Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Book worm

In 1942 I was 9 years old and lived in Long Eaton during the war having previously lived in the West Riding.  We had no radio and in those days no television and I was either at the outdoor swimming pool or in the library with my nose in a book. When I visited the library I took out the maximum... [more]

I Know This Cottage VERY well.

I know this street - Spring Road - very well, and particularly this thatched cottage! This is because the Thatched Cottage was at the end of what was our property from 1990 - 2003 - Coke Hearth House. If you look at the brick wall, the right hand side leads down to Hollyhearse Terrace, and also a public footpath which my... [more]

Evans Concrete Products Ltd, Greenhill Lane, Riddings

I worked at Evans Concrete products employed  as factory maintainance fitter; my job was to keep the factory machinery in good condition and attend to other projects in the making. The people I worked with were Jack Travis, fitting shop manager, Bill and Ron Hardwick and Ernest Finny, the best engineeers you could find, who taught me well - those were... [more]

Evacuees

I have just learnt that my aunt, Rhona Mortimer (her maiden name) and her sister Grace Mortimer were evacated to Darley Abbey during the Secopnd World War years. I think was only for 3 months. My dad Len Mortimer was evacuated nearby. Rhona would have been about 7 years old and Grace maybe 10 years. My dad would have been about... [more]

Beginnings

I was just browsing through the net when I came upon this place, and it brought back a lovely memory of this place, as this was where my father took me just after the war, and the wonderful old lady who lived there introduced me to reading books. We were in her back garden which ran down to the brook that... [more]

Belper

The Whiskin family lived in Belper until 1903.  (William Whiskin-Jane Sharp)

Not my era

What a treat to see this photo - presumably taken from the church tower - it brought back many happy memories of my time spent at the school between 1964 and 1970.

Derby's old West End

My father had a scrap-yard in Nuns Street. It was right next to the bridge over Markeaton Brook. I remember always asking to be picked up so I could look over the bridge - I don't know why! Markeaton Brook was filled with old bed-steads and all sorts of rubbish in those days - but it always fascinated me.  There was... [more]