Ilkeston Life June 2016 newspaper

New Mayor of Erewash The new Mayor of Erewash is Councillor Abey Stevenson, who was formally elected to the role during Erewash Borough Council’s annual meeting on12th May.

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JUNE 2016

A community publication for Ilkeston and the surrounding districts including Kirk Hallam, Cotmanhay, Shipley View and West Hallam Visit our website: ilkestonlife.com

Acrobatics, code-breaking and cooking with a French chef…

Kirk Hallam students try something different Students at Kirk Hallam Community Academy enjoyed a range of diverse activities including an acrobatic workshop and cooking with a French chef in a bid to boost their confidence.

Students selected from Year 10 took part in the More Able Day at the academy which was designed to teach them real-life skills.

They participated in a workshop with a thea-

Top: Georgia Smith (15), chef Chris Ince and Emily Middleton (14) taking part in the cookery sessions.

Above: students supporting fellow student Lewis Scully (15) in a trust exercise.

Left: the Enigma machine which was at school.

tre group called Frantic Assembly where they worked in teams and had a go at acrobatics and performing.

A chef worked with students to prepare lunch but he delivered his instructions to them in French and ex-student Alex Ktenidis returned to talk about how he gained a job with an international company which has bases across the world.

Students were also given the opportunity to get up close to an Enigma machine from Bletchley Park which was used to crack codes in World War Two. Ben Wilkinson, Head of English and part of the Senior Leadership Team at Kirk Hallam Community Academy, said the aim of the day was to help students develop skills that they could use later in life.

He said: “There is a lot of focus on exam results and academic expectations but students need those real-life skills if they are going to go off and be successful in the world. There’s not that much time to think about where they see themselves in the future and what success means to them.

“They need to have confidence and not be afraid to challenge themselves. They also need to be able to work with people they don’t know. It’s all about taking them out of their comfort zone and being proud of what they have achieved by the end of the day.

“The theatre workshop was fantastic, the students looked at different ways of expressing themselves and they got braver as time went on. And they really enjoyed working with the chef and it taught them how to work in another language.”

Student Natasha Burton, 14, said she thoroughly enjoyed the day. She said: “I liked the whole day; it was great to work with people who I hadn’t worked with before. I think a day like this helps to build confidence because we were trying different things that we hadn’t experienced before.”

Student Libby Halford, 14, said her favourite part of the day was cooking with the French chef. She said: “He did a demonstration and we were put into different groups and cooked different food for the staff and students. I really enjoyed it, especially as we got to work with people we hadn’t worked with before.”

Alex Ktenidis, 24, said he hoped his talk had inspired the current students.

He said: “I talked about my experience of being here at school and then what I have done since. My message really is that you can go off and be successful. They’ve all got potential as long as they realise that it’s down to them to take the opportunities that are presented to them and that they shouldn’t let anything hold them back.”

Councillor Stevenson has represented the Little Eaton and Breadsall Ward on the Borough Council since 2011, which also covered Morley. In 2015 he was re-elected to represent the ward, which now also includes Stanley.

During his mayoral year, Councillor Stevenson will be supported at civic engagements by his wife Anne, while his daughters Sara Abigail Oakes and Johanna McNeill will also step in for some events. He will be accompanied at various events by the Mayor’s Cadets from the Derbyshire Air Cadet Force, the Air Training Squadron and the Long Eaton Sea Cadets.

Events will be held throughout the year to raise money for the Mayor’s ‘charity pot’ from which charitable groups and organisations from within the borough will benefit at the end of his term of office.

HONOURED Councillor Stevenson is looking forward to representing the residents of Erewash during his civic year: “I feel very honoured to have been elected as Mayor and it is my greatest pleasure to serve not only the Borough Council but also the residents of our wonderful borough during my civic year.”

Councillor Stevenson was born in Bombay and moved to England where he joined Loughborough College to study Mechanical Engineering. After university he joined International Combustion in Derby in the contracts department and then the project man-

Cllr Abey Stevenson agement team on the Dungeness Nuclear Power Station. After leaving IC Limited he and Anne set up Ziggi’s, a fashion store, on Sadler Gate in Derby and Victoria Street in Nottingham, both of which included the popular ‘The Q in the Corner’ coffee shop.

Both he and his wife retired from the business in 2009.

In his spare time, the Mayor is a keen car enthusiast and enjoys going to events to display his cars, while he and his wife also enjoy spending time with their family – they have a son in the USA, two daughters, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

The Reverend Gill Turner-Callis of St Andrew’s Church in Stanley Village, will be the Mayor’s Chaplain for the 2016/17 civic year.

The new Deputy Mayor of Erewash is Councillor Mary Hopkinson, who represents the Little Hallam Ward on the Borough Council.

A fright at Little Hallam Hall Reflecting community life in and around Ilkeston

Local

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Dales Shopping Centre, West Hallam

Editorial office: 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston Tel: 07539 808390 Editor: Robert Attewell ilkestonlife@gmail.com or robert@ilkestonlife.com Staff feature writer: Patricia Spencer patricia@ilkestonlife.com Staff reporter/photographer: John Shelton john@ilkestonlife.com Advertising Manager: Paul Opiah sales @ilkestonlife.com or paul@ilkestonlife.com Distribution Manager and Webmaster: Adam Newton adam@ilkestonlife.com

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While every care is taken to be accurate, we are only human and mistakes do occur occasionally.

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Deadline for adverts and editorial contributions for next month’s paper: Wednesday 15th June (unless by arrangement)

Send by email if possible: ilkestonlife@gmail.com

2 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

Six weeks before Adrian and I got married we were lucky enough to be offered a flat to rent.

My dad had been talking to someone in the Bulls Head Pub, our local, and he had found out about the flat. He told us about it the next day and we went straight round there to check it out and accept the offer.

We were overjoyed at getting our own place as we thought we would have to start married life living with my mum and dad, which would not have been a very good idea.

The flat needed a good clean and decorating throughout. So we set to and scrubbed it within an inch of its life. My Uncle Ken from Retford came up trumps. Ken along with other members of my family worked in a factory that made wallpaper. A lorry duly arrived at the flat with an enormous roll of wood chip paper. It took three people to lift it up the stairs. Woodchip was all the rage at the time.

Adrian and his best man David papered all the walls in the flat and there was still loads left.

We have lost touch with David. David if you are still local and reading this, Adrian would love you to get in touch to catch up.

We managed to get everything cleaned and decorated and with the help of family and friends we furnished it with second hand furniture plus two new armchairs which I had managed to buy, one a rocker. Mum and dad provided the linoleum for the floors in the bedroom and lounge. Curtains were scrounged from anyone who offered them.

The flat was great. We had a small lounge with an open fireplace and a small kitchen off to the side. There was a large bedroom the size of the whole of the top floor of mum and dad’s council house. There was also a spare room that we didn’t use apart from storage because we could not furnish it and there was no way of heating the room.

The flat was on the top floor of the Little Hallam Hall in the Spinney. It is arguably the oldest house in Ilkeston and at one time belonged to the Flamstead family.

It is thought that William Flamstead had the oldest part of the Hall built.

John Flamstead, a member of the same family, who is thought to have lived in Denby, became the first astronomer Royal to King Charles the Second on 4th March 1675. He received this honour by drawing better maps for our sailors to navigate the seas. His allowance was £400.00 per annum. On the 10th of August 1675 the first foundation stone was laid for the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, which was built for John Flamstead. He was born on the 19th August 1646 and died on December 31st 1719, aged 73.

There are copies of original letters sent from John Flamsead to the Vicar of West Hallam on the Royal Observatory site.

By the time the estate was sold in November 1826, the Flamstead family owned most of the land between Quarry Hill, including the Nut Brook Canal, over to and including the Erewash Canal.

At the time of moving into the flat we of course had no idea of its history. We didn’t think too much about it. We knew the walls were over a foot thick and all the floors sloped so we knew it must be very old.

We were so busy working on the flat and planning and organising the wedding that we never considered that being so old it might be haunted!

We got married on June 22nd 1968. It rained all day apart from about an hour whilst the photographs were taken. I had always thought that I would be very upset if it rained on my wedding day, but when I woke up to rainspattered windows I found I wasn’t bothered at all.

I was excited because my pen friend was coming for the day from Littlehampton in Sussex.

She worked for Dr Barnardo’s children’s

homes and had to be back the same evening. I had been writing to her since I was nine years old but we had never met. Adrian was going to pick her up from the station so I sat on the stairs waiting for my first sight of Barbara. I wanted to see Adrian too although I knew it was supposed to be bad luck. I waited until Adrian drove away and went to the door to meet her.

We got on really well and she helped me get ready for the wedding. We have remained friends ever since and try to meet up whenever we can.

It wasn’t raining so hard by the time we reached St John’s Church but there was a strong wind blowing which almost took off my headdress and veil.

Adrian and I were married by Reverend Waterman and the reception was held at Ilkeston Miners Welfare, now long gone to make room for a nursing home.

We had a simple ham salad for lunch, which was prepared for us by two young men and they did a very good job. The only thing we found later (and we always laugh about now but I wasn’t very happy about it at the time) was the photo of us cutting the cake has a salad cream bottle in the front of the picture.

How common!

Later in the day I went home to change out of my wedding dress but before I did I called next door to see Mrs Howard who had not been able to get out to see me leave and she wanted to see me in my dress. I left her with a happy smile on her face.

When we got back to the reception Adrian and I had the first dance together and then he went downstairs to play darts with his mates whilst I danced upstairs with my friends.

It was teeming down with rain when we arrived back at the flat after the reception and we had to paddle through the puddles to get to the main door.

Adrian picked me up and carried me over the threshold.

We spent the first week of married life in the flat then travelled down to Paignton on the following Friday evening for a week in a hotel. When we got there it was early morning and the sun was shining so, as our room was not ready we went straight down to the beach and fell asleep in the sun. We were suffering with badly burnt arms and legs all week. Not what you want on your honeymoon. However we had lovely weather all week. A couple of years ago we went down to Paignton on a bus trip and went to look for the hotel. But what do you know, yes, you’ve guest it, it has been demolished.

How we managed to do all we did on our small wages I do not know. Adrian was only eighteen and still an apprentice at Stanton and I was twenty and a wages clerk at Charnos.

When we got back off honeymoon we had just half a crown to our name.

We were incredibly lucky really. We never looked back.

by Patricia Spencer

There was one incident I remember really well from when we lived at the Hall. One night we were asleep in bed when a noise woke me up.

I lay listening. I could hear someone coming up the stair to our flat. The door to the main hall downstairs was locked but we had a door halfway down that led to a shared bathroom and toilet with the tenants downstairs. I froze.

I have never been so frightened in my life.

I could hear someone or something coming nearer and nearer. I could not move. Adrian was asleep next to me but I could not shout, I just lay there stiff with fear. I lay on the side furthest from the door and I heard the door click open. My knuckles must have been white as I clung on to the bedclothes.

I could hear it coming closer and closer. I am sure I stopped breathing at one point.

Whatever or whoever it was had come round to my side of the bed. I could now hear it breathing. I tried to move my arm to nudge Adrian, but I was frozen with fear. I felt something pressing on the bedclothes by my side. Then I felt moisture on my face…it is a wonder I did not wet myself.

Just as I thought my end was nigh I heard a whimper. A sound I recognised. I breathed a sigh of relief.

It was the black Labrador from downstairs.

One of us must have left the door open that led to the bathroom and he had decided to come upstairs to see if I had a treat for him. I always made a big fuss of him when I came in from work and had a treat for him. I was so relieved. I got out of bed made a fuss of him and took him back downstairs.

