Sandiacre - Part 08 - Albert And Victoria
w/e 7 May 2006
All this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490


Click here to read David Roberts' "Memories of Sandiacre" - opens in a popup window

Resuming our walk in Albert Road, we make our way in this part of the series from the Recreation Ground via Doncaster Avenue to Victoria Road, dipping into the past as we go. Our first dip into the past is at the Recreation Ground with a personal memory from about 1967. It was here shortly after England's footballers had won the World Cup in 1966 that I made my debut for Ilkeston Electric FC. The team at that time was in Division 5 of the Midland Amateur Alliance and had hardly won a match all season. I played - some say 'made the numbers up' by running up and down the left wing - about three matches at the end of the season which saw them relegated to Division 6. Following that, the club won promotions in successive years straight up to Division 1, one of the most successful periods in their history during which time I was honoured not only to play but eventually to become its secretary - but that's another story that has no place here. Back in the late 1960s though, there was little more on the Sandiacre's Recreation Ground than a couple of football pitches but since then it has been developed with roundabouts, slides and other facilities for children including the addition of a BMX track (right).

Another addition to the Recreation Ground on the corner of Albert Road and Doncaster Avenue is the Library and Information Centre with an adjacent car park. The Library was built in 1975. At the other side of the car park, still on Doncaster Avenue, is a building that dates from 1920. This is the Memorial Institute building (right) and according to the information in the 'Village Trails in Erewash' leaflet, is said to contain war memorials for Sandiacre. Whether or not this is still true I am not sure as the leaflet is out of print and the building now appears to be in use as a nursery for young children.

Across the road from the Memorial Institute and between Doncaster Avenue and Victoria Road is the Ladycross Junior School for children once they move up from the nursery. The image above shows the Victoria Road elevation and quote, the graceful lines of the chimney stacks, unquote. The school is thought to be the work of Ilkeston-based architect Harry Tatham Sudbury and is built in what is known as the 'Arts and Crafts' style. Apart from the chimney stacks, another feature to note is the detailing of the tiling beneath the eaves (inset).

Like so many roads in the area, there are a number of architectural styles to be seen but here on Victoria Road, alongside buildings from a later era there are some good examples of Edwardian terraced houses.

They may be old and they may be terraced but the detail on these buildings puts some modern developments to shame. Here we see decorative tiling in a porch - this was once a common feature along Victoria Road but I had to search the length of the street to find this example. More easily found was the detailing on the lintels above some of the windows and the fine brickwork below the eaves.

We are advised now to turn and look back along the length of Victoria Road to obtain a good view of Springfield Mill, the tall chimney rising high above the rooftops but from this perspective blending in with those on Victoria Road itself. At the far end of the road the roof of Sandiacre Hall from the Victorian age would once have been a prominent feature. The Hall lost its roof after a fire though and eventually the building was demolished in 1994. The new development of Hall Drive now occupies the site but there is a picture of the Hall from about 1905 on the Picture the Past site. Search for image no. DCER000484. Our route from here though is the opposite direction to Stevens Road and Derby Road before we turn to head back towards our starting position in the next part.  Back to Part 07  Forward to Part 09

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