Ilkeston Town Walk - Stage 19 - St
Mary Street, Burns Street and Pimlico
w/e 15 February 2004
This stage of the Town Walk leaves the
Lower Market Place via St Mary Street. The narrow entrance widens
out slightly on this S-shaped street to reveal contrasting architectural
styles on each side.
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Following St Mary Street round to its junction
with Burns Street we pass this large house now occupied by solicitors.
This was built around the turn of the last century and is apparently
called The Laurels although I could see no evidence of the name.
What could be seen however was the large brick structure on the
roof which I assume is the remains of the observation platform
that once surmounted the building.
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Turning left at The Laurels we now head
back towards the Market Place along the length of Burns Street
passing the building seen here on the left which was formerly
the Congregational Chapel. This was also known as the Independent
Chapel and was built about 1849 replacing an earlier chapel of
1781. The building on the extreme left of this picture is the
rear of the Scala Cinema which was built on the burial ground
of the chapel. The chapel has now been converted into flats.
For more information about the chapel and a view before the cinema
was built visit Picture The Past and
search for DCER000012
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The front of the Scala is a far more impressive site than than
rear of the building. It dates from 1913 when it was constructed
as Ilkeston's first purpose built cinema with a seating capacity
of 1000. The 1930s saw the installation of an electrical sound
system which was updated in the 1940s. "Gone With The Wind"
was screened here in 1948 and this week the final episode in
the "Lord of the Rings" saga is being advertised. Other
claims to fame include appearances in the TV series "Boon"
starring Michael Elphick and being used in another series both
in the plots and the opening credits of "Shine On Harvey
Moon". The car park in Pimlico to the left of the Scala
was once occupied by a row of cottages but these were demolished
in 1974. ( See Picture
The Past DCER000406)
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Today the Scala is the only remaining cinema in Ilkeston, the
other three all closing in the 1960s although the Ritz seen earlier
in this series continues as a Bingo Hall. But with the cinema
behind us we now leave Pimlico and Burns Street to re-enter the
Market Place at the north west corner between two pubs - "The
Moon and Sixpence" (formerly "The King's Head")
on the left and the "Sir John Warren" to the right.
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And it is in this corner that the Drinking Fountain and Horse
Trough erected in 1889 to commemorate the creation of Ilkeston
Borough two years earlier still stands. The pedestrianisation
scheme a few years ago made this a focal point by placing seats
around it although the budget for the scheme was far in excess
of the original cost of £49 for the ironwork and £35
for the granite base. The fountain and trough were donated by
the borough's second Mayor, William Wade and cast by the Derby
firm of A Handyside. Two more troughs presented at the same time
cost less than £12 and stood in White Lion Square and near
the Rutland Hotel at the bottom of Bath Street. Both have long
since disappeared.
Other stages of the "Town Walk"
may be seen by following the links from the Archives page.
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