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Glossop

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GLOSSOP, a parish, market, and post town in the hundred of High Peak, county Derby, 8 miles N. of Chapel-en-le-Frith, and 200 from London. The Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire railway has a station here. The parish includes the townships of Charlesworth, Chisworth, Chunall, Chinley, Dinting, Hayfield, Ludworth, Mellor, New Mills, Padfield, Simondley, Whitfield, and several hamlets The inhabitants of the parish are for the most part employed in the cotton mills, calico printing works, paper mills, and iron foundries.

The townhall and market house form together a conspicuous building, situated in the centre of the town. There are commercial and savings banks. It is a polling-place for the county elections. The population, now 22,000, has more than doubled in the last half century, chiefly owing to the progress of manufacturing industry.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Lichfield, value £350, with an excellent house. The parish church is situated in the more ancient part of the town, called Old Glossop. It is a modern structure built upon the site of the ancient one, with handsome tower and spire, and is dedicated to All Saints.

There are also five district churches, viz: at Mellor, New Mills, Hayfield, Charlesworth, and Whitfield, the livings of all which are perpetual curacies varying in value from £96 to £275. The parochial endowments produce about £280 per annum, £37 of which is for the school at Whitfield. The Wesleyans and Associated and Primitive Methodists have chapels, and there is a grammar school endowed by the Duke of Norfolk, also National schools.

In the neighbourhood are remains of a Roman camp measuring 200 yards by 112, and Melandra Castle. Glossop Hall is a seat of Lord E. F. Howard, who is lord of the manor. Saturday is market day, and fairs are held on the 6th May, and on the Wednesday following the 10th October, for the sale of live stock."

"BROWNSIDE, a township in the parish of Glossop, hundred of High Peake, in the county of Derby."

"CHISWORTH, a township in the parish of Glossop, in the hundred of High Peak, in the county of Derby, 4 miles S. W. of Glossop. The Wesleyans have a chapel. There is a colliery in the neighbourhood and a cotton-spinning factory. The feast is held on the first Sunday in August."

"CHUNALL, a township in the parish of Glossop, in the hundred of High Peak, in the county of Derby, 2 miles S. of Glossop, on the Hayfield road. Here are woollen, candlewick, and paper factories."

"CROWDEN, a hamlet in the parish of Glossop, county Derby. It is a station on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire railway."

from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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Archives & Libraries

The Free Library opened on Fauvel Road in 1887. The library is now in Victoria Hall on Talbot Road.

The Glossop Library in Victoria Hall on Talbot Street is open six days each week. It has a Local Studies and Family History Section to assist you in your searches.

There is also the Gamesley Library at the Gamesley Primary School site on Grindleford Grove, which is open five days each week (not Fridays). It has free Internet access.

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Cemeteries

The Glossop Cemetery is on Cemetery Road in Hadfield. The first 5 acres were purchased in 1859 and it was enlarged in 1894.

The High Peak Borough Council administers the cemetery. You can find a cemetery plot map at the council website. It is in Microsoft Excel format. You can see it in "image" format at Mbaird's website.

You can find relations buried in Glossop after 1859 at High Peak Council. Search for "Cemeteries".

Mike SPENCER has provided a partial extract of burials found in the parish register. Your additions and corrections are welcomed.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Hayfield sub-district of the Hayfield Registration District.
     
  • In April, 1898, the parish became part of the Glossop sub-district of the Glossop Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1861R.G. 9 / 2548 thru 2555
1891R.G. 12 / 2782 thru 2785
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Church History

  • There was a church here in 1157.
     
  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to All Saints.
     
  • The church was pulled down in 1830 and rebuilt in 1831 on the same site.
     
  • The tower and the chancel were demolished and rebuilt in 1853-55.
     
  • The churchyard was closed to interments in 1857-58.
     
  • The church was rebuilt again in 1914 and only a little of the original building remains. The chancel was rebuilt again in 1923.
     
  • There were a number of churches and chapels in the immediate area of Glossop. Some of these became separate modern Civil Parishes as Glossop grew in size.
     
  • The church has its own website with more information. Some sections are still under development.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1620.
     
  • The church was in the Glossop rural deanery.
     
  • The Catholic Church of Saint Mary Crowned was built here in 1886 to replace the old Catholic church dedicated to All Saints which was built in 1836. However, services are still held at the old church as well as the new one. All Saints is on Church Street.
     
