The Darley Abbey Society

Well it's that time of year again and by the time you read this the turkey will have been consumed and the party hats put away for another year. I hope you all had a good Christmas and are now refreshed for the year ahead which will no doubt bring new challenges. 2005 was a year of minor triumphs for the Society. The John Davies memorial seat was installed in the Mill View Garden and now looks as if it has always been there. The problem of cattle and horses escaping from their pastuue was finally resolved when the police were persuaded to intervene. The fence has been mended but one feels it is only a matter of time before they break out again! As the property market pauses for breath, developers seem to be biding their time on the more controversial planning applications. However, your society made representations on two major schemes for blocks of flats. The one on Duffield Road would appear not now to be proceeding, but the one at the Palm Court Restaurant has been given the go ahead, although slightly modified.

The proposed extension to No 16 Old Lane was successfully opposed, and an application for development at Spinney Close was also opposed.

The Society has also been considering and making representations to the council regarding the proposed rebuilding of the Barn adjacent to the park as an education and canoe centre.

After years of lobbying the owners of Haslams Lane (which the Council refuse to adopt), I am pleased to report that the worst part of the lane (between the brook and Alfreton Road) has now been resurfaced.

Looking ahead to 2006, the Society will remain vigilant as regards proposals for development in the Village, but we also intend to take a lead in advising the authorities on how best to develop the village in the light of its new status as part of a World Heritage Site. To this end we have joined the Derwent Valley Mills Partnership, and are consultees on various local plans including the Derby Joint Transport Plan and the Derbyshire Waste and Minerals Plan. We now have a Park Users Group under the leadership of Dave Pearson and we keep in touch with our local councillors. David Ling, Chairman

Open Meeting, An Update

The Committee and our new Chairman, David Ling, felt that we maybe have had too low a profile lately and therefore invited the villagers to an Open Meeting on 30 September 2005. Our profile might have been low, but that did not mean that we haven't done anything. Far from it. We keep an eye on planning applications and other matters that affects our village and the Open Meeting was our way to show you what we have done in the past and to find out what you want us to do in the future. Our MP Bob Laxton turned up and so did Martin Repton and Joan Travis, a couple of our local councilors. We had also invited some local government officers. We were delighted to see more than 60 people in the Village Hall.

We were also pleased that we got 22 responses on our Questionnaire with some interesting suggestions. In short, 86% of the respondents said that they thought that Darley Abbey was under constant threat from undesirable developments. 95% considered DA a unique part of our National Heritage and all agreed that DA is of local historic importance. We also noted that 100% thought that DA was a nice place to live in and that the Society is doing an important job in helping to protect the village. This is very encouraging. 45% thought that they would like to see more involvement from the members while 55% did not know. Could the 45% please step forward and volunteer for the Committee! You would also like the Society to arrange meetings with speakers related to the objectives of the Society and that members should act as the eyes and ears of the Society on their local patch and report back. This is of course strictly informal – just call one of the members of the Committee. You also wanted the Society to get more involved in conservation and keeping the village spic-n-span.

Finally: 100% of you did not like the Society to change its name. We didn't think you would. Thank you all for taking the time to fill in the Questionnaire.

Questions raised at the Open Meeting included the proposals for the old barn and the maintenance of the park. This of course brought the discussion to the eternal problem of traffic. It was agreed that the measures introduced (raised parts of the road) were totally inadequate and a waste of money and Martin Repton said that one in four cars were ran-runners. The Council will look at the problem again. It was suggested that some more "draconian" measures might be needed.

After about one hour?s debate, a break was called and after that a lot of discussions too place in smaller and informal groups with everyone enjoying the wine, soft drinks and nibbles supplied by the Society. Thank you all for coming.

A Short Presentation Of The Committee

Chairman is David Ling. He is responsible for special projects and of course to make sure that things are moving forward. He can be contacted on 55 14 84. Treasurer is Helen McCoy who is responsible for our accounts and applications for funding, grants etc. Ring her on 55 14 36.

Minutes Secretary and Newsletter Editor is Thorsten Sjölin and he does not mind if you cannot pronounce his surname. Call me Thorsten! On 55 83 19. Membership Secretaries are Doreen & Stewart Goodman. And they are very efficient, making sure that subscriptions are being paid. Phone: 55 06 04. Planning & Conservation rests with Gordon Jones who keeps an eye on the Planning Committee and other bodies. His phone number is 36 40 89. PR & Communications are important and handled by Graeme Titchener. He makes sure that local media know what we are doing and can be reached on 55 30 81.

Transport, crime, streets & public areas is a lot and John Gabb (55 89 34) is fully in charge.

You might have noticed that there is no Secretary. If letters need be written, the one allocated to that particular issue writes them which more often than not means David or Gordon.

We also find it very important to keep in touch with other organisations in the village and thus have representatives on the committees of the Darley Abbey Community Association, the DA Gardening Club and the History Group. We are also usually present at the Committee meetings of the Derby Civic Society.

Our latest recruit to the Committee is David Pearson who will be in charge of Parks & Open Spaces of which we have many and we would like to keep them all.

A Bit Of History

Did you know that our village was once referred to as the Township of Darley-Abbey under Derby? This applied to Little Chester as well. In 1801 there were 92 inhabited houses in DA, 10 years after it had grown to 116. In these houses lived 129 families numbering 796 inhabitants in 1811. "Derley, called, and of late years generally written, Darley, lies about a mile north of Derby; in some ancient records it is called Little Derby ? The Alestreys purchased the greater part of the manor and the hall in 1672 and 1675 and resided some time at Darley ? At Darley, which is become a populous village, are a cotton-mill, paper-mill and red-lead mill, belonging to Messrs Evans & Co. Darley-hall, a modern mansion, is the residence of Walter Evans, Esq."

This is a quote from Magna Britannica; being a concise Topographical Account of The Several Counties of Great Britain by Rev Daniel Lysons of Glous and Samule Lysons, keeper of His Majesty?s Records in the Tower of London. Volume 5 contains Derbyshire, published in 1817 and full of maps and engravings. (Yes, the heading is a terrible typeface, but I thought it was appropriate here. Ed.)

Notice Of Annual General Meeting

Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held on Thursday 27th April at 7.30 pm at the Darley Abbey Village Hall.

If you would like to join the committee, contact any of the committee members as soon as possible.

The AGM will be followed by a talk on the Derwent Valley Mills Partnership. All members will be most welcome and as always there will be an opportunity to talk to members of the committee both before and after the meeting.

Change Of Editor

It is here only appropriate to thank Gordon Jones for producing our Newsletters. Gordon has been on the Committee from the start and, apart from doing a lot of other things like being the chairman at one point, has also produced 20 odd Newsletters.

The new Editor is Thorsten Sjölin who has lived in the village for the last 15 years or so. He tried to retire some years back as a translator and writer, but has only managed partly.

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