I walked over to the window at the side of the bed and peered out of the curtains. There was a full moon overhead. I could hear a train going by on the embankment at the front of the house. There was a silver glow from the moon. It looked eerie. What was that shadow?

I closed the curtains and climbed back into bed. I had had enough excitement for one night. Adrian did not wake up until next morning. When I related the tale to him he laughed.

It has been very difficult to find out the history of Little Hallam Hall but my grand daughter managed to find two small articles.

In one, Little Hallam Hall is described as a 16th century timber faced house with a recessed brick porch, 18th century brickwork and 16th and 17th century panelling and some early Georgian features.

An article in an edition of the Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday 5th October 1886. says: “Thomas Smith died in 1886 aged 77 years of age; he was a farmer and he lived at Little Hallam Hall. On the 22nd October he ran a rusted nail into his hand. The nail was projecting from a window frame in a closed in the house. He was a farmer and a boatman at Little Hallam Hall. He died of blood poisoning.

The inquest was held at the nearby Bulls Head Pub in Little Hallam .

GROWING WHOPPERS Chaucer Junior School’s own Miracle Gro’wers took part in cabbage and carrot growing experiments in their school garden. The company Miracle Gro responded to their picture on Facebook with the comment : “Wow, look at those fantastic results! I think it's clear to see which trial worked the best.

Well done!”

Pictured are Madeline Ludlam and Louie Buchanan. The school has been invited to take part in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the fourth time in succession, the only school in Derbyshire.

Friesland 2016 Dance Show

Astronaut Tim Peake backs St John Houghton students' space cycle mission British astronaut Tim Peake offered his support to Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy students who took part in a cycling mission that was out of this world.

It's a real privilege to have such a facility on our doorstep and we'll definitely be using it again as a school. I'd encourage others to do the same too.

“We're grateful to everyone who has supThirty-two students were sponsored to cycle ported us and especially our students whose a combined total of 250 miles, or 1,600 laps behaviour and effort were exemplary.” of the Velodrome at Derby Arena, which is All of the sponsorship money raised by the the equivalent distance to the International students who took part will go towards imSpace Centre where Tim is based. proving facilities at the academy in Kirk He retweeted a tweet about the challenge by Hallam. academy governor Lorna Taylor and added Student Liam Evans, 11, said he thoroughly this message of support: “Good luck on your enjoyed taking part. He said: “I do cycle but cycling adventure, teamwork and dedication I’ve never done anything like this before. It go a long way.” was a great experience as it was something different. There was a lot of skill involved as Lorna, who helped to organise the event, said she was thrilled that Tim had backed the we had to keep our balance and learn how to stop as the bikes don’t have brakes.” students. She said: “It was absolutely brilliant get a message from Tim Peake and it Student Mackenzie Wood, 12, said it was the certainly spurred all the students and staff first time she’d cycled at the Velodrome. on. It was fantastic to see so many smiles, She said: “At first it was hard but it got easiencouragement and teamwork amongst the er as I got used to it. It’s great to have a new students. experience like this and I’d definitely like to “Despite the hard work and shaking legs, do it again.” they all want to ride at the Velodrome again.

Kirk Hallam Community Academy students talk about emotional trip to Auschwitz

Two sixth formers from Kirk Hallam Community Academy have spoken about an emotional trip to Auschwitz.

Friesland’s very talented dancers produced two fantastic evenings of high quality and entertaining dance to sell out audiences for the annual Dance Show. As usual, the evenings contained a variety of performances and styles of dance, with performers spanning from year 1 and 4 students from Ladycross and Firfield primary schools – who had been working with Mrs York last term – to our KS3 dance club, ‘FriesFusion’, GCSE and A Level dance students.

For our Y13 dancers, this was their final performance both before their examination the following day and at Friesland. Many of them have applied and been auditioning for places at prestigious dance schools, and their incredibly professional and emotive pieces – including their group performance ‘Take Me to Church’ - are a testament to their hard

“This was what I found to be the most difficult part of the trip as from looking at the possessions we were able to comprehend Joseph Taylor, 17, and Molly Riley, 17, vis- how many people were killed there and saw ited the former Nazi extermination camp in a it for ourselves, instead of just hearing a trip organised by the Holocaust Educational number.

Trust as part of its Lessons From Auschwitz “There were items such as artificial limbs, glasses, suitcases, 4,000 pairs of shoes and project. hair brushes. It was hard to look at the disThe project is a four-part course which explores the universal lessons of the Holocaust play of suitcases as each one had a name and and its relevance to today and is based on the date of birth on and some of the victims were only two or three years old.” premise that ‘hearing is not like seeing.’

Students started their visit to Poland by see- Joseph said they also heard a talk from a ing a pre-war Jewish site in the Polish town Rabbi who related the events of the Holocaust to what happens in the world today. of Oswiecim, where they learnt more about the victims’ lives.

He said: “He told us that every year when he speaks to people on this trip he talks about Sites that were visited include several barracks at Auschwitz 1 before going to Birke- something new. One year it was the London nau, where the vast majority of victims were bombings, then it was the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, then it was the refugee crisis. murdered.

Molly said she believed that the trip was one He just said that it keeps happening and we of the most memorable she will every experi- have to be more tolerant of other religions and cultures and realise that everyone is difence. ferent and that the hate has to stop.

She said: “It was surreal. We visited Auschwitz 1 and this camp has now become a mu- “The trip was a real eye-opener, just to see what really happened out there. It was surreseum where you can see the possessions al.” from the people murdered in the camps.

work and highlight just how talented they are. We wish them all the best as they move on from life at Friesland.

For the rest of our A Level and Y11 dancers, the dance show provided a final opportunity to practise and finesse their pieces ready for their examinations just after the dance show.

For our KS3 dance club students, it was final chance to perform their two pieces to audiences filled with their friends and family, following on from their selection to the county dance platform earlier in the year.

Our primary school students performed brilliantly – Ladycross performing ‘The Bear Necessities’, appropriately dressed as monkeys from the jungle; and Firfield performing a sixties inspired piece, ‘Hand Jive’. We look forward to doing more work with our local primary schools in our upcoming performing arts mornings.

Mrs Swindell

Molly said it was an emotional day but she believes everyone should experience it.

She said: “I do believe everyone needs to experience Auschwitz for themselves to understand the feelings and emotions which ran through my mind.”

Molly and Joseph then prepared to deliver assemblies about their trip to Year 10 and 11 students at Kirk Hallam Community Academy.

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

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Have your say Get in touch with your views— Email: ilkestonlife@gmail.com Post: The Editor, Ilkeston Life, 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 8AH

In or Out of Europe?

More local views In a previous life, before coming back into the family business, I spent 30 years with British Airways as an accountant but working mainly of the marketing and commercial sides. One task, on which I spent some 18 months was as the BA financial representative on a team from 15 of the world’s largest airlines tasked with joining up our reservation systems in order to facilitate onwards bookings around the globe. This was a multi -million dollar company jointly owned by the various airlines, and ironically in the negotiations, reflected the ‘politics’ which we face today in deciding if we are either European, in the pockets of the Americans or if in fact there is another alternative.

The first thing that happened was that our brief was for the Americans to own half of the company (which involved two large American carriers) and the rest of us to own the other half. This was largely because the far eastern carriers didn’t trust the Americans.

The next thing was that the French and Germans formed a rival company.

Significantly, when the meetings were in Chicago, the other European and Eastern carriers would allow me to represent them, in order to reduce the travel involved— BECAUSE EVERYBODY TRUSTED THE BRITISH.

And finally, the appointed lawyers and merchant bankers, who brokered the deal, were those of British Airways BECAUSE EVERYBODY TRUSTED THE BRITISH.

course, is what Brussels is aiming to do.

To suggest that it will affect trade is nonsence—does anybody think the Germans will stop selling us their cars? I don’t think so. And as for jobs, the only effect will be that if we stay in Europe we will be flooded with foreign workers. Vote Out!

David Thorpe, Thorpes Furnishers, Ilkeston

***** I cannot for the life of me understand why people want to give our tax money to another country and leave Britain with nothing but cuts and closures to every public service we have. So what has the EU done for us to date with our £14 billion a year membership? Closed every one of our industries, the last to go was our Steel. Our industries have been divided and shared through Europe, so now we have to buy everything in. We cannot go to any of the cheaper countries out of the EU for goods, it has to be from Europe.

For years now we have taken our NHS and other services that we don't pay for directly for granted. Do people want to pay a fortune for medical care because its all private?

It will never happen, you say— it’s already being sold off to private companies now.

We need control of our own taxes, borders and armed forces, with the right to deport the scum from our country that kill and rape our women and children. We can't manage alone? Bullcrap, we conquered half the known world so looking after ourselves will be no problem. We need the Great back in Great Britain. If you want no future for your kids, vote stay. There is only a one brainer and that’s Vote Leave.

In conclusion I was left in no doubt we should be out of Europe, have equal affinity with the English speaking nations and be the world’s brokers. To stay in Europe will Trevor Taylor destroy our national identity which, of

New Crime commissioner impressed by Woodside Farm Derby and Derbyshire newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa took time out his busy campaign schedule last month— the day before the Election, to visit Ilkeston’s neighbouring Derbyshire Wildlife Woodside Farm which is based next to the old American Adventure site at Shipley.

Hardyal joined me on the visit that I was invited to make to take a closer look at how the farm works with complete emphasis on conservation of the environment and local habitat development, in line with the trust’s core values and ethical standards and working in partnership with different bodies and neighbouring landowners.

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust manages the site with a strong voluntary sector who give their time and expertise freely and regularly to make it all happen.

The Police and Crime Commissioner is an independent elected position that is charged with securing efficient and effective policing over their force area.

4 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

This office replaces the old style ‘police authority’ which previously held that strategic role.

Hardyal was very impressed with the Woodside Farm set up and reminded us that he hoped to continue supporting resources to tackling rural and wildlife crime and that these formed part of his pledges to the community when he stood for that office.

I look forward to assisting Hardyal in the next few years in those aims because we value our green open spaces and need to know that the police are well equipped to react to calls for help in our rural quarters.

Derbyshire Wildlife sell their beef in 10kg or 20kg boxes and lamb in 10kg boxes, call their office on 01773 881188 to order your locally reared meat.

Michelle Booth, Ilkeston West County Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa and Michelle Booth >>>

Dad was spotted in ironworks photo In a past issue and on our Facebook page we featured the above photograph of Stanton Furnace Fitters at a presentation, thought to be around 1959. We asked if anyone knew anything about it and Philip O’Toole has recently replied:

In his service at Stanton he was chosen by the firm to travel to Australia to instruct the Aussie men in plant processes and assist in getting the newly built Australian steel pipe making plants up and running.

He made such a favourable impression that the Australian government offered him citizenship. He still recounts the times he had and speaks fondly of the people he met and worked with in Perth and Melbourne.

Coming from rural Eire to achieve this was no mean feat. I will quote dad: "Not bad for a thick paddy!"

No dad! Not bad at all.

Johnny O’Toole….as stubborn as a mule….as strong as an ox.....the heart of a lion….my hero and dad.....x.

On the front row, from the right fifth man in, wearing the flat cap, is my dad, Johnny O'Toole. He will be 85 in July and worked for the firm from when he came to England from Eire until he received his gold watch for 25 years service. He then took his redundancy to go into the building game as a ground worker for 10 years up to retirement at 65.

When he left Stanton in the 80s he held the Philip O’Toole, Ilkeston company record for most spun pipes in an hour which still stood and was never broken.

EX–ILKESTON GOALIE WRITES

all the hot water had been used up by the first three players in!!

