CRICH is a town, township, and extensive parish, 4 ¾ miles west-by-south from Alfreton, 5 North from Belper, 2 North West from Ambergate station,, 1 north from Whatstandwell Bridge station, 144 from London, 13 ¼ from Derby 16 ½ from Chesterfield, 28 ¾ from Nottingham, 32 from Sheffield, 62 from Leeds, 70 from Manchester, and 5 from Matlock. It contains the township of Crich, in the Hundred of Morleston and Litchchurch, Belper Union, North Derbyshire, the township and chapelry of Tansley, and the township of Wessington. The entire parish contained in 1851 was 3670 inhabitants and about 6100 acres of land, rich in minerals, and of every variety of soil. The area of the township of Crich is 3667 acres, and the population, in 1851, was 2562. The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Lichfield, of the yearly value of £100 and in the patronage of Sir Alexander Dixie, Bart. The church of St Michael is a handsome building, situated on a commanding height; it consists of a nave, chancel, and aisles, with a tower containing 5 bells, surmounted by a spire, and has several old monuments to the Dixie family. Here are places of worship for General Baptists and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists. The inhabitants are principally employed in the lead mines, or lime burning, and in the adjacent quarries which produce limestone of the superior quality, a considerable quantity being sent to London and Manchester. The manufacture of stockings is also carried on to a considerable extent. Sickle sticks are made here. The Midland Railway passes along the south-eastern side of the parish; and at Whatstandwell bridge is a station belonging to the Rowsley branch of the same line. This railway and the Cromford Canal pass along the south western border of this parish. The Butterley Iron Company have extensive quarries here; and at Bull Bridge near the Ambergate railway station, are the lime works of the Clay Cross Company, also Curtis and Harveys gunpowder magazine. A market was formerly held there; there are still fairs on 6th April and 11th of October, for sheep and cattle, the latter of which is well attended. The Duke of Devonshire, the Earl of Thanet, France’s Hurt, Esq., And several others are lords of the manor. The yearly sum of £7 5s from Rev Francis Gisborne’s charity, is received by the vicar, and laid out in the purchase of flannel for the poor. In 1562 John Kirkland left £3 per annum to the poor of this parish for ever, which is distributed on St Thomas’s day. The Independents and Primitive Methodists have places of worship at Fritchley, 1 mile to the south-east, and the Primitive Methodists at Crich Carr. A National school has recently erected, but for the present it is closed. On Crich Stand, which has an elevation of about 700 feet, is a circular tower, 50 feet in height, erected by Francis Hurt Esq
Plaistow, Lea Shaw, Thorpe Hill, Wheatcroft, Coddington, Pothouse, Bent Hill, Linway, Cliff, Parkhead, Amber Green, High Moor, Edge Moor, Chase, Calland, Over Holloway, Hollins and Wakebridge, are places in the township.
GENTRY
Fletcher Mrs
Jessop Michael, esq
Saxton Leopold Richardson, esq
Smith Mr. Charles
TRADERS
Allsop John, jun farmer, Plaistow green
Allsop Robert, carrier
Alsop Luke, land surveyor & bar master
Arnott Thomas, farmer, Lea Shaw
Askew John, ‘Wheatsheaf’ ,Car
Baker Chas. ‘Wheatsheaf’ & farmer
Barrott William, beer retailer, Fritchley
Beswick Henry farmer, Thorpe hill
Blunstone Frank, butcher
Boag Robert, farmer
Bollington Wm. boot & shoe maker
Bower Charles, miller, Bull bridge
Bower Samuel, ‘Black Swan’
Bowmer John, farmer, Fritchley
Bowmer Joseph, farmer, Fritchley
Bowmer Thomas, miller, Fritchley
Bowmer Thomas, sen. farmer, Fritchley
Bown John, shopkeeper
Bradley Francis, farmer, Wheatcroft
Broadhurst Daniel, farmer, Coddington
Brown Thomas, farmer Pothouse
Bryan Hannah (Miss) farmer, Bent hill
Bunting John, blacksmith, Whatstandwell bridge
Bunting Robert, shopkeeper & tailor
Burley Ann (Mrs.), Bull’s Head inn, & farmer, Whatstandwell bridge
Burton Jeremiah, farmer & grocer
Butler Samuel, farmer, Linway lane Butterley Company’s Quarries Lime Works, (Peter William Bowne, agent, Bull bridge)
Cheetham William, shopkeeper
Chell George, millwright, Fritchley
Chell John, millwright & shopkeeper Fritchley
Clay Cross Company’s Quarries, (James. Jefferies, agent )
