (left, as she is today) is alive and well and still acting from time to time. The full story can be found on You and Yesterday HERE.

The changing face of Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:27:00 +0000

Modern architecture is one of those subjects that always polarises opinion. You and Yesterday has some great recollections HERE from Harold Richardson on the changing street scene in Derby City Centre - but fans of the Assembly Rooms and new Quad building, pictured above, may not agree!

Brassed off

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:37:00 +0000

There were once more than 30 brass bands in Derby, but now just six are struggling to survive. More about the decline of this great Derby tradition can be found on You and Yesterday HERE.

Natually the surviving bands are still anxious to recruit new members, especially young people. If you are interested in joining or want further information about local bands, contact Bert Cook, Chairman of the Carnival Band Secretaries League, on 0115 972 5282.

Inside the Hippodrome

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:53:00 +0000

Tonight's Derby Evening Telegraph has some dramatic pictures showing the full extent of the damage to the Hippodrome Theatre, which collapsed a week ago today when struck by the arm of a bulldozer during "repair work." The this is Derbyshire website has put together a slideshow which can be viewed HERE.

Furious city council leader Chris Williamson is quoted as saying he "will not rest" until the building is restored. Judging by these pictures he may have a long wait.

Rolling back the years to 1974

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:10:00 +0000

Each month You and Yesterday publishes a selection of photographs from the Derby Evening Telegraph archives for a particular year. This month it's 1974 - the year of two General Elections, the first of which the downfall as Prime Minister of Edward Heath, pictured above campaigning in Derby's Sadlergate.

More pictorial memories of the year can be found on You and Yesterday HERE while the local stories that made the headlines during the year can be found HERE.

Fight to save school for community use

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Linford) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:07:00 +0000

The 100-year-old former Herbert Strutt School building in Belper (left) faces an uncertain future after the school decamped to a new site in February rather than carry out £1.5m of repairs.

Now the Belper Civic Forum wants to save it for community use and has collected an 1,800-signature petition in support of its aim. More on the story HERE.

Meanwhile...it's High Noon in Derby between the city council and property developer Chris Anthony over the fate of the Hippodrome Theatre

The council is now preparing to go to court to save the former theatre from further demolition work - but its owner says it cannot be preserved and must come down without further delay.