The new ground by contrast was a vast imFirst of all may I congratulate you and your provement with its flat pitch, new changing team on your excellent monthly newspaper rooms and most of all floodlights and a which I and my family have enjoyed since clubhouse (both of which were lacking at its humble beginnings as an A5 booklet to the old ground). its present full colour tabloid format.

Although the pitch did take a few seasons to I enjoyed the pictures of the old and new overcome some serious drainage problems Manor Grounds of Ilkeston Town FC in last it didn't stop us from winning a few promomonth’s edition as it brought back personal tions and cup finals during my time playing memories to myself as I played in both the there. last game at the old ground and in the first The photographs of the new ground in last ever game at the current ground. month’s issue I think are from more recent It's hard to believe that at the start of next times as, I remember, the clubhouse had a season 2016-17 it will be 25 years since that flat room when it was first built and also the first game was played (How time flies.) advertising pitch surround and Clock Tower The old ground with its grass bank and slop- were not built till much later. ing pitch did have its own unique atmosAlan Rigby phere but by the end it was beginning to show its age. I well remember that the stand and dressing rooms were in a bad state and PRAISE FOR COTMANHAY it was always a bit of a lottery if the showers I know loads of people moan and groan had enough hot water. As the goalkeeper, I about Cotmanhay but let's consider for a was usually the dirtiest and many a time had moment, what have we got here? For a start we have a post office, a doctor and a to make do with a freezing cold shower as chemist. A few shops selling all manner of things. A very good hardware shop, three beauty and hair salons. three places of worship, two clubs, pubs schools, buses running to Derby, Nottingham, Heanor and Sandiacre and Stapleford.

We have a hospital nearby with a good lunchtime menu for anyone. We have taxi services, several small cafes and places to eat plus three chip shops, the list in endless. We have a window cleaning service, a laundry and the Symes Centre for household and garden help. There is a good place to get your TV and laptop, etc., sorted and a garage specialising in spray jobs.

And of course we have a funeral director.

Where else can you have all these facilities on your own doorstep? I have probably missed someone or something out and for that I apologise.

Isobel Sisson, Cotmanhay

In search of fascinating MEMORIES OF COSSALL …. David Potter people from the past The photo taken by my dad in 1938 with a box brownie camera shows Madge Wheatley with a group of Crompton Street kids.

Madge, who lived on Shaw Street with her brother delivered milk around Hallam Fields from her horse and cart during the 1930s and 40s. The milk was delivered to customers from a milk church fixed to her cart. They came with their jugs – no bottles!

I’m interested in knowing more about Madge and her brother from any Ilkeston Life reader who remembers them. Among the kids on the cart are Ray Sanders, Roy Cutts, Iris Cutts, myself in a beret, aged 3, with Madge of course at the back.

After finishing her round, Madge would give the local kids a ride on her horse and cart back to the top of Crompton Street, usually on a Sunday morning.

I am at present trying to compile a list of other long forgotten Ilkestonians who lived during the last century. Plenty is known about the characters who lived in Victorian times and before such as giant Sisson Jonathon Bostock and giant Samuel Taylor but not so much about those who lived in the 1900s.

Even though I can recall half a dozen, two from the 1940s and 50s stand out for me:





ing voice would ring out: “Be quiet you lot or you’re out,” and he meant it. Donald Dresser could be seen the following morning carrying a black Gladstone bag containing the previous evening’s takings to the Midland Bank on Bath Street, chained to his wrist of course. I doubt if any potential robber dare tackle him.

The chap who juggled plates on his crockery stall on Ilkeston Market to atI’m looking for memories of people who tract customers. He ran a comic band made you smile or you remember with affeccalled Doctor Crock and his Crackpots tion. People who did something unusual. and regularly appeared at the old NotLong gone people who you can recall from tingham Empire. I saw them number of your younger days for a possible future Histimes. tory Society publication. They can be people your parents or grandparents told you about.

Donald Dresser. Who of my age group I believe Ilkeston had plenty of characters doesn’t remember this manager of the who lived during the last century who are Ritz cinema! He lived on site and was said to be 6ft 9ins tall, although to me as worth remembering. Send your memories to a 13-year-old lad, he looked about 12 feet Ilkeston Life or leave them for me at the Smoothie Bar and café on Bath Street. tall. Woe betide any kids who misbehaved! Lads tended to get bit noisy dur- Danny Corns, Ilkeston Local History ing sloppy love scenes when this hollow- Society

Maggie marks Queen’s Birthday with Tree Planting Ceremony

know that Granby School has an active gardening club, led by local resident Mr Martin, so I was keen to support the school and enOn Tuesday 3rd May Maggie Throup MP courage even more gardening as well as helpjoined staff, students and volunteers at Gran- ing to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday.

by Junior School to plant a special ‘Queen “Even at 90, the Queen continues to show a Cox’ apple tree to commemorate the 90th youthful zeal for her work and inspire people Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. both young and old and I hope that by adding Maggie said: “I was honoured to be asked by this tree to the school’s garden, more students Granby School to plant this commemorative will be inspired to get involved with gardenQueen Cox apple tree which I hope students ing.” and staff will enjoy for years to come. I

Once you start something it’s often amazing what and who pops up and suddenly you’re off down another path meeting more of our lovely readers, offering new information and insights into the way things were and, in many of their own cases, why they were.

Into the inbox the other day dropped pictures sent by Sarah on behalf of dad Jed and before long we were sitting together sifting through a most wonderful collection of Ilkeston and district memorabilia.

One of the photos (see page 13) shows a group of around 50 people, horses and ponies, not to mention assorted urchins and ragamuffins!

Here’s an outline of the information Jed has to hand on it and, as ever, if anyone recognises any of the people or circumstances, or have any corrections, please get in touch and we’ll take it from there.

We think it was taken outside Cossall Colliery at the time of a strike possibly around 1912.

The kneeling man in the centre of the front row (shown here) appears to be Frederick William Farnsworth Wheatley who was born June 18th 1865. Frederick became an ostler at Keddleston Hall where he met his wife and then served in the Boer War in the Transvaal and Orange Free State (Private F. Wheatley No.20777) and was awarded a medal for the campaign in 1901.

Photographs of Frederick in hospital in South Africa and his actual medals still remain today in the hands of the family. He was wounded in the fighting but survived to return home to look after the pit ponies at the Cossall and Trowell mines. I think it would be almost certain that he knew my own grandfather, Billy Cottam, who also worked at the colliery around that period of time. He seems to be holding a halter, one of the tools of the trade, in his right hand.

From Jed’s records, other Wheatleys with Cossall connections were Elizabeth Caroline Wheatley and Cecily Wheatley who was ‘confirmed’ in 1865 and lived in the Alms Houses in Cossall village. (We’re very grate-

ful to the Wheatley family for providing Jed with much of this information.)

The man to Frederick’s right (second left in the picture) seems to be wearing a leather apron and boots suggesting he was probably a blacksmith.

Now look to Frederick’s left…past the pony and surely the uniform, pith helmet, and bugle suggests one of his military compatriots?

Next to him at the end of that front row is Richard (Dick) Fritchley another ostler by trade who died in the 1960’s. (I remember from my own days living on Grange Colliery Estate a dwelling known as ‘Fritchley’s Cottage’ located nearby.)

The name Fritchley frequently crops up in village history. Another Richard Fritchley is reported as a captain in Lord Henry Middleton’s Volunteers around 1815. His sons Richard, Charles and John James are also thought to have seen military service in the South Notts Yeomanry Cavalry, the latter receiving the ‘Captains Prize’.

Cossall Colliery was, at the time of the picture, a private concern probably owned or managed by a Colonel Hewlett who lived in a large house at the top of the hill on the approach to Cossall Village.

Several people have told of his habit of rewarding soldiers returning to the village with a ‘half a crown’ (a.k.a two shillings and sixpence…or for those of you who have “gone decimal” 12.5p) It seems that during the strike the house may have come under attack by dissident employees to varying degrees involving broken windows and even, on one occasion, a shotgun.

After the coal industry was nationalised following the Second World War, the house eventually became a perk of the post of The Manager of Cossall Colliery and possibly one of the first to take up the post under the new regime was?.....yes… Colonel Hewlett.

It’s incredible what a picture can yield about bygone lives and times and, with your help, there may well be lots more to come so please keep in touch. davidilkeston@gmail.com or telephone: 07929 100974 (don’t forget to leave your contact details).

What baby did next

Babble class for six weeks at the centre in Cotmanhay which was great and involved lots of singing, listening to stories and giving baby the chance to explore different sounds, sights and textures.

Both of the courses we have attended have either been free or I’ve paid a nominal fee to cover materials, so a great way to get out of the house with baby and experience new things even if money is a bit tight.

There are a number of Children’s Centres in Ilkeston including Cotmanhay, Kirk Hallam and West Hallam, offering a range of different services and activities. Once you are registered with one you can attend any. It’s great that they are available to every parent regardless of age, number of children or financial situation but unfortunately there are talks of cuts to the centres which is really sad as they are an asset to the community.

If you’re not making use of your Children’s Centres and are looking for something new to do, then I urge you to get in touch with them and find out what they have going on or you can find out more at http:// www.derbyshire.gov.uk/education/ early_years_childcare/childrens_centres/ erewash/

It has been another hectic month for baby and me. As usual we’ve been attending our weekly signing class, and whilst baby hasn’t started doing the signs yet he has started to react when I use signs to communicate with him. No surprise really that he especially likes the sign for milk which is met with shrieks of delight.

As a parent I like to try and get out of the house every day, it helps keep me sane but it also gives baby a chance to experience new things, but going to different things can get expensive, so I was delighted to discover that the local Children’s Centre offer a number of activities. We usually visit once a month to get baby weighed. Whilst we wait he enjoys time in the sensory room, which is also available for individuals to book most days. We also try and take advantage of some of the brilliant courses and activities that they put on for families in the area.

Most recently we have been going to baby massage, which is running for four week and has been educational for me and baby seems to really enjoy it as well. We’ve been learning all about how massage can not only relax baby but also help with certain ailments such as tummy ache and the dreaded teething, with my little chap currently cutting his first tooth and on occasions crying with the discomfort it’s no fun for anybody, so any tips on what to do to help have been gratefully received.

Rebecca Slater A couple of months ago we attended Baby

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

5

An Ilkeston couple have created a bead picture of their favourite TV star Robert Lindsay.

Leon Radford and Bee Angels spent 20 hours working on the portrait, which shows the Ilkeston-born actor in his role as Wolfie in Citizen Smith.

Bee says the picture, which measures 72 centimetres or 28 inches square, and contains 21,000 beads, has generated a lot of interest among friends.

“We wanted to create something that would capture local people's imaginations,” she told us, “but also something that, if no one wanted it, we would be happy to keep ourselves, as we are both big Robert Lindsay fans.

“We want to be able to show people that we can recreate their photos into unique bead pictures.”

The couple are hoping to set up in business if they can attract enough interest. They are working from home in Bath Street but are keen to show their work at local fairs and

“Power to the people!” Robert Lindsay as he appeared in the 70s sitcom Citizen Smith, a young rabble-rouser in Tooting. The iconic picture has been recreated by Bee and Leon using thousands of coloured beads.

maybe eventually have their own shop.

Leon currently works for Erewash Borough Council at West Park Leisure Centre, Long Eaton.

They can be contacted via their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/beadpictures where there are more of their creations to look at.