Clay Cross Company’s Lime Works, (Thos. Summerside, agent), Amber wd
Cockayne Samuel, baker & shopkeeper, Fritchley
Curtis & Harvey’s Gunpowder Magazine, (Peter William Bowne, agent), Bull Bridge
Curzon Frederick, tailor
Else James, mining agent, Cliff
Fern Charles, farmer, Wheatcroft
Flint Abraham, shopkeeper
Flint Henry, farmer, Plaistow
Flint Isaac, butcher
Fritchley Joseph, farmer, Fritchley
Fritchley William, farmer, Fritchley
Gerrison Joseph, plasterer & slater
Gibbons Stephen, farmer, Wheatcroft
Goodale Herbert, draper & grocer
Greatorex William, farmer, Plaistow
Gregory Rebecca (Mrs.), farmer
Grundy Anthony, carpenter Car
Hadfield Samuel, ‘Bull’s Head’
Hall Thomas Winfield, surgeon
Hardstone John, farmer, Park head
Hathaway Nicholas, surgeon
Hay Robert, farmer, Amber green
Haynes John, carpenter
Higton William, butcher
Hill George, farmer, Wheatcroft
Holden Edward, boot & shoe maker
Holden Nahum, blacksmith
Holmes John, boot & shoe maker
Holmes Sarah (Mrs.), ‘Lord Nelson,’ Bull bridge
Hopkinson John, farmer, Wheatcroft
Howitt Henry, ‘ Sun’
Howitt Joseph, beer retailer, hosier & shopkeeper
Jackson Charles, carrier
Jackson Thomas, beer retailer &. stone mason
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Jessop Michael, solicitor
Leam Mary ( Mrs.), shopkeeper. Fritchley
Leam Samuel, jun. farmer, Fritchley
Leam Samuel, sen. wheelwright
Lee James, draper & grocer
Lee Robert, farmer
Lee Thomas, draper & grocer
Lynam George, farmer
Lynam James, boot & shoe maker
Marshall David, farmer, High moor
Marshall Ellen (Mrs.), farmer, Plaistow
Marshall Wm. farmer, Edge moor
Nicholson Richard, farmer
Nightingale John, carpenter & shopkeepr Oldham John, boot & shoe maker
Ollerenshaw Isaac, shopkeeper & stonemason, Car
Parker Samuel, relieving officer, Bull bridge
Petts Daniel & Sons, gunsmiths, Fritchley
Piggin William, boot & shoe maker
Porter William, farmer
Poyser George, farmer, Fritchley
Poyser Isaac, farmer & wheelwright, Chace
Poyser James, boot & shoemaker, Fritchley
Poyser Thomas, ‘Canal,’ & farmer, Bull bridge
Poyser William, blacksmith
Radford Samuel, beer retailer, maltster & shopkeeper,
Bull bridge
Rains James, farmer, Plaistow
Roe Joseph, farmer
Shipton William, farmer & scythe stick maker
Sims Joseph, farmer, Plaistow
Sims Rachael (Mrs.), ‘Red Lion’, Fritchley
Sims William, butcher, Fritchley
Slack Charles, farmer, Culland
Slack Henry boot & shoe maker Fritchley
Slack James, miller, Fritchley
Slack John, baker & shopkeeper
Smith Geo. Ashbourne, ‘Greyhound,’ & wheelwright
Smith Henry , miller, Fritchley
Smith James, blacksmith
Smith John, wheelwright
Smith Mary (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Wheatcroft
Smith Ralph Wheeldon, jun. ‘Jovial Dutchman,’ & assistant overseer
Smith Ralph Wheeldon, sen. butcher & malster
Smith William, farmer, Over Holloway
Spendlove Isaac, farmer, Hollins
Spentllove Robert, farmer, Wakebridge
Storer Samuel, boot & shoe maker
Taylor Benjamin, farmer
Taylor James, farmer
Taylor John, butcher, Fritchley
Taylor John, butcher
Taylor Thos. saddler & harness maker
Towndrow David, cattle dealer & farmer, Car
Turton Francis, stone merchant. Car
Walker James, farmer
Walker John, beer retailer
Wall Jacob, farmer
Wetton John, parish clerk
Wetton William, tailor
Wheatcroft Samuel, ‘King’s Arms’
White Daniel, farmer
Whysall Wm. farmer, Over Holloway
Wightman Joseph wood turner, Fritchley
Wightman Thomas, beer retailer, Bullbridge
Wightman Wm. farmer, Fritchley
Wigley Edmund, shopkeeper
Wilkinson David, stone merchant
Witham Joseph, grocer & postmaster
Wright Edward, blacksmith, Fritchley
Yeomans Thomas, farmer, Wheatcroft
Yeomans Thos. jnr. farmer,Wheatcroft
Young Richard, plumber & glazier
Young Sarah (Mrs.), beer retailer, Over Holloway |
POST OFFICE Joseph Witham, postmaster. Letters arrive through the Belper office at 8 a.m. & dispatched
Stamp Office, James Lee
COACH TO MANCHESTER – The Royal Mail, from Derby, calls at the ‘Bull’s Head ,’ at Whatstandwell bridge, every morning at 10, & returns to Derby every afternoon at 5
at 6 p.m. Box closes at ¼ past 6 p.m. The nearest money order offices are at Belper &. Alfreton
CARRIERS TO :: –
ALFRETON – Charles Cheetham, every friday
BELPER – Charles Jackson, every saturday
DERBY – Robert Allsop, every friday
With thanks to Eric Bowmer for the loan of his copy of the Directory |