Originally published in London 1905 by MacMillan & Co., Ltd., this first edition of the Highways and Byways in Derbyshire, is republished here on fully-searchable CD-Rom. Macmillan began publishing the Highways & Byways series in 1899 and by 1909 had completed almost twenty publications in the series, which extended across the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales, with one publication on Normandy and and another on Ireland. This highly popular series continued until the beginning of the Second World War. In May 2009 Pan Macmillan reissued a one-volume collection of the best of the Highways and Byways series offering a glimpse of the very best of Britain.
The original publication of the Highways and Byways in Derbyshire contains more than 500 printed pages, including several maps recording the meandering routes taken by the book's author, John Benjamin Firth, who chose to take many short trips from a central points, and more than 80 pen and ink illustrations by Nelly Erichsen, providing as with all of the Highways and Byways series a wonderful mix of topography, local history and folklore, which perhaps more than ever allows the reader to rediscover parts of Britain that have long disappeared or have been forgotten.
John Benjamin Firth undertook more than thirty expeditions across the length and breadth of Derbyshire, which he stated were more or less arbitrary, but always preferring the byways to the dusty highways of the county, and these are noted under the following chapter headings: Melbourne; Repton; Sudbury; Ashbourne; Dovedale; Beresford Dale; Arborlow; Buxton; Dove Head; Chapel-en-le-Frith; Ashopton; Eldon Hole; Tideswell; Cressbrook Dale; Bakewell; Haddon Hall; Chatsworth; Baslow; Froggatt Edge; Stoney Middleton; Eyam and the Plague; Lathkill Dale; Darley Dale; Matlock Bath; Cromford; Heage; Wingfield Manor; Ashover; Ambergate and finally Derby itself.
Much of the charm a vigour of the Highways and Byways series which has stood the test of time is down to the travellers and in the case of Derbyshire this is no exception. John Benjamin Firth (1868-1943) was a prolific author, writing works on Constantine the Great and Augustus Caesar; translator of the letter of Pliny the Younger, which was still in use by scholars in the 1970s, a journalist for the Daily Telegraph as well as the author of three further editions in the Highways and Byways series. The Highways and Byways in Derbyshire is illustrated with more than 80 pen and ink sketches by Nelly Erichsen, an illustrator who flourished between 1882 and 1917 and for who Italy was as familiar as Derbyshire having already illustrated works entitled Venice and its Story and the Story of Assisi. Nelly Erichsen's illustrations of Derbyshire are delightful and compliment Firth's text beautifully.
The original Gentleman's Magazine contained articles on a vast array of subjects, including lots of wonderful topographical pieces.
In 1891 George Gomme republished all of these topograhical articles but edited and indexed them into county specific order. Each of Gomme's works contains between two and four separate counties, except for the London volumes.
An absolute goldmine of information about the county, its people and its places.
SEE BELOW FOR A VERY SPECIAL OFFER FOR ALL OF THE VOLUMES.
This is one of the most important resources that we have seen, and one that should be of great interest to all family historians. Published in 1772 it was the handbook of the duties and responsibilities of the Parish Officer.
It includes the duties of the overseers of the poor, the power in relieving, employing and settling, etc. of poor persons; the laws relating to the poor, and settlements, and the statutes concerning masters and servants. The right of Settlement was something that was of great concern to all of our ancestors. Basically, to be able to have right of settlement in a parish, one had to be born there, married there or serving an apprenticeship there. Proof was all-important, especially if a person became destitute and needed support from the parish. Parish officers would have people literally evicted and transported to another parish under such circumstances. What happened about bastardy? What obligations does an apprentice have to his master and vice-versa? This book describes it all, together with the supporting laws.
Other sections of the book include the authority and duty of constables, tithingmen, etc.; churchwardens, how they should be chosen, their duties, church accounts, repairing of churches, etc. There are some very interesting punishments for not attending church and keeping to the rules! There is a section on surveying the highways, Scavengers, methods of taxation of the highways, and laws. And finally, the duties and powers of Watchmen.
This work has always been held in the very highest regard by genealogists and historians with Derbyshire interests.
The history, appearance and atiquities of each church in the county is described in minute detail and there are extensive notes regarding principal families in the county.
(Pictured left is St Peter's, Derby)
Vol. 1 (1892-3), Vol. 2 (1894), Vol. 3 (1895), Vol. 4 (1896) and Vol. 6 (1898) on one CD
Special price £20.00
Note: Volume 5 is not available
A superb collection of dozens of articles relating to the two counties. Fabulous reading. This series of books, starting in 1892, each contain a series of smaller publications relating to history and genealogy. They are somewhat like the present day journals of a history society or family history society. Lots of interest!
Fully bookmarked and searchable.
Details as above.
This is a volume of transcriptions and abstracts from rare and ancient documents relating to families and their pedigrees and holdings of land, (they are somewhat like the entries in the Domesday book, but in much more detail), and also includes some lists of named tenants and their rents. This is where it also becomes immensely valuable for those studying the family history of the normal people.
One cannot say that this book is "easy reading", but it is very comprehensively indexed for both names (many thousands of them) and places.
Transcribed extracts, with notes, of very early records of the counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (1131-1307). After Domesday, the most important records relating to each county are the Pipe Rolls, and their value is immense.
They contain the accounts and budget of each county including accounts for aid, taxes, scrutages, reliefs, fee farm rents, fines and amercements, and charges for work provided for the county or the King. As such they contain the names of thousands of people, and family history information which is not available from any other source.
Published in two volumes, with an exquisite county map, this is a fabulous and incredibly detailed study of Derbyshire as it was in 1789. All of the places have wonderful descriptions and important historical facts. Even the tiny hamlet of Marketon is described as having only twenty houses, "several have lately been taken down and the inhabitants removed to Mackworth".
With over 950 pages in total, this really is one of the most comprehensive single couny history and topography volumes that we have ever seen. There is no index but the text is incredibly clear so we will use Optical Character Recognition software in order to make the CD searchable using Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software).
Written by J. Aiken M.D. and published in 1795 there is only one word that is suitable to describe this book....... Stunning.
Highlights include street maps and plans of Manchester in 1650 and 1793, a plan of Liverpool (with street names), maps of Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, West and North Ridings of Yorkshire and the northern part of Staffordshire. There are also lots of beautiful engravings to illustrate the text.
On the title page the book is described as containing 'it's geography, natural and civil; principal productions; river and canal navigations; a particular account of its towns and chief villages; their history, population, commerce, and manufactures; buildings, government &c.
The superb descriptions of the principal places in Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, West and North Ridings of Yorkshire and the northern part of Staffordshire are *incredibly* detailed and will help you to build up a wonderful image of what life must have been like in the 18th century and before.
If your ancestors lived within forty miles of Manchester you will find this book absolutely fascinating.
This fascinating book was published in 1913, when tourism in the Peak District was becoming more popular, and places more accessible by rail, carriages and now motor cars. The book describes each of the towns and villages in detail, with information on churches, inns, important buildings, history and local customs. The book also contains an excellent selection of maps, rail and coach fares, and even private carriage tours.
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