Motorbikers’ day at the Museum

Well, I’m out of breath but feeling happy, I guess that’s what exercise does for you. I got lots of exercise this morning. Things started off as normal, after being let out, (I’ve no idea why I’m kept in at night, there is lots of mischief I could get up too after dark, but not allowed to explore anymore), well I had my breakfast - as normal, a bowl of tasty cat food with some crunchy cats biscuits mixed in to keep my teeth clean (we cats cannot brush out teeth but eating grass helps us to keep them clean, although it also can make us vomit a little, I try to do this in the kitchen so my owners know I’ve been good and brushed my teeth). Afterwards I went outside in to the garden – as normal. In the garden I sat in my second favourite spot – under the big tree. My favourite spot is sitting in the sunshine in front of the Vicarage, watching the dogs and their owners walk by; it’s ever so busy in the morning and evening. I don’t know why dogs don’t walk themselves; maybe they are training their owners in the route to walk.

Anyhow, back to my big tree; it’s too big even for me to climb up its trunk. So there I was waiting to see the squirrels, so we can play chase – as normal. I love playing chase with the squirrels. They are busy eating their breakfast – peanuts that my humans put out for them. Then I slowly and carefully creep up

behind them and when close enough I chase them and try to tough their tails, to ‘tag’ them and then they should chase me, but they never chase me, even when I do manage to tag their tails, it seems its always my turn to chase them. That’s not fair.

Well things were different this morning, I was sat watching for squirrels, when all the other cats ran off (I wonder why, it’s almost like they have another sense that I don’t have) and the next thing I knew was I was being chased by little Freda, the Verger’s young Jack Russell dog. I read her name on her collar several months ago when I hid under a car when we played hide and seek – I always hide and she always has to try to find me, before being taken back by the Verger. (I like him, he gives me lots of fuss when I help him mow the grass in the church yard). Gosh, she was fast when she ran towards me, it scared me a little, and she soon caught up with me, so when she did, I hit her on the nose. (I think a claw or two might just have happened to pop out and accidentally scratched her nose.) She looked so upset and hurt but then, she ran off, so as the rules of tag are set, it was my turn to chase her, so I did and she started to run out of the garden back to the kind Verger. And my owner, the Vicar rushed out picked me up and held me very, very tightly.

It was a great game and I obviously won it, I hope the squirrels were watching us and then they may learn how to play it properly.

Bye for now – Florence

No More Mud!

Ilkeston Men’s Probus

Good news for cyclists, walkers, wheelchair and buggy users. The resurfacing work on the Erewash Canal towpath between Potter’s Lock and Awsworth Road has been completed. This is phase 1 of path improvements planned as part of the Ilkeston Gateway programme, funded by Derbyshire County Council and the Canal and River Trust.

Read next month’s Ilkeston Life for an update on Phase 2. Jeff Wynch

The Men’s Probus Club met at their usual venue, the Arena Christian Centre, on Thursday 12th May. Their guest speaker was retired headmaster, Phil Austin, whose talk was entitled ‘Around the world in 80 Photographs’. It was enjoyed by all. Probus is a club made up of retired professional and business men over the age of 55. Further details can be obtained from club president Mel Birch at melbirch@talktalk.net Barry Sutcliffe

Erewash Museum’s first Motorbike Day took place in 1998 and was organised by the Vintage Motorcycle Club. It wasn’t a great success—about eight of us sat here all day. I had a word with the Museum about it and they said: ‘Why don’t you take it over if you think you could do better’. So my wife and I did that. We renamed it Motorcycles through the Ages and it’s grown from there.

We’ve got 30-plus bikes here today so far. The most we ‘ve had is 65. This year the event has a special meaning because a good friend of ours, Steve Mellors, died last year and we’ve dedicated this year’s event to him. It’s a good get-together for bikers and it’s well supported by Ilkeston people.

Alan Boothman, organiser

Motorcyclists and motorbike enthusiasts attended one of Erewash Museum’s most popular events last month. The Motorcycle Day featured dream machines old and new, and their owners were on hand to talk to anyone interested. Top: some of the exhibiters; above: spectators in the garden area; right: two bikers arriving for the event.

Photos: John Shelton.

6 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

Drummer’s story

West Hallam Methodist Church (next to Bottle Kiln on High Lane West DE7 6HP) hosts another Story Café on Friday 10th June at 7.30pm. The guests are “The Owd Shaduz” – if you are not used to Derbyshire/ Nottinghamshire dialect “The Old Shadows”.

Story Cafe showcases guest artists who entertain the audience and share their life story. This evening will take you back to the musical explosion of the 60s and 70s with the sounds of the Shadows. Well-known numbers such as F.B.I, Apache and Foot Tapper will feature with tunes you will enjoy singing along to: The Young Ones, You'll Never Walk Alone and It is No Secret What God Can Do. Keith (Lead Guitar/Radiographer), Phil (Keyboards/ Telecom Technician), Ian (Guitar/Primary School Teacher) and Alan (Drums/Carpenter-Joiner and Boat Builder) came together as friends after retirement to enjoy sharing their music and their faith.

Alan will be telling the story of how just one phone call completely changed his life.

There is no charge for admission but dona-

tions are invited to cover the cost of the event. Drinks and cakes are on sale.

More information from John Moorley, 0115 932 0859 or john_moorley @btinternet.com

*****

Strawberries are not just for Wimbledon

You don't have to go to Wimbledon for a strawberry tea. Come to Dale Abbey on Saturday 2nd July from 3.30 to 5 pm and enjoy one in the grounds of the abbey itself (access via Abbey House drive). Teas, cakes, even a free guided tour are also available. Proceeds are in aid of Ilkeston United Reformed Church (the Green Spire church). Sorry no tennis, but dogs are welcome. Roger Allen.

The Messengers—bringing the Bible to life in schools For over two years now a group of about ten people from Ilkeston Methodist Church (Nottingham Road and St Andrews) have been going into a number of local primary schools to lead worship with a difference!

They dress up and act out Bible stories in a way that immediately captures the children's interest. Often using parallel situations they bring a new twist to New and Old Testament stories the children may or may not be familiar with.

For instance, a Forest fan is going home from a football match when he is beaten up and robbed . Who helps him? A Derby fan! This, of course, is another version of the story of the Good Samaritan where the unlikely helper of the man who fell among thieves is a despised Samaritan.

The Messengers see this as a great opportunity for witness and mission and say the children always provide a fantastic audience, especially if they are asked to join in with any boos and cheers! They also teach songs and pray with the children.

YOUTH PRAISE. Contagious, an enthusiastic group of young people from Denby Bottles Methodist Church, led the morning service at St Andrew’s, Ilkeston recently. Using song, dance and drama, they presented their own brand of contemporary worship. A sketch demonstrating that God can give more than we expect went down particularly well. The service ended on a high note when members of the group handed out tambourines to the congregation for the closing song, Build Your Kingdom Here.

Church but not as you know it Activities, music and a simple meal for you and your children Get messy at

United Reformed Church, Ilkeston: Saturday 4th June, 4—5.30pm If you like Messy Church, how about trying the Toddlers’ Service at the Green Spire church (URC). It's 'upstairs' (entry from Wharncliffe Road) and the next is on Friday 3rd June at 10 am. It’s like Messy Church but much shorter (½ hour) and it’s specially for families with very young children. Drinks, biscuits, toys to follow.

The Faith Journey page is brought to you by members of the local Christian community and with occasional inspiration from

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

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Cantelupe Centre needs a new roof

Tesco supports Super Kitchen

The Cantelupe Centre, next to St Mary’s Church, is home to many organisations in the town, from kids clubs to elderly groups and all sorts of groups in between, including companions, mobility, youth, health and market research. It also houses a coffee bar and rooms for hire for meetings, birthday parties, etc.

It’s a big building with a big heart and it is a huge asset to the people of Ilkeston – but it has a major problem. It needs a new roof and the estimated cost of this is at least £50,000.

So The Cantelupe Centre Roof Appeal is being launched. Organisers are looking for fundraising ideas and donors to get the campaign going. Anyone who would like to help is asked to contact Helen (07790 876015) or James (0115 923 1329) at the centre.

Helen says: “Watch this space! We will keep Ilkeston Life readers up to date with any progress made.”

Tesco Ilkeston has donated £200 of kitchen equipment towards the setting up of a ‘Super Kitchen’ in Cotmanhay.

The Super Kitchen initiative forms part of Derbyshire County Council’s public health food poverty programme to support vulnerable Derbyshire residents.

The kitchen on Beauvale Drive will use food from Fareshare - perfectly good food donated by supermarkets that would otherwise be put to landfill. It will be cooked by volunteers and served to residents for a suggested donation of £2.50 for up to three courses.

David Conboy, Customer Experience Manager at Tesco Ilkeston said his store was happy to support the initiative to tackle food poverty in the area by equipping the kitchen with essential cooking equipment and an oven, as well as through food donations via Fareshare.

The Super Kitchen will be managed by Josy Hare and staffed by volunteers. Josy says: “As well as providing a nutricious, wholesome meal, the Super Kitchen will also bring people together, thus reducing social isolation and lowering the amount of good quality food that is thrown away each year.”

Pictured with kitchen equipment donated by Tesco Ilkeston are (left to right) Kelly Barrett, Josy Hare, Annemarie Wilson, Jemma Smedley, David Conboy and Carl Derbyshire.

Photo: John Shelton.

8 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

*** Things we second Ilkeston Art Festival, organised did as kids The by the Smoothie Art Group, took place over —Playing marbles in the street at Mount Pleasant, Cotmanhay —Alan Harlow

***

the May Day Bank holiday weekend at the Catholic Church Hall.

We were honoured to have local MP Maggie Throup to open the event, which was very well attended.

Twenty artists had examples of their work on show in all the different media – original oils, watercolours, pastels, acrylics as well as original photographs.

Look out for our Christmas Fayre in November. Barry Sutcliffe.

Three Ilkeston groups win Mayor’s Award

tenacity and community efforts. James has informed me that he now helps out at the Friday Flamsteed Luncheon club as well. He is a credit to his generation and a fantastic role model. His colleague volunteers all thought that he won the award and are pleased as punch for him."

Three organisations from Ilkeston figured in The League of Friends of Ilkeston Commuthis year’s awards for outstanding communi- nity Hospital organise many fundraising events , including the annual bed push and ty service: Ilkeston Hospital League of Friends, Flamsteed Monday Luncheon Club summer fair, in order to finance comforts and specialist equipment for the hospital. and Friends of Erewash Museum.

The judging panel chose eight winners: four The award was received by long standing volunteer, Mrs Jean Turton. groups and four individuals, from 15 nomiThe Friends of Erewash Museum were recnations. ognised for their work alongside the counThe other group award went to Draycott cil’s museum team in attracting funds and Village Fund. numerous awards including Derbyshire MuPresenting the awards at Erewash Museum, seum of the Year twice. They help at special the Mayor Cllr Val Custance said: ”This is events and man the museum’s latest acquisione of the highlights of my year in office, tion the Old Stables Learning and Visitor which is now coming to an end. It is a Centre and refreshments room. pleasure for me to recognise all the recipiAlthough all the individual nominations iments and an honour to personally congratupressed the judges, it was decided to limit late and thank them for all that they do for the awards to those whose work extended this borough. beyond one organisation. As a result, the “I have seen at first hand the work of the following were winners: countless people in Erewash who work so Betty Thompson, Long Eaton, food bank selflessly to help others in so many ways. It fund raiser for Children’s Society and is a privilege to be able to present awards to worker, Macmillan Nurses, transporter and helper at some of those residents and organisations.”

Corner Gate Luncheon Club.

James Fogg received an award on behalf of Peter Smith, Long Eaton, for work with the Monday Luncheon Club, Flamsteed Cen- Long Eaton Carnival, Scouts, Toton Duck tre, Ilkeston.

Race and National Committee for safety of He was nominated by County Councillor Fairgrounds and Fairground Equipment.

