11 minute read
Professional
RIPLEY & DISTRICT HERITAGE TRUST THE KEY TO BUTTERLEY
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The first blast furnace and casting house was built at Butterley soon after The Butterley Company was founded in 1790. It was the start of an industry that transformed Ripley. The Butterley Company went on to provide jobs for more and more people as the town grew. They built houses for workers,and the first schools for children of working people. Their constructions changed the face of Britain.
Over the years, buildings, including the blast furnaces, were demolished and replaced, but the original keystone was kept and displayed in the Company’s headquarters in Butterley Hall. A keystone is a “locking” stone at the top of an arch that locks all the other stones in place. Because it is so central, it is often used by builders to record their initials and the date of the building: in this case, the initials of the founder, Benjamin Outram, and the date 1791.
Following a takeover in 1968, the Hall was sold to Derbyshire County Council for the new police headquarters, and the stone disappeared.
Fast forward over 50 years, and RDHT received information that the keystone had been salvaged by an employee and moved with him around the country. He had recently died and his family wanted to return the stone. A journey into the wilds of Herefordshire recovered the stone.
It had been sliced in half, presumably to make it lighter, but the inscription was still there: “B.O. & Co. 1791”. It has now been put on permanent display in the offices of Ripley Town Council on Grosvenor Road, at least until such a time as the Butterley site is redeveloped and the two Trusts, Ripley and District Heritage and Butterley Ironworks, can occupy the Heritage Centre that we hope to have there. The stone will then truly have come home!
Matthew Thomas Residential is a family run estate agents, the pride and joy of Matthew Thomas Bulleyment.
Matthew, 36, was born in Ripley and has lived there all his life. He is married to Victoria, also an estate agent working within the business, and they have two young children, a boy and a girl. Both know the area extremely well and when not working can often be found out walking with the children and the family dogs in the local beauty spots.
When Matthew left school, he started working in an industry that gave him no job satisfaction. He then started at the Ripley office of a large corporate estate agent for a year before moving on to their Derby City Centre office, where Matthew spent 11 years before setting up his own company.
In September 2017 Matthew decided he would really like to set up his own company. With good background experience, just one month later, he opened the first small branch of Matthew Thomas Residential from serviced offices in Ripley. Business quickly expanded and in April 2018 he was able to open his first High Street branch on Park Corner in Ripley. As the business went from strength to strength, he needed bigger premises and moved once more in December 2020 to a larger office at their current address in Grosvenor Road, Ripley.
Today Matthew and Victoria have another estate agent, Clare, working with them. Two mortgage advisors from Cloud Mortgages, Darren and Lauren, are also conveniently based within the Matthew Thomas Residential offices. As a couple with a young family, Matthew and Victoria know how stressful buying and selling houses can be. The ethos of the company is to provide a family friendly business with excellent local knowledge to help make the process as comfortable and easy as possible.
Whether you are looking to buy your first home, moving to the area, or selling to upsize or downsize then do get in touch with them to see how they can help you.
CALL US ON: 01773 252725
FOOD & RETAIL
Was Santa a Viking?
Dear old Santa Claus, or Father Christmas as most of us in the UK would say, a cheerful chubby chap with white facial hair sporting a fetching red outfit and shiny black boots. Isn’t that how we all see him in our mind’s eyes?
We’ve all heard the stories about the origins of Father Christmas, including the one that says Coca Cola ‘invented’ the red outfit (the jury is out on that one because there are earlier images of a red-clothed gift giver). Let’s have a quick look at the myths and legends that surround the man himself…including one that may surprise you! Most people assume that Father Christmas is a modern-day version of Saint Nicholas, born in the 3rd century in what is now Turkey. He was famed for his generosity to many people but in particular to children. His feast day, 6th December, is still widely celebrated in parts of Europe and could be the origin of gift-giving, as children were (are) given small presents if they have been good throughout the year. The Dutch figure, Sinterklaas, an old man with a white beard wearing red robes and carrying a big red book that records whether a child has been naughty or good, is surprisingly similar to how we portray Father Christmas today. Midwinter festivals existed long before the Christianisation of Europe of course, and lots of the traditions we now associate with Christmas originate from that time. Yule or Yuletide was a period of feasting and drinking; a Yule log would be brought in, which would be burned on each of the 12 days of Yuletide. Greenery such as holly, ivy, mistletoe, and pine boughs were also brought inside to remind everyone that Winter would not last forever and Spring would return. Wreaths of greenery, pinecones, holly, and the like would adorn homes; bells would be rung to keep evil spirits away, and children would sing songs. All very reminiscent of what goes on today! Now to the idea that Father Christmas was a Viking… Who has heard of Odin - king of the gods and former ruler of Asgard? Odin was also known as Jólfaðr (Yule Father); he had many disguises but was particularly fond of an old, whitebearded man wearing a cloak and hood…sounding familiar? Odin was believed to lead a pack of elves, spirits, and frightening beasts across the sky, especially at Yule, punishing the bad and rewarding the good. He rode upon a flying eight-legged horse called Sleipnir and sometimes pulled a sleigh behind him - it’s all very Santa like, isn’t it? And to add icing to the cake (or icing sugar to the mince pie) old Nordic stories say that children would leave straw and carrots in their boots as a gift for a hungry Sleipnir, who would reward them with presents! So back to the original question - was Father Christmas really a Viking god? Who knows, and actually, who cares!