  • You can find records for the GEE family of Gossop at Gees of Derbyshire.
     
  • David DIXON has a photograph of the Former Unitarian Chapel (from 1873) on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2012.
     
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Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The parish was in the Hayfield sub-district of the Hayfield Registration District.
     
  • In April, 1898, the parish became part of the Glossop sub-district of the Glossop Registration District.
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Description & Travel

Glossop is also known as Glossop Dale

The village lies on the Glossop Brook which feeds into the River Etherow.

The railway came to Glossop in 1845. Passenger rail service still serves the village, but most visitors come by car or bus.

Stephen McKAY has a photograph of Glossop Station on Geo-graph, taken in February, 2017.

Brownside is a township in the parish of Glossop.

Chisworth is an ancient hamlet and township of this parish.

You can see pictures of Glossop which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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Genealogy

Historic novelist Hilary MANTEL was born in Glossop on 6 July 1952. In 2014 she was made a Dame of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.

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History

  • Transcription of section of Lysons' Topographical and Historical Account of Derbyshire, 1817, for Glossop by Barbarann AYERS.
     
  • The first cotton mill was erected here in 1784. The town was a noted producer of cotton cloth, calico, etc. The town also produced paving stones.
     
  • Daniel DIXON has a photograph of The George Hotel on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2012.
     
  • David LALLY has a photograph of The Moon and Sixpence on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2009.
     
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK033941 (Lat/Lon: 53.44366, -1.951785), Glossop which are provided by:

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Medical Records

Wood's Hospital overlooking Howard Park was founded in 1887 by Daniel WOOD. Initially it had two male and two female wards. The hospital was still functioning in 1950 as part of the NHS. The hospital finally closed in 1994. The hospital has been refurbished and is now Rueben's Retreat for families with terminally ill children or families who have lost a child.

Hospitals were not required to archive their patient records, although you can find administrative, accounting and construction records in the archives. There should also be photographs. There is a description of the hospital at the National Archives, but it is not digitized and cannot be downloaded. You can, however, request copies.

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Military History

  • In 1891, the Territorial Force stationed here was the Glossop Detachment of the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regt. at the Drill Hall. Col. John WOOD, commanding; Lieut. Arthur SIDEBOTTOM, commanding M Co.; Lieut. S. H. WOOD, commanding N Co. ; C. B. WARD M.A., chaplain; Edward SAMPSON, sergeant instructor.
     
  • In 1899, the Territorial Force stationed here was the Glossop Detachment of the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regt. at the Drill Hall. Col. John WOOD, commanding; Surgeon-Lieut. Ralph B. SIDEBOTTOM, medical officer; Rev. W. J. CANTON, chaplain; James CLANCEY, sergeant instructor.
     
  • In 1912, the Territorial Force stationed here was D Company of the 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regt. at the Drill Hall. Lieut. G. B. HAYWOOD, commanding; Major Ralph B. SIDEBOTTOM, medical officer; Rev. W. J. CANTON, chaplain; Isaac LIGGINS, sergt.- instructor.
     
  • In 1912, Lieut.-Col Charles Richard WAINWRIGHT resided at Norwood, Marple.
     
  • David DIXON has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2012.
     
  • Gerald ENGLAND has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2009. How did he get that bird to cooperate?
     
  • David DIXON has a photograph of the War Memorial at Chisworth Methodist Church on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2011.
     
  • There are 49 Commonwealth War Graves in Glossop Cemetery.
     
  • On the 2nd of June, 1940, a train carrying 600 children, all evacuees from the coastal town of Lowestoft in Suffolk, arrived in Glossop. The children all found homes in the Glossop area. Gerald ENGLAND has a photograph of the Remembrance Plaque on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2017.
     
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Names, Geographical

  • According to the National Gazetteer entries in 1868, the ancient parish of Glossop encompassed the hamlets and townships of Beard, Brownside, Bugsworth, Charlesworth, Chinley, Chisworth, Chunall, Crowden, Dinting, Great Hamlet, Hadfield, Hayfield, Kinder, Ludworth, Mellor, New Mills, Ollerset, Padfield, Phoside, Simmondley, Thornsett, Whitfield, and Whittle. The more ancient part of the town was referred to as 'Old Glossop', and in comparison must have seemed quite tiny.

    Many of these places had chapelry status, with their own place of worship, later becoming parishes in their own right, whereas others became amalgamated with the present day town, with their names almost lost. For example, Ludworth was located in the area between Chisworth to the north, Mellor to the south and east, and (on the opposite side of the river Goyt, in Cheshire), Comstall and Marple, to the west, but there are few references to it on present day maps.

