Colleagues at our national office in London have done a great job in summarising what we do.
We aim to produce a history of every place in England, from the earliest times to the ever-moving now, in a consistent form including accounts of landscape and settlement, with buildings and archaeology.
Our histories include histories of landownership from Domesday Book (and earlier) to the present, economic and social histories, the history of religion and local government using original sources. As well as our ‘Big Red Books’ (which look at a number of places), VCH Shorts (which describe individual places) and much more, we also have a smart-phone App, ‘A History of England’s Places’.
You can find out more by visiting the VCH’s national pages and, of course, browse our Derbyshire pages on this website.
If you would like to help us in Derbyshire visit our ‘Get involved’ website page.
The evening of the 15 June, saw a successful launch for our new book on the history of Hasland.
Philip Riden, VCH County Editor, talking to a packed audience at the Devonshire Arms during the launch of a new book about Hasland’s history.
Launched at the Devonshire Arms in the village, it was a capacity audience of over 60 people who attended the event. Our County Editor, Philip Riden, explained about what VCH does and gave a brief overview of the history of this formerly large parish, which used to comprise Spital, Hady, Boythorpe, Grassmoor, Winsick, Birdholme and Corbriggs.
The beginnings of the township, its growth, economic history, religion, education, landownership and local government were amongst topics covered. Large-scale industry like the former Chesterfield Tube Works got a mention, along with the less well-known story of local mining and the Broad Oaks furnaces near Storforth Lane were mentioned.
Priced at £20 the book is of some 200 pages, with colour illustrations and maps. The A4 sized hardback book should hopefully soon be available at Waterstones in Chesterfield and the town’s Visitor Centre. It is also available from the VCH by using an online order form at https://bit.ly/HistoryofHasland and from Hasland Coop.
The Trust’s first publication in this VCH spin-off series, Chesterfield’s Streets and Houses, is still available. The next spin-off book should be an account of Temple Normanton and Calow.
Our thanks to everyone who attended and to the Devonshire Arms for providing the venue.
Philip Riden, Derbyshire VCH County Editor, far right, with some of the volunteer group who have contributed to the new book on Hasland. Holding the book, centre, is Lyn Pardo Roques, Chair of the Derbyshire VCH Trust.
No apologies for advertising our nee Hasland book’s launch on 15 June, in this blog.
Pop along to see us at the Devonshire Arms, Hasland, starting at 7.30pm. There’s no admission fee and you’ll be able to hear our county editor Philip Riden, give a short account of the book and the formerly extensive parish of Hasland. You’ll also be able to purchase the book if you want to.
Our Hasland book cover, by kind permission of Derbyshire County Council, features Spital House. Our last blog looked at this now disappeared property.
Published on behalf of the Derbyshire Victoria County (VCH) Trust, the book represents hours of research by a group of volunteers, under the guidance of VCH county editor Philip Riden. They have been busy researching the history of Chesterfield for around 20 years. Although this is the second publication as a result of this work, it is the first to look at an actual area of Chesterfield and the north eastern part of the county – and more are set to follow.
The book looks at Hasland’s history through the ages, charting the many communities that once made up its historic area – Spital, Hady, Boythorpe, Grassmoor, Winsick, Birdholme and Corbriggs. The beginnings of the township, its growth, economic history, religion, education, landownership and local government are amongst topics covered. Large-scale industry like the former Chesterfield Tube Works gets a mention, along with the less well-known story of local mining, the Broad Oaks furnaces near Storforth Lane and many others.
Philip Riden described the history as the fullest account of the history of Hasland published so far, and the first ever attempt to write the history of Grassmoor or Birdholme. He commented; ‘Our work on Hasland was well progressed, and so we thought there was a need to bring this together and publish it. Hopefully, local people will find the book of interest. It’s really an interim account of the township as we aim to produce a volume of the Victoria County History for the area.’
At some 200 pages with colour illustrations and maps, the A4 sized hardback book will be available to purchase at the launch and afterwards at Waterstones in Chesterfield and the town’s Visitor Centre and from the publisher Merton Priory Press (mertonpriory.co.uk). It’s priced at £20 (plus postage and packaging).
Philip Riden comments; ‘We hope that by publishing our research it will herald a new understanding of the area’s varied past. All VCH accounts are well-researched, fully indexed and have copious references, so that anyone interested can look up our sources and research things further if they want to’.
The Trust’s first publication in this spin-off series, Chesterfield’s Streets and Houses, is still available. The next spin-off book will be an account of Temple Normanton and Calow.
Our colleagues at our VCH central office at the Institute of Historical Research remind us that Royal Jubilees have a special place in the history of our project. The Victoria County History was dedicated to Queen Victoria and was intended as a lasting celebration of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. On Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, in 2012, that royal dedication was renewed.
In 2013 we published our first big red book since 1905 and 1907. Our 2013 book was amongst the first to carry our revised dedication to Her Majesty in her then diamond jubilee year.
Congratulations to Her Majesty on her Platinum Jubilee.