Have a wonderful Christmas.
These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing.
To find out more visit www.landgassociates. co.uk or contact Laura on 07736 351341
Are you worried that your parents are going to fall, break their hip and be left in agony for hours before anyone knows?
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FOOD & RETAIL Butterley House Care Home
Coach Road, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3QU Tel: 01773 745636
Email: butterleyhouse@btconnect.com
Butterley House is a family run care home, situated in a peaceful, rural location on a private road overlooking open countryside.
• We provide Residential and Dementia care as well as respite accommodation.
• Our highly trained staff team are all from the local area and are committed to providing excellent standards of care.
• There is a private garden which is a safe and secure environment in which to enjoy the views of the open countryside.
• Rooms are all decorated and furnished in a welcoming, homely style which residents find familiar and comforting – a true home from home!
• All our meals are cooked on the premises. We offer a wide range of choice at every mealtime, and cater for all tastes and dietary requirements.
• Our in-house activities co-ordinator provides a wide range of meaningful activities and events to keep our residents stimulated and entertained.
For information on room availability and to arrange a visit or request a brochure, call 01773 745636, or email
butterleyhouse@btconnect.com www.facebook.com/ butterleyhouseresidentialhome 16 Don’t forget to mention Voice Magazines when responding to the Ads
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ! Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures. Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-yourwits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours. Guess the words and Fill in the crossword ! Pitcherwits® Across1 2 3 4 7 Steed that’s croaked? (5) 8 Mute clatter in a bit of brilliance (5) 5 6 9 Blackwood that’s virtually skeletal? (5) 11 Get very hot under the collar about old argument (5)
Down
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7 8
9 10 11
12
13
Across
1 Little flyer responsible for cereal flags? (4,7)
5 Ridicule Polly for using infrared (7)
12 Jumbo ‘pilots’ drawn to a mush (7)
13 Bluecoat arm made from embroidered netting (7,4)
Down
1 Top gear on bike to halt schemer in his tracks (5,6)
4 Get a fancy earplug to confound the epidemic (5,6)
5 Act from pre-conception (7)
6 Gets old, with lemons and golds (7)
Down: 1 Be in goal, 2 Lion, 3 Gull, 4 Tenderfoot, 5 Cassiopeia, 8 Admit, 9 Bite back, 14 Lore, 15 Elba. Across: 1 Billy goat, 5 Cue, 6 I do, 7 Nailbed, 10 Sag, 11 Oddment, 12 Elf, 13 Pollute, 16 Lea, 17 Cot, 18 After dark.
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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RIDGEWAY NURSING HOME
Ridgeway Nursing Home is situated in a beautiful rural location, just outside Belper, on a private road overlooking the surrounding countryside. We provide Nursing, Dementia, and Palliative Care, as well as respite and short stay accommodation. Our team of experienced staff include nurses, care staff and ancillary staff all providing good quality care to our residents. We have a fantastic chef who provides tasty, nutritious food to all. Each resident is individually catered for, with nothing being too much trouble.
Our rooms are furnished with welcoming touches, and residents can add their own familiar items to make it even more homely. We have a “quiet” space for residents and families with calming lighting and soothing music, this works well for residents who require some tranquillity. Ridgeway has its own activity coordinator who is committed to supporting our residents with a range of activities, outside entertainment, one to one time and days out.
We have a lovely outside space for residents to sit and visit with family, weather permitting.