Michelle Booth, but the judges decided to Chloe Louise Johnson, Long Eaton, for honour the club rather than one person. work with the Leonard Cheshire organisation Michelle told us: "Despite being disabled, supporting disabled adults, Funability supJames turns up every Monday, having been porting disabled children, and her role as a teaching assistant with special needs children. to the shops to purchase provisions, then he prepares, cooks and serves the meals. He has Karen Judson, Sandiacre, leader at Sandibeen there for about five years. He started acre Guide company and involved with Girlhelping his dad, Paul, when he was just 16. guiding internationally.

The diners love him and admire him for his

Representatives of the winning Ilkeston teams: Top: Friends of Erewash Museum; left: Monday Luncheon Club, Flamsteed Centre; right: Ilkeston Hospital League of Friends

Bringing the past to life The Past Lives Project is looking for old home movie cine films of weddings, parties, carnivals, work, etc., to tell the story of the people of Ilkeston. These cine films will be digitised and edited into a portrait of the town and the surrounding area. It will be shown at St Mary’s Church in July with a live music soundtrack composed and performed by professional musicians alongside young musicians from the area.

This project, funded by Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund, has played to sellout audiences in seven regions of the Midlands over the past two years and has been recognised for its excellence in the National Lottery Awards. Anthony Hatton, the film editor on the project, said “We have been overwhelmed by the response in other areas. We have had some beautiful footage that captures ordinary people’s lives. Since these films were shot by amateurs they have captured family members and their local area in a way that a professional cameraman never could. It’s a joy to see people in the 1950s, 60s or 70s enjoying family events or town celebrations. It’s a fascinating insight

into the changes in fashions, transport, buildings and a culture that now only lives in our memories”.

In recent decades, many valuable home movies have simply been thrown out. What is left is often too fragile for showing with a projector.

The project aims to save these films before it is too late. Dave Sturt said: “These old cine films could well be deteriorating fast, so it’s all the more important to get them out of that cupboard or down from the loft and get them copied. That way, they can be preserved for the future enjoyment of the families and they can also be a part of this exciting project”.

Earlybird readers of this paper have a chance to meet the Past Lives team at Erewash Museum in Ilkeston on May 28th where they will be showing some of the footage of the town already collected. They will have cine film viewers and projectors and will offer photo scanning of original old photos of the area free of charge on the day. They will also be happy to answer questions about the project and to hear any stories & recollections about the area. A DVD copy will be returned along with the original films.

JOKE OF THE MONTH Been out today to a posh restaurant....even the potatoes had jackets on. — John Allen.

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

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JULY

Summer 2016 JUNE Now until 30th August: Rediscovering Bennerley Viaduct, a summer exhibition at Erewash Museum.

Sun 5th June: Cossall Open Gardens, 1pm—4pm, follow the signs in the village.

Plant sales, treasure hunt, scarecrow competition. £3.50 per person (children under 12 free).

Sun 5th June: Farmfest Music Festival, Greasley Castle, Moorgreen , 4pm – 10pm.

Wed 8th June: Disability Sports Day, Rutland Sports Park, 9.30am—2pm.

Thur 9th, Fri 10th and Sun 12th June: Ax of Murder, a play by Ilkeston Theatre Company at the Seven Oaks Inn, Stanton by Dale. Tickets £8.50 and £6.50. Enquiries: Tel. 0115 932 3189.

Fri 10th June: Story Café at West Hallam Methodist Church, 7.30pm.

Sat 11th June: 90 Years of Weddings, 10 till 4pm. Exhibition at St John’s Church.

Sat 11th June: Ilkeston Carnival, organised by Ilkeston Lions, Procession, marching bands, competitions, rides, stalls, etc., on the Rutland Sports Park from midday.

Sunday 12th June: Party and Picnic in the Park organised by Ilkeston churches, Victoria Park, 3 till 7pm. Event to celebrate the nine decades of the Queen’s life.

Sat 18th June: Holy Trinity Summer Fayre in the church hall, 11-2pm. Stalls and refreshments.

Sun 19th June: Ilkeston Brass Concert in Victoria Park, 2pm.

Thur 23rd June: EU Referendum. Cast your vote: in or out.

Sat 25th June: Swing Back to the Forties at Erewash Museum, 10.30am— 3.30pm.

Sat 25th June: Family Dog Show on Stanley Rec. Entries, 12.30, Judging 2pm.

We meet Council Leader Chris Corbett

R

ecently Councillor Chris Corbett invited us to the Town Hall for an informal chat so we could write an article for Ilkeston Life.

Chris is the Leader of Erewash Borough Council and he met us promptly at 3pm as agreed, along with his Deputy, Carol Hart.

We were taken in to his Office to conduct the interview.

Chris is a local man born in Stapleford and brought up in Sandiacre. From 1959 to 1966 he attended Ilkeston Grammar School, where Maths was always his best subject.

When he started there it was still the norm for First Year boys to wear short trousers and they always had to wear a cap. Mr Cox the headmaster changed this the following year and it earned him the nickname ‘Caps-off Cox’. Both Chris and his younger brother played rugby for the school.

Teachers he looked up to were Mr Alan Brown, Mr Kenneth Bettle and Mr Toplis.

On leaving school Chris went to work for the NatWest Bank spending time at Sandiacre and Stapleford branches as well as in Yorkshire and Scotland. When it was his dad’s 70th birthday he asked if he could be assigned to inspect the NatWest Long Eaton Branch so he would be home for the occasion, and obligingly they agreed. He then went on to work for the Office for National Statistics and also spent some time working in a sub Post Office, but after a while, as nice

10

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

as his customers were, he needed a change from seeing and speaking to the same people every day.

It was whilst living in Rotherham that he first got involved in politics. It wasn’t by choice either, really. A group he belonged to wanted to use the Conservative Club meeting room and their snooker tables, but they insisted on a certain number being Club members. He was ‘volunteered’ - and so began his political career.

We asked Chris if he would like to be Mayor. But apparently, the Council Leader cannot be Mayor. It is not possible to carry out the two jobs at the same time.

In 1974, when Ilkeston joined up with Long Eaton to become the Borough of Erewash, the new council was able to continue Ilkeston’s tradition of having a Mayor because Ilkeston had always had one. Long Eaton never did have a Mayor, just a Chairman.

Our new Mayor, Abay Stevenson, who lives in Little Eaton, was due to start his term of office on the 12th May, the day after we conducted this interview.

Chris is married with two grown up sons and has now been Leader of Erewash Borough Council for nine years and has spent nineteen years with the council altogether. The job keeps him fully employed.

As an avid railway enthusiast, he is obviously very interested in the progress of Ilkeston’s new station and his opinion is that it will be up and running by Spring next year.

The fact that we have elections coming up shortly after this may have something to do with the timing, he quipped.

Chris also spoke to us about his feelings on the HS2. He said no matter how we all feel about it, the Council can neither stop it happening or make it happen, so we should “make the best of it” and be looking at ways for Ilkeston to benefit from it. Housing and factories on the old Stanton site would be an ideal outcome, although access needs to be sorted. There is a steering group that has been set up already to look into the situation

Sat 2nd July: Art and Craft Fair at St Andrews Church, Ilkeston, 10am till 3pm, Stalls and refreshments.

Sat 2nd July: Strawberry Tea in the grounds of the Abbey at Dale, 3.30—5pm, plus guided tour if desired. In aid of Ilkeston Utd Reformed Church.

Sun 3rd July: Kirk Hallam Lakeside Festival, 12 till 4, organised by Friends of KH Lake and Meadows. Entertainment, rides, activities, stalls, refreshments.

Sat 9th July: Kirk Hallam Church Garden Party & Summer Fete, Kirk Hallam Community Hall, Kenilworth Drive, 11 till 3. Plants, bargains, try-your-luck, refreshments.

Sat 9th July: Party in the Park, Cotmanhay. On the grass next to the children’s centre, Beauvale Drive, 11am till 3pm. Stalls, entertainment, Mobile Super Kitchen.

Sat 16th July: West Hallam Well Dressings and Scarecrow Festival, scarecrows stay up until the following Saturday.

Sat 16th July: Afternoon Tea at St Andrews Church, Wilmot St, Ilkeston from 3pm.

Teas £5. Ring 0115 930 6467 to book.

Sun 17th July: Bestwood Black Diamonds Band play in W. Hallam Village Hall, 2pm.

Sun 17th July: Derwent Valley Wind Band play in Victoria Park, 6pm.

Sat 23rd July to 3rd Sept: The Beach, Victorian seaside event at Erewash Museum.

Sun 24th July: Derwent Valley Wind Band play at Stanley Village Hall, 2pm Sun 31st July: Summer Sounds, Victoria Park, 3 till 7pm. Rod Stewart, Take That and Motown tribute bands, stalls and displays.

AUGUST Sat 6th August: Heritage Open Day at Erewash Museum, 11am—3pm.

Sun 14th August: Erewash Partnership’s 4th Ilkeston Heritage and Classic Vehicle Show, Market Place, Ilkeston. Step back in time and enjoy hundreds of cars, motorbikes, buses, etc., of yesteryear.

BH Mon 29th August: Matlock Band Concert at Erewash Museum, 2pm.

Do you have an event in July, August or September that’s not listed here? Email details to ilkestonlife@gmail.com

and the means of transport in and out of the town.

Chris was one of the last travellers to use the old Ilkeston station before it closed following the Beeching axe.

When we asked him about any other hobbies, he said he loves his holidays and he likes them hot! Egypt, Jordan, America and Eastern Europe are his favourite places.

Although he likes exotic holidays, his food he likes to keep simple. “Good old fashioned traditional British cooking.” He is a fan of the Durham Ox. What’s the best thing about Ilkeston? Surprisingly he didn’t say the many award winning Erewash Museum as we expected but the Market Place area. He loves the surrounding buildings, including the Town Hall which he described as a ‘proper building’, and after our tour through the many corridors, stairways, halls and rooms, all steeped in local history, we had to agree it was a very impressive place, smelling strongly and pleasantly of lavender polish.

We discovered a ‘secret’ door out of the Mayor’s Parlour leading to a private lavatory for VIP guests. Apparently, a special loo had been installed years ago for (probably) Princess Margaret’s use!

Another interesting find were the silver bells that are rung at the opening of the Ilkeston Charter Fair. Neither of us could pick them up; they are seriously heavy!

Asked if he had a motto, the Council Leader said simply, “Do It Now!” Chris is a long-standing Nottingham Forest fan and he still loves to watch cricket and Rugby.

His mum Gladys is 97 years old and he takes her out every week.

There are elections every four years for the post of Leader of Erewash Borough Council and Chris is now in his third term, so he’s been around long enough to know how to keep things running smoothly.

Chris and his deputy Carol, who has also

Cllr Chris Corbett. Motto: ‘Do it now’

many years of experience, are now looking at their diaries for work needing their attention in 2017.

They told us the phones are ringing all the time and it is a seven days a week job.

The Borough Council looks after the things that matter most to residents: keeping the streets clean and tidy, emptying our bins, tending our beautiful flower beds and, of course, the parks.

Talking of parks, Chris says they now have the money to restore Victoria Park’s bandstand. They have had some of the money for this work ring fenced for several years but have been waiting for lottery funding to start the work. We have his assurance that it will be done this year.

Another important duty of our local council, Chris said, is to defend our greenbelt.

After our meeting ended, we had a short tour of the Town Hall with its narrow hallways and winding staircases before we said our goodbyes.

Thank you Chris and Carol for an interesting afternoon.

Patricia Spencer

Your Space Poems plus

This fragile life as fresh soil now covers Someone’s Father and someone’s Mother.

Share your creative writing with other Ilkeston Life readers.

Email ilkestonlife@gmail.com or drop in/post to The Editor, Ilkeston Life, 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 8AH.

