Ilkeston Town Walk - Stage 10 - Top
of Derby Road
w/e 15 June 2003
We rejoin the Town Walk at Cluny Lace (Stage 09) on Belper Street and a short walk of less than
a couple of hundred yards brings us to Derby Road. The name of
the pub on the corner "The Miners Arms" is a reminder
of another of the industries that were prominent in the area
for many a year - coal mining. Many a miner as well as workers
in the lace factories must have crossed its threshold over the
years.
|
On the other corner of Belper Street is
another pub, "The Three Horseshoes". This too has been
a popular venue for workers in the area including, between the
late 1960s and early 1980s at any rate, those from the office
block at 1, Derby Road next door. It was the custom in those
days for the Manager or Chief Engineer to invite their employees
into their office during the morning of Christmas Eve for a small
glass of sherry and a mince pie to thank the staff for their
efforts over the preceding year. At lunch time the staff enjoyed
a buffet lunch and then adjourned to the Horseshoes for a little
liquid refreshment. Since then the company that occupied the
offices, East Midlands Electricity, has introduced a "no
alcohol" policy so the aforesaid festivities have had to
cease.
|
As you have probably guessed I was one
of those employees and I had a desk in this building - next to
the first window to the left of the central section on the third
floor - for about fifteen years. The building was designed by
a local architect, Harry Tatham-Sudbury, and was built for the
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Electric Power Company about 1927-30
although the top storey was not added until 1937. East Midlands
Electricity moved out in 1986 and the premises were taken over
by Erewash Borough Council who renamed the building Toll Bar
House.
|
Outside Toll Bar House is one of a number
of information plaques spread through the town. This one is titled
White Lion Square but this is now something of a misnomer. White
Lion Square was a short section of road with a traffic island
at each end linking Derby Road, Stanton Road and South Street
at the western end with Nottingham Road, Park Road and Market
Street at the eastern. It was named after a pub that stood on
the corner of Nottingham Road. Halfway along White Lion Square
on the southern side stood the Traveller's Rest - you've guessed,
another pub - alongside businesses like Taylor's Chemist, Bramley's
Hardware, Aldred's Bakers, Greenaway's Grocers and the Premier
Garage. All of these have now gone with many of the buildings
being demolished to make way for the town's inner relief road.
|
The picture below is used with
permission from Nick Tomlinson and The Project Team of the Picture
The Past web site. Digital Image copyright
© North East Midland Photographic Record. All rights reserved.
Years ago this is the view that would have been seen from White
Lion Square with Stanton Road to the left, Derby Road ahead and
South Street to the right. The thatched building to the right
of centre is believed to have been an yet another pub. In the
18th century pub it was called the "Rising Sun". I
kid you not - you'd never go thirsty in this town! Although the
picture is titled "Ye Olde Toll Bar" this is not strictly
true as the toll bar that Toll Bar House is now named after was
situated around South Street to the right.
Without taking my life in my hands and standing in the middle
of the road at what is one of Ilkeston's busiest road junctions,
this is the closest I could get to see the same view as it appears
today.
|
This picture on the right too, is used
with permission from Nick Tomlinson and The Project Team of the
Picture
The Past web site.
Digital Image copyright © North East Midland Photographic
Record. All rights reserved.
The picture shows the former toll bar cottage of the Nottingham
and Ilkeston Turnpike Trust which was situated at the junction
of South St (to the left) and White Lion Square. It was demolished
by Ilkeston Corporation in June 1914. Contrary to popular belief,
that's before my time and even I am not old enough to remember
that!
|
I have however, seen the original Toll Board of 1825. It now
hangs on a wall in the Erewash Museum.
Other stages of the "Town Walk"
may be seen by following the links from the Archives page.
|