    Inhabitants of these townships would probably have gone to the nearest church to worship and for baptisms and burials, rather than making the trek to their 'mother' church in 'Old Glossop', or to one of the independent chapels, such as James Clegg's Chapel at Chinley, or Mill Brow Independent Chapel (referred to in the IGI as "Marple Bridge, formerly Mill Brow Independent"). Added 7 Apr 2010.
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Newspapers

Jane TAYLOR shares this notice from the Derby Mercury of 24 December, 1801: "MARRIED: Lately at Glossop, in this county, Mr. Joseph BENNETT, of Simondley, to Miss Dolly DEARNALLY, of the same place."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar contributes this snippet from the Derby Mercury of 22 September, 1803: "MARRIED: On Wednesday last at Glossop, in this county, Mr. William KERSHAW, to Miss ROBINSON, only daughter of Mr. George ROBINSON, both of Charles-town near Glossop."

Jon CANTRILL provides the cutting from The Yorkshire and Derbyshire Advertiser of 23 Jan 1830: "MARRIED: On Thursday week, at St Mary-le-bone, London, by Rev. James HEARN, B.A., of Staines Lodge, John THORNELEY, Esq., jun., of Chisworth, near Glossop, in Derbyshire, to Elizabeth only daughter of the late Mr. George COCKLE, of Worcester."

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Obituaries

Nivard OVINGTON in Cornwall provides this from the Manchester Times of Aug 8th 1840: "DIED: Died On the 1st instant, aged 73 years, Mr. James WYATT, who for upwards of forty years filled the situation of gamekeeper to his Grace the Duke of Norfolk for the manor of Glossop."

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Derby county and it became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • This parish was in the ancient High Peak Hundred (or Wapentake).
     
  • Glossop was incorporated as a Municipal Borough in 1866.
     
  • Chisworth township and chapelry was incorporated as a Civil Parish, separate from Glossop in April, 1896.
     
  • Glossop and the nearby town of Buxton are the principle parts of the High Peak Borough Council which was formed in April, 1974. This Borough Council also includes New Mills, Whaley Bridge and Chapel-en-le-Frith.
     
  • Gerald ENGLAND has a photograph of the Memorial plaque on Glossop Town Hall on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2009.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Glossop petty session hearings held at the Town Hall on Thursdays (every three or four weeks apart).
     
  • There is an index of Glossop Bastardy Papers held at the DRO on the Yesterdays Journey website. Select "Bastardy Papers" on the left side, then "Glossop" from the list of parishes displayed.
     
  • With the passage of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, this parish became a member of the Hayfield Poorlaw Union.
     
  • In April, 1898, this parish became the center of a new Glossop Poorlaw Union.
     
  • The Glossop Poorlaw Union consisted of the parishes of Charlesworth, Chisworth, Glossop and Ludworth.
     
  • The Glossop Poorlaw Guardians met at the Workhouse every other Wednesday at 2:30pm. John WARRINGTON was the Workhouse Master and his wife, Hannah, was the Workhouse Matron.
     
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Probate Records

  • The Ancient Parish of Glossop - Index of Probate Documents, by A.K. LEE, R. CLARKE, & S. McKENNA, published by Derbyshire Family History Society, 1990.  ISBN 0947964 26 6. Covers the period 1472-1860.
    This booklet is out of print, but should be available for study via Inter-Library Loan (ILL). Or for purchase on microfiche - see Derbyshire Family History Society's Publications about Derbyshire - look for the heading Miscellaneous Microfiche and entry Glossop Probate. Added 8 Mar 2007.
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Schools

  • Information about Glossop Schools has been very kindly provided by Graham HADFIELD.
     
  • In addition to the schools mentioned in Graham's account, we are told that in 1949, a Mrs. Thomas ran a small Private School, on Ellison Street, next door to the then existing Fire Station. Mrs. Thomas lived in Hadfield and her husband used to give piano lessons.

    Pupils attending the school may then have gone on to attend Kingsmoor Private Co-Educational School in the former Glossop Hall on Hall Meadow Road. It had had occupied the Hall since 1927 when the Duke of Norfolk sold off the estate, but was subsequently rehoused in Romiley, Cheshire, in 1956. [My thanks to Mrs. Pam BALDWIN for this information]
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Societies