This fragile life just like a child running in circles screaming so wild.

Ode to the yobs They usually walk four or five abreast, Swearing and shouting, doing their best, They magically assume they rule the roost And rotten behaviour gives them a boost!

The yobs of Ilkeston think they’re kings of the hill, They like to scare everyone and make them feel ill.

With garish clothes and mouths agape, They think they’re cool as they jest and jape.

But really chaps, between you and me, All I see is inferiority, But it’s never too late to change your act, And get precious self-esteem back, Something that makes life worthwhile, So come on guys, just walk that mile.

Rose Wood

This Fragile Life This fragile life we bend and then break cursing the decisions we just had to make.

This fragile life the eyes of the old look behind them to see a life untold.

This fragile life run by machines communication breakdown of a micro-chip dream.

This fragile life we ingest these poisons to alter our minds to the things that annoy us.

This fragile life all these bitter pills mass marketed to beat off the winter chills.

This fragile life marble and dying flowers washed all away by the storm and showers.

Some Your Space items have had to be held over.

We will try to include them next time.

© Steven Michael Pape

Woodbines and Robins I smoked cigarette when I was a lad, I copied my grandpa and my dad.

There were Players, Woodbine, Park Drive, Robin and Craven A, And there were many more, just the same as today.

But as I grew older I learnt more sense, I gave them up, it was very hard, no pretence.

Today there are tablets, patches, e-cigs too, You can buy over the counter to try to help you.

It’s really hard to give up smoking the weed, This awful habit and uncontrollable need.

It costs so much money, it can make you poor, And when you smoke too much it makes your throat sore.

The fag or weed stinks and it smells, it’s not very nice, In the budget in March, the Chancellor puts up the price.

So take my advice, the habit kick, Or you’ll end up very sick.

Be strong of will, Cos fags can kill. .

Alan Harlow

The Good Samaritan The rain wet me The wind froze me A stone tripped me My fall hurt me Then someone robbed me

FAMILY DOG SHOW Saturday 25th June 2016 Entries taken from 12.30—judging starts 2pm

The radio station just for Erewash

STANLEY VILLAGE RECREATION GROUND DE7 6FF All dogs welcome Contact 0115 932 4207 Rosettes and prizes in all classes

And left me To die slowly Painfully

Knowing the dialect

Then someone took pity on me And helped me He lifted me And bandaged me He talked to me Encouraged me Stayed with me Who could this be?

This friend who came to me So speedily To comfort me And generously Paid for me to be Looked after at the inn kindly This act of love will stay with me And I will do the same for someone else surely.

Robert Anthony

Beggars can be choosers You’ve seen him sitting there With his faithful dog by his side, He’s a professional beggar, A conman on the inside.

He’ll pretend he’s cold and hungry, Says he hasn’t any friends,

Some years ago, I ordered a timber garden shed from a local Ilkeston supplier.

As it was being delivered, one of the men carrying the panels commented on our flourishing hanging basket. “Do you fade it?” he enquired.

“Fade it?” I asked, questioning the phrase.

“Yes,” he said. “Fade it.”

I wondered what he meant. Not being a gardener I said I didn’t understand what he was saying.

“You know,” he said, “Do you fade it?”

Seeing I looked none the wiser, he put it another way….”Do you give it food or just water?”

Then the penny dropped.

Richard Parkin He sleeps in draughty doorways, That’s the message he will send.

Passers-by are gullible, They put money in his cap, They buy him food from nearby shops, Like pies and bacon baps.

Now the day is over, It’s the time the beggar likes, For he can change into his better clothes And speed off home on his bike.

Peter G

Do you write poetry? There’s a poetry night every last Thursday in the month at the U Choose café, 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston, 7pm. Share your own or your favourite poems, or just listen.

Trespassing motorbikers

In the interest of both the motorcyclists’ safety and local residents’ wellbeing, signs Saint-Gobain PAM UK is supporting local have been put up around the site to prevent police and urging motorcyclists to avoid further trespassing and disruption to Ilkeston using the land at its Ilkeston site. residents.

Derbyshire Police has alerted Saint-Gobain Police are asking for support from businessPAM UK, which occupies the large site on es and the local community to prevent furLows Lane, to the increased amount of mo- ther public nuisance and ensure everyone’s torcyclists using the private land in the eve- safety. To report any incidents, please call nings and on weekends for racing and 101 the non-emergency for Derbyshire Poscrambling. lice.

The Friends of Bennerley Viaduct

Rediscovering the Iron Giant Sir Dave Brailsford, Freeman of the Borough of Erewash and Principal of Team Sky, has given his backing to the “Rediscovering Bennerley Viaduct: the Iron Giant of the Erewash Valley” exhibition now being held at the Erewash Museum in Ilkeston.

“I’m keeping in touch with the Bennerley Viaduct Project, and it’s fantastic to see how much progress has been made in such a short time,” said Sir Dave, who was overseeing Team Sky in the Giro d’Italia 2016.

“It’s really encouraging that local communities are getting involved and taking the project to heart. To anyone who still hasn’t heard about it I’d say visit the exhibition at

Sir Dave Brailsford

the museum this summer and discover what an asset you have on your doorstep and what it can offer for the future. Good luck to the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct and all the volunteers, and to Sustrans in their bid for funding to enable the path over the viaduct to be built.”

The exhibition, funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, is on until 30th August, and covers the construction of the viaduct and the part it played in the economic life of the area, as well as the natural history of the Erewash valley which it spans. Visitors will also be able to discover more about Sustrans and its vision for the future of the viaduct. Entry to the exhibition is free. Check the museum website for opening times at www.erewash.gov.uk and on twitter and Facebook.

There will be a talk by David Gent, a Civil Engineer and specialist in wrought iron construction, on Wednesday 8 June at 7pm.

Entry to the talk is free but anyone wishinging to attend needs to book a place by phoning the museum on 0115 907 1141.

The next meeting of the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct is at 7pm on Monday 30th May, in Ilkeston Fire Station Community Room. There will also be a workday on Saturday, 11th June, starting at 10 am.

News about events, workdays, the viaduct project and the Friends can be found on Facebook and by visiting www.bennerleyviaduct.org.uk.

Kieran Lee, the Community Engagement Officer for the project can be contacted on 07782 3536941 or by email kieran.lee@sustrans.org.uk.

Jeff Wynch

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

11

Story in Ilson

dialect

By Jim Sumner

How th’sergeant an’ corporal got rid on me After ard bin marchin, nearly all dee on th’square, owa pleein’ in a football match against another camp. Conditions wa terrible. Th’grernd wa ’ard an’ rutted, especially in the goalmerths, so some silly sod chucked a lotta gravel on it, thinkin’ it might may it a bit better—burrit didner— in fact, it made it a lot woss an’ it worner long before ar’d got some gravel stuck in me knees.

After th’match ar washed missen well but mi leg started ta ot, then it swelled up so I went to th’camp ’ospital and straight awee, th’doctor made me go straight to bed and stay theer. Ay ordered th’nurse to give me penicillin injections day and nayt, every three hours.

After abert thray dees, I said to th’noss: “Ar amner gerrin’ much slayp at all; can yo gee me thray injections last thing at nayt all at once so a can slayp better.”

Ow said: “”Ar, arl dow it tonayt.”

Ow com spot on 10 o’clock and in ’er ’and owd gorra gret big needle. It reminded may

abert when a wa wokkin’ at mi uncle’s farm an’ a vet comm to gee a ’oss a big injection for summat that wa wrong wi it.

The noss said: “Ton o’er so ar can gerrat thi backside. Ar did dow an’ ow jabbed this eer needle rayt in. It made may yelp a bit anall.

Ow said: “Theer y’are, yo nedner ay another one till 7 o’clock in th’mornin’ - yo can ay a good nayt’s sleep.”

Ar tried but ar couldner gerroff ta slayp cus a th’pain in mi backside. Ar thewt ta missen, Ar’ve played th’wrong domino ’ere, ar amner gooin’ to ay another one a them, an’ ar didner.

I ’ad ta stay in ’ospital for abert a wick, then ar wa due ta comm ert. On that same dee, who should a see commin’ dern th’ospital ward but the sergeant an’ corporal, an’ both on ’em ’ad actually got smiles on their faces! At thewt it’s good on ’em to comm an’ see er ar’m gerrin’ on.

The sergeant looked at me and then said: “Bein’ as yo’ve missed a wick’s trainin’ we’ve decided to reflight you, yo’ve got to start your trainin’ all over again.”

While ay wa tellin’ me this, ay’d gorra a smile all o’er ’is face. In fact, ’im an’ th’corporal looked like cats that ’ad just swallowed th’canary.

Ay added: “Yo’ll be wi a different sergeant an’ corporal anall.”

(Some good news at least.)

I thowt ta missen, thase two’ll allis ay th’last laugh, burrat least ar’ve ’ad mi own road on two or thray occasions. And showed a wa rayt in worra did an’ said, so arl settle for that an’ call it straight—ar purrit all dern to experience.

My frightening first trip out on the railway Part 2

By Geoff Hayes The signal turned green and we set off to tackle Corby’s two-mile tunnel. We were crawling in slowly, then something happened that I’ll never forget….. a nightmare was about to begin!

The garret started slipping badly. I pulled the sand handle down but it made no difference. You could hear all the wagons settling back. Somehow we started up again. The next half hour was a nightmare in Dante’s Inferno. All this time the firebox doors were wide open, showing a glowing white-hot fire. Such noise could only be in hell!

Then, suddenly, I nearly passed out. A London to Glasgow express came screaming by on the adjacent line at 90mph. The noise in the tunnel erupted tenfold and the cab was filled with dense, acrid smoke. I was choking, suddenly terrified.

I couldn’t see my driver. “Where are you?”

I yelled. I stumbled across the cab through the black smoke, the glow from the fire slanting across the cab like a searchlight.

Relief flooded over me as I rested my hand on his shoulder. I thought he had been sucked out of the cab by the express.

I made to move more coal from the bunker.

The staccato roar of the engine still prevailed in my head.

The engine driver sat there caressing the regulator handle, opening it a little, holding it steady and gently picking up the weight and roll of the wagons. His 35 years’ experience was being put to the test. Gradually, he was nursing his train to its destination. I felt a great surge of admiration for this man.

Looking through the side window I thought I saw a white dot. Instantly it was forgotten as I became immersed once more in the cause of keeping the steam pressure gauge to very near 200 pounds per square inch. I realised my driver was holding his train steady and moving slowly forward up the steep gradient.

I peeped through the side window, wondering what the white speck could be and, in my confusion as I had been so busy, I had failed to realise the spot could be my salvation, my release from the pitch black nightmare of darkness and the intense heat.

Now the train was picking up manfully and elation swept over me like a tidal wave as I realised the truth. It was the light at the end of the tunnel. I shouted over to my driver,

then looked up startled, my words forgotten as the train burst out into the open air with an explosion of black smoke and sparkling cinders.

We moved along, completely in control, and soon the great furnaces of Corby came into sight, although still in semi-darkness. I took it all in, the furnaces, gas stoves, large gas tubes and skeletal latticed steelwork.

I saw the workmen, shadowy but working on the pig iron beds. It was casting time, the liquid white-hot molten metal was flowing smoothly along the troughs to pour into waiting giant iron ladles.

Then a thought hit me: suppose the Luftwaffe saw this. What then? I shut the doors instinctively very tight.

We were moving smoothly now and I was able to clean up the footplate area, fuss about and show a little competence. I was feeling good. I walked to my driver’s side and we passed the intersection where the line comes from Leicester to meet up with the Wellingborough line at Glendon.

We were cruising. I involuntarily put my hand on my driver’s shoulder - it was my way of saying thanks. He looked up and smiled.

