Eckington during the 50,s & 60,s

[C Bird 10]

Hello Derek,

 

I realise these posts are now a year or two old, but I've just seem them for the first time. My maiden name is Jennings, I'm the younger daughter of Roy and Ivy Jennings. Roy's brother Dennis lived with his wife Kath at number 2 and I have happy memories of visiting as a child. Also of visiting other relatives in the Eckington area, including my Dad's parents, and Uncle Eland, in Pipeyard Lane.

 

Take care, Caroline

[Derek Clayton 11]

Hi Caroline, my what a small world we live in these days. So glad to hear from you, how are you and your family including your mum and dad and sister Samantha? I last heard from your dad a few years ago by email when we lived in Melbourne. Yes there are many happy memories of years gone by of Pipworth Lane, Dennis and Kath, Eland and of course many more. It would be nice to keep in touch with you if you wish, here is my email, [email protected] Look forward to hearing from you soon. Regards Derek and Sonia.

[C Bird 10]

Great to hear from you. We're all good thanks. I'll drop you an email.

Caroline x

[sam2204 10]

https://www.facebook.com/408202356016969/photos/?tab=album&album_id=408205596016645

 

I've read through the posts and it's clear that there are many memories of the Mill Lane / Pipworth Lane area. I have many memories also, although I am not familiar with anyone here (I used to often walk through Eckington woods, along Pipworth Lane and to the Rother).

 

In the 1960s a great Aunt told me that her Grandfather's grave was in the church cemetery and later, around 1970 I was walking by and remembered her words. I decided to find it but at that time there were many headstones and it seemed impossible. I went into the extended part of the cemetery and found several headstones with the family name and then finally my ggg Grandfather's headstone. I visited again maybe 1972 /3 and things were much the same - neat rows of headstones that filled the site.

 

Time passed and I had other priorities until again, my Aunt's words came back to me. In January I went there and was shocked by the change. Most of the headstones had gone. How could so many be missing ? If they had become unstable, why hadn't they been laid down over the grave or placed against the walls ? The church does not have the original burial map or record of memorial inscriptions (although it does have a copy of a mid 1980s survey that local historians carried out). The problem is that by the mid 1980s most of the headstones from the extended part had already gone.

 

Looking around the area I found fragments of memorials on the ground which showed that at least some had been broken up there. I then found piles of rubble with broken memorials mixed in. It was clear that they had been smashed up and thrown into piles. Who could carry out such action and why ?

 

I noticed there was a lot of rubbish in the extended cemetery consisting of red victorian bricks, concrete, glass and pottery. Poking out from this were many broken headstones. The rubble had been scattered over the stones to conceal them. I pulled some of them out and took pictures. It's clear there has been an operation to break up and conceal these memorials that are the only remaining link to the past since the church no longer has records.

 

The Derbyshire Times has featured the story on their news website and are planning to run the story in their paper this week.

 

It was a sad discovery, but I'm hoping these memorials can finally be treated with some dignity. Link at top of the page shows the pictures.

 

Sam

Edited September 8, 2016 by sam2204