I went to my side of the cab and I knew our struggles were over. I saw the rising mist and the rich farmland soil of Kettering. The woodland on the hillside, the rows of trimmed hedges, the sunrise breaking over the brand new morning sky never looked so good.

I said a silent prayer in thankfulness for my driver, my Lord God and my guardian angel especially for getting me through this ordeal.

Soon enough we were pulling in at our destination, Wellingborough sidings. Our Garratt had won through with its almighty load of 84 wagons of coal.

Immediately a driver and fireman came out of a cabin to relieve us. The fireman was bursting with energy and chatter. Myself, I felt worn down, I couldn’t respond.

My driver went straight to the shunter’s cabin and came out with a can of scalding tea, laced with condensed milk.

“Young lad, what’s your name again?” he asked.

“Geoff Hayes, my first trip out, sir.”

“You did well, Geoffrey. Have a fag while I organise how we’ll get back to Toton.”

We hitched a lift in the guard’s brake. When I eventually got home, Mam was out of her mind worrying because I’d never been so late. I told her briefly about my first mainline firing job, then went to bed – glorious bed.

My Saturday night never happened – I slept through until Sunday lunchtime. Mam came to the stairs. “Come on, our Geoff, dinner.”

As I lay there I wondered had I dreamt it all?

PICTURE PUZZLE

by Roy Foulkes

12 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

You’ve probably walked past them hundreds of times, but where in Ilkeston can you see this doorway decoration and these signposts? Answer on page 14.

The Way We Were

A motley gathering outside the pit Headwear seems to have been all the rage when this photograph was taken!

When: It is thought to be at the time of a strike around 1912.

Where: More than likely outside Cossall Colliery.

The kneeling man in the centre of the front row holding a halter is believed to be Frederick William Farnsworth Wheatley.

See David Potter’s Memories of Cossall on page 5. ***** Just as coal mining has now largely disappeared, many other jobs have too, both locally and nationally. Illustrated below are some of them, overtaken by the march of time and the arrival of new and labour-saving technology.

JObs that no longer exist

Clockwise from top left: Telephone switchboard operator, knocker-up, lamplighter, dustbin carrier, manual typewriter operator and compositor (typesetter).

St Bartholomew’s Church in Hallam Fields has figured in some articles recently, including ‘Owd Allam Fayls’ and ‘Plaque marks place of bomb hit’.

Reader Eric Hallam has sent us this picture of an old church magazine dated August 1948. The parson at the time was the Reverend S. Bridge and the churchwardens were Messrs W. Barton and S. Straw. Sunday services were held at 8am, 10am, 11.30am and 6pm. There could not have been many telephones around at the time because the Parsonage number was Ilkeston 374.

<< Another page from the Trade Section of the Ilkeston & District Directory of 1965/66

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

13

Music Scene

and John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) and made many appearances on national TV and radio including the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle HELLO FOLKS !

Test and The John Peel Show.

The musings of Ilson Muso David Potter.

He also turned down the opportunity of reMusician, composer, singer, artist, writer, placing Jim Morrison in The Doors because poet and film maker. he “didn’t like the leather trousers”.

That’s the impressive CV of Derby born Spotted and signed by Virgin Records, he Kevin Coyne. immediately wrote “Having a party” - .a Between his birth in 1944 and his untimely scathing attack on the label’s owner Richard death in 2004 he packed in an almighty Branson. amount of work in all branches of the perMusic was just one branch of his activities forming and creative arts leaving a tremenand, as well as producing artwork for his dous legacy and the admiration of many of own projects and many other clients, he his more well known peers. wrote, produced and acted in numerous stage As a teenager he studied at the Joseph and film productions, some based on his Wright School of Art and the Derby School early experiences in social work. of Art, and, after initial work as a social ther- Kevin never forgot his Derby background . apist and drugs counsellor, he went fulltime Check out his “Ey up me duck” on Youtube. on his budding artistic career, signing for Pure Derbyshire.

John Peel’s Dandelion record label in 1969. Another set of musicians with strong DerbyMusically he worked with such as Dave shire connections are R.Cajun and The ZydeClague of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band co Brothers.

West Hallam Amateur Gardening Society Rob and Diane Cole, from Meadow Farm Nursery in Feckenham, were our speakers for April. The informative talk, Perennials from Seed, was given by Rob who described how their nursery business started off from a single allotment, and progressed into the three and a half acre site they now occupy. Along the way he has experimented with various types and combinations of compost and growing methods in order to create the optimum conditions for reliable seed germination. He shared his expertise in a very practical and entertaining way.

Firstly the seed, ideally self-harvested to be as fresh as possible but if not, purchased directly from seed merchants where it will have been stored correctly.

The composition of the compost he recommended was a mix achieved from experimentation with peat, different types of compost and grit in various proportions.

The ratio of these components was: 3 parts peat , 2 parts John Innes ( number 2 ) and 1 part horticultural grit. It's important to use horticultural grit as it is inert and it's inclusion helps aerate the compost and improve drainage.

Rob demonstrated sieving the compost, filling the pots and trays and sowing the seeds. He then labelled the pots and covered them with a thin layer of grit. This grit layer helps stops the seeds being disturbed during watering and prevents algae growing on the pot surface.

Finally he advised us to store the pots outside, not in a cold frame or greenhouse but in a box with a mesh cover to exclude mice and to water with a fine rose on the watering can. In true Blue Peter style, Rob then showed us some seeds he'd grown earlier, all fine specimens and a testament to his expertise.

As the meeting came to a close we were able to buy various perennials which Rob and Diane had brought with them and ask their advice about the topic.

If you are interested in learning more about a variety of garden related topics, then come along and visit our club. We meet on the third Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the West Hallam Methodist Church Hall. We are having a garden visit in June so our next indoor meeting will be on the 18th July when Helen Picton will give a talk entitled ‘Daisy Days’.

Sue Morris

Answers to Picture Puzzle (page 12) Top: Ilkeston Library entrance.

Below: Above the Station Road traffic lights on Bath Street.

14 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

The distinctive sound of Cajun from Louisiana is often mentioned alongside the Creole rooted Zydeco form of it.

Not something you would normally associate with our neck of the woods so it comes as something of a surprise to find The Swamp club in Derby as an important centre that played a major part in bringing the music to prominence over here.

One of the foremost exponents has been, and still is R.Cajun and The Zydeco Brothers.

Since their formation in 1979 they’ve had many changes of personnel but always retained their distinctive sound and style aided and abetted at various times by members from Derby, Burton and that well known hotbed of Creole music...Heanor represented by fiddle player Dave Proctor.

I dare you to listen to their version of “Bayou Noir Two Step” and keep your feet still.

All of which brings me neatly to information

just in from Susan Warren, The Event CoOrdinator of Castle Farm-Fest 16 which takes place on Sunday June 5th at Castle Farm and Greasley Church Hall, both near Moorgreen, Eastwood.

Zydeco, and lots more besides, will feature on the Main Stage entertainment between 2.00 and 10.00 pm along side loads of other activities both there and at Castle Farm (10.00a.m to 4.00p.m) during what looks like a great family day out.

More information from: farmfest16@gmail.com Or text: 07966034786 And finally: If you’re involved in any society, club, fund raising, charity etc. I’d be happy to organise an informal hour or so’s musically based entertainment for you if suitable.

No charge or cost…Just the pleasure of your company will do.

Just give me a shout. davidilkeston@gmail.com Tel: 07929 100974

The Friends spent a productive few hours at Straw’s Bridge on Saturday 26th April, carrying out conservation work. The old barley straw was removed from the main pond, and while the boat was out on the water, the two sailors checked on the four floating islands.

One was occupied by a coot’s nest with a clutch of eggs.

A small, shallow pond was scraped out on the wetland to attract dragonflies. Two members of the group conducted a wildflower survey of the site. Wildflower plugs have now been planted in selected areas.

At the AGM held on 21st April the Friends began planning their summer activities and events which will include a butterfly walk in July and a bat walk in August.

More information about the Friends and their activities is on Facebook and at www.friendsofstrawsbridge.co.uk. If you would like to help look after one of Erewash’s newest Local Nature Reserves contact friendsofstrawsbridge@erewash.gov.uk.

Jeff Wynch

Fund raising bear The Tesco charity bear stopped at Ilkeston last month as part of its tour of 243 stores raising money for Diabetes UK and The British Heart Foundation.

The Ilkeston store raised £470 on the day before Mr Balloony, a local child entertainer transported Barwick Bear in his balloonmobile to his next stop, Long Eaton.

Ilkeston store manager Alan Jackson said he was confident the overall target of £10,000 would be reached.

Part of the challenge was to carry the bear from one store to the next with the most inventive form of transport The bear was named after Paul Barwick, Tesco regional manager of stores in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS SURGERY ILKESTON EAST, ILKESTON SOUTH AND ILKESTON WEST WARDS

COUNCILLORS MICHELLE BOOTH, GLENNICE BIRKIN AND JOHN FRUDD

Saturday 11th June 2016 10am to 12 noon Ilkeston Town Hall

UK EU REFERENDUM

Family Announcements

Ilkeston Life will be at the European Referendum election count in Erewash following the close of poll on Thursday 23rd June. Latest news and pictures will appear on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/

DEATH

Keith James Hall MBE Founder of Derbyshire hair salon chain. Passed away 10th May 2016, aged 94 years. "War hero, an exemplary business man, and true gentleman." Remembered respectfully by staff and customers at Ilkeston salon.

For sale King Size Medieval style oak four poster and frame bed—no mattress—first to view will buy this lovely bed with the wow factor -New condition-cost over a thousand pounds – for sale £400—can be viewed in Ilkeston—buyer to collect please—phone 07962 031455 Edwardian style three storey dolls house, complete with furniture, IDEAL GIFT with several shoe boxes full of house contents including dolls. Phone Michelle on 07799 215525 for more details—£100 . Can deliver locally.

Large chest of drawers PINE- £20. Buyer collects—0115 944 4658—will not answer withheld numbers.

HP Laser Jet Black Toner Cartridge C7115X. Unopened, surplus to requirements as new printer bought. Cost £60. Will take £20.

Text 07954 214133.

Something to sell? Ilkeston Life is read by thousands and someone may love to buy what you no longer need. Small ads like these cost only £5.

ABBEY AERIALS Digital TV aerials installed at competitive prices Established 30 years Repairs, Storm Damage, Extra Points, Insurance Work Welcome, Free Estimates, 7 Day Service, All Work Guaranteed

Call Dave Adams T: 01332 295361 M: 07970 866812 www.abbeyaerials-derby.co.uk

MJP ELECTRICAL SERVICES Domestic * Commercial * Industrial No job too big or small, professional and qualified with over 40 years experience.

We aim to beat any quote!

Tel: 0115 854 1043 Mob: 07732 343217 Email: mjpelectrical@outlook.com

RM Plastering Domestic/Commercial/ Restoration New plastering, Renovations Covering Derby and Nottingham areas.

All aspects. Free quotes.

Tel 07863 274363 Tel 0115 808 9458

Walks Erewash Ramblers Wednesday 1st June, 10.30am. Short walk.

Little Eaton. Meet at the village hall (SK361416).

Leader: Joyce Mold.

Thursday 2nd June, 10.30am. 6 miles Manifold Valley & Ecton Hill. Meet at Hulme End CP (P & D) (SK102593, SK17 0HF) Leader: Dennis Salisbury.

Saturday 4th June. Annual Coach Trip. The Malverns.

Monday 6th June, 10.30am. 7 miles. Monsall Dale, Millers Dale & Brushfield. Meet at White Lodge CP (P & D), (SK170706) Leader: Tony Beardsley.

Wednesday 8th June, 10.30am. Short walk.

Breaston. Meet at Blind Lane Breaston (SK458335) Leader: Brian Marshall.

Sunday 12th June, 10.30am. 9 miles.

William Clough, Kinder Downfall, Kinder Low. Meet at Bowden Bridge CP (P &D), (SK048869, SK22 2LH).

Leader: Barrie Revill.

Wednesday 15th June, 10.30am. Short walk.

Shardlow. Meet at Plank & Leggit pub Sawley.

Leader: Sandie Jones.

Thursday 16th June, 10.30am. 6 miles.

Bradley area. Meet at Osmaston Village Hall (SK200438, DE6 1LW) Leader: Brian Marshall.

Monday 20th June, 10.30am. 7 miles.

Oakamoor. Meet at Oakamoor village CP (SK053446, ST10 3AG)

GARY PILKINGTON ELECTRICAL Fuse Box Upgrades Sockets, Lights, Showers, etc.

18 years with EMEB Part P Registered Free Quotes

Tel. 0115 944 4128 Mob. 07723 016702 Small Jobs Welcome Your Local Electrician

Leader: Barry Wallace (07546 236066).

Wednesday 22nd June, 10.30am. Short walk.

Trent Lock & Garden Visit. Meet at Trent Lock CP. NB. This walk may finish later than usual due to garden visit.

Evening walk Wednesday 22nd June, 6.45pm. 3½ miles. Dale Abbey. Meet at the Carpenter’s Arms (SK436389). Leader: Joyce Mold.

Sunday 26th June, 10.30am. 7 mile linear walk.

Meet at Ecclesbourne railway station, Duffield (SK346434, DE56 4EQ). Walk to Idridgehay, with train back to Duffield.

Leader: Brian Marshall.

Wednesday 29th June, 10.30am. Short walk.

Awsworth. Meet at the Village Hall (SK483438) Leaders Margaret and Barry Chapman.

Thursday 30th June, 10.30am. 7 miles. Crich area.

Meet at the Market Place (SK349542, DE4 5HZ).

Leaders: Daphne Eaton & Celia Bird.

More details about Erewash Ramblers from Tony Beardsley. 0115 917 0082 or see website.

Ilkeston Rambling Club Thursday 9th June: Programme meeting at The Burnt pig, 7.45pm.

Sunday 12th June: Mystery walk led by Len Smith.

Thursday 23rd June: Short evening walk. Park at the church at Moorgreen, 4 mile walk to Horse and Groom. Leader :Alan Beamont Sunday 26th June: Mystery walk led by Clive Unwin.

More details about Ilkeston Rambling Club’s activities from Jim Cresswell, 07747 419380.

TO LET Terraced house with

Central heating, Modern kitchen / bathroom, Small frontage, Rear garden, Close to Ilkeston town centre.

No pets Rent: £440 per month Tel. 0115 930 3986

ROBINS ON THE ROAD “Kevilsonlad” captures the essence of away days with Ilkeston F.C.

This month’s report needs a bit of explaining in that we’re making for Greater Manchester to the suburb of Salford to play Salford CITY promoted last season from the league below us.

So how come a suburb of a city is also a city ?

For the answer I turned to my fellow Ilson Life columnist and Robins supporter David Potter and, because he's a clever dick, up came the answer straight away.

Apparently it’s because if a place has a cathedral it’s a city.

You never stop learning…now to business.

You may have seen the BBC TV “Class of 92” programmes earlier this year. Another series is scheduled for later this year which may include some footage of our games against them this season.

It followed the fortunes of Salford City after they’d been taken over by a consortium of the Neville brothers, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs who wasted no time in changing the colour of their shirts to red.

We’re taking two full coaches today and heading over the Woodhead Pass we arrive at our first watering hole in Stalybridge, the Station Buffet Bar to be greeted by the staff with some of the best sausage rolls I’ve ever tasted.

These, of course, have to be washed down and I’ve chosen to do this with a 4/% abv pale ale from Huddersfield Empire Brewery called “Strikes Back” made from a subtle blend of American hops.

After a short visit to the Q Bar to sample a very interesting Slovenian ale called Styrian Aurora it’s back on the coach to Salford and the Moor Lane ground.

It’s immediately obvious that, with their Old Trafford pedigree, it must have come as culture shock to the owners when they first took in the amount of work and improvements that need to be done.

Soon after the 92’s took over they sold a chunk of their shareholding to Peter Limb who is also the owner of Spanish club Valencia amidst some mischievous rumours that he thought he was buying into Manchester United…. Oh dear.

Someone who we didn’t expect to come across and chat with was a Manchester United fan over from Holland and taking in the game before going on to the match at Old Trafford later in the weekend. He was certainly experiencing English football from each end of the spectrum.

This was the return fixture to our 2-1 victory at our place just a fortnight earlier and Salford were obviously out for revenge and recover the set back to their promotion hopes we’d dealt them with our team of youngsters drafted in after the shock release of 8 of our established first team players.

We held them in the first half but went 1-0 down to a Danny Webber goal 2 minutes into the second half.

Salford increased their lead 15 minutes later and that’s how it remained until the end.

It’s back on the coach to at least draw some comfort in winning the impromptu supporters match before kick off by 48 goals to their 45.

STOP PRESS: Since our visit Salford have gained their second successive promotion by winning their play off final and will now come up against the anti Glazer breakaway club FC United of Manchester next season.

THAT SHOULD BE INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST. ( More information on following the Robins at www.ifcsg.co.uk)

Email richardmatthews87@hotmail.co.uk

NVQ/City and Guilds Trained

Ilkeston Life, June 2016

15

Sport

JUST A THOUGHT While there’s tea there’s hope.

- Sir Arthur Wing Pinero.

IFCSG NEWS

We’re all going on a football trip to Ramsbottom…..

Robins supporters group seeking new secretary

Lots of Robins supporters travelled to Ramsbottom by train. As has became the tradition on the last game of the season, several went in fancy dress. Although the game ended disappointingly in a 4-0 defeat, a good time was had by all, as these pictures show. Both teams had been hit by manager resignations and took time to settle down.

Ilkeston suffered a double blow just before half time when Ramsbottom scored twice in quick succession.

Then the home side delivered the coup de grace with a repeat in the second half, leaving the Robins with an embarrassing, emphatic loss against the relegated Bury club. =========

TRINITY BOXING CLUB READY TO WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Ilkeston’s Trinity Boxing Club will be taking in new members in June, continuing the successful annual recruitment policy that the club has employed for many years.

Anyone wishing to be considered is invited to get in touch.

Club leader and coach Scott Rafferty said: “With the competitive boxing season drawing to a close at the end of May, thoughts turn to identifying and nurturing new talent. We have several new members from our waiting list joining us on the first night of the new training plan which will begin on Tuesday 14th June and continue twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday for six weeks. With hard work and dedication they can become the champions of tomorrow.”

There will be a few more places still to be filled for candidates with the desire and will to succeed and become part of a successful club. For more information, contact Scott on 07956 565582.

16 Ilkeston Life, June 2016

Share your sporting achievements in Ilkeston’s community paper—email ilkestonlife@gmail.com

Travellers invade Kirk Hallam football pitches

A photograph of travellers on the Windsor Crescent playing fields, Kirk Hallam, just before we finalised this edition brought a massive reaction on our Facebook page. A reader whose home backs onto the field informed us that the caravans started arriving on Wednesday and by the weekend the number had greatly increased. She said the noise from their generators had forced

her to put cotton wool in her ears and change bedrooms in order to get some sleep. Others spoke of the mess they were making, including human waste. Erewash Council posted on social media that they were aware and taking the necessary action to move them on. Another Facebook poster said the travellers were here for a wedding and would soon be gone.

ty’s faith and life. Erewash Council are supporting the event by providing portaloos.

Two big events take place over one weekend Another event connected with the Queen’s this month: Ilkeston Carnival on Saturday 11th birthday is an exhibition called 90 Years of and the Party in the Park on Sunday 12th June. Weddings at St John’s Church. It takes place on Carnival day (Sat. 11th) starting at 10am at The Carnival had to be postponed at the last minute last year because of heavy rain causing the Nottingham Road church. People who got the Rutland Sports Park to be waterlogged. The married there during the Queen’s lifetime were organisers, Ilkeston Lions, are hoping for better invited to bring wedding dresses, keepsakes, luck this time. It will begin as usual with a pa- orders of service and photographs, etc., of their special day to put on display. It’s on until 4pm rade of marching bands and decorated floats through the town centre. They will head to the and admission is free. ‘rec’ where there will be stalls, rides, games, displays and competitions such as tug-o-war in We have a the arena. few more The Party and Picnic in Victoria Park, organised trucks in!

by Ilkeston churches, will be a continuing celeShow your bration of the Queen’s 90th birthday and nine support for local churches will have stalls depicting the nine Ilkeston Life decades of her life. Families are invited to community bring along a picnic and enjoy a range of enternewspaper by buying one of these attractive tainment for all ages. It will end with a short model vehicles. £7.50 each from our office, U open-air service of thanksgiving for Her MajesChoose café, 1 Bath Street.

BIG WEEKEND

The Annual General Meeting was held last month and it was quite a lively but ultimately a very constructive affair. The IFCSG committee were given the all clear by the membership to continue to raise funds although the general consensus was that the current amount in the accounts was not yet enough to make a significant difference if Ilkeston FC’s own finances became critical.

When the IFCSG was formed it was in the aftermath of Ilkeston Town FC becoming insolvent in 2010. The main priorities for the Supporters Group were to drum up support for the new club and to raise funds in case of Ilkeston FC hitting trouble. We did not want a repetition of 2010 but neither did any supporter foresee that the new Robins would have financial issues so soon into its existence.

It became apparent that all was not well at the New Manor Ground earlier this year and although there is no sign or threat of the club becoming insolvent at this stage there was enough evidence to suggest that the IFCSG needed to become more aggressive in its approach to fundraising.

Somewhat contrary to this philosophy, however, was the decision to freeze membership subscriptions for 2016/17 at £5 for adults and £1 for under-16s. The feeling across the members was that the current economic climate dictated that any price increase on subscriptions could be counterproductive and lead to a reduction of members.

Nevertheless, a significant proportion of the membership had indicated that they would have been prepared to pay more to renew their subscriptions and with that in mind, it was agreed that any individual wanting to make a small donation on top of their membership fee would be most welcome to do so.

Membership numbers increased to above 180 during the last 12 months but the IFCSG would love even more people to join up. The main benefit of being a member is to receive discounted prices on travel to away games. More importantly, a chief benefit of being a member is doing your bit to reduce the possibility of you losing your football club. Anyone can join and the easiest way to sign up is by visiting the New Manor Ground clubhouse when the Robins are at home, where IFCSG committee members are on hand.

Finally, there were a couple of changes to the IFCSG committee. Duncan Payne (Chairman), Darren Jones (Treasurer/ Membership Secretary) and Lee Francis (Media) retained their posts. However, after four years of remarkable service, Travel Secretary Lynda Bacon opted to stand down and her place has been taken by Liam Attwood and Billy Booth, two extremely motivated young men with a real passion for the club and the IFCSG. Given Lynda’s outstanding contribution she will be an extremely tough act to follow and I’m sure that every Robins fan is grateful for all she has done.

The other person to stand down is Secretary Duncan Lapping who has filled the role since the Group’s inception in 2011. Once again, our gratitude goes out to Duncan who has done a sterling job. The IFCSG has yet to find a replacement but anyone interested can email secretary@ifcsg.co.uk for more details. Duncan will be remaining on the committee and will give advice or assistance to his successor if and when necessary.

Duncan Payne