Furness From The Air

Here's a high quality aerial view of the village from 1974. The butcher's shop, at this time owned by James Lavin looks open for business as the shop blind is drawn. On the other corner of Station Road is Barbara Griffith's shop. The building that was to become the Imperial Palace restaurant was at that time, the offices of Riddick's Builders. There are a number of cars parked at the back of the office but note how quiet the roads are. The buildings of Riddick's yard may be seen on Charlesworth Road. This is the land, like a small wood, that became Charlesworth Close.
A train is approaching from Buxton, a three coach diesel unit. The fields beyond the station are still to be built on.There on the other side of Station Road is the Scout's hut.
In the brickyard is the old "bottle" kiln. Bricks and firebacks are still in production and stacks of them await despatch. The foundations can be seen for the first of the newindustrial sheds.
The Football Field looks in a very poor condition but the bowling green and tennis court are well maintained.

Take a close look at this photograph, there is so much to be seen

Chinley Tales

Chinley 

 

 

Hidden away behind the high hills of North Derbyshire and served only along a by-road, Chinley feels remote.  The fact that one can be in Manchester in 30 minutes by a fast train has turned Chinley into something of a commuter village. It is the presence of the railway that caused this community to grow from a small hamlet, for this was once a major railway junction with a station of six platforms. London trains regularly called here as did services to Sheffield, Derby, Buxton, Manchester and beyond. The station once boasted a refreshment room and bookstall as well as the usual waiting rooms and booking offices. There was a large goods yard, a turntable and two signal boxes. The station now has a train every two hours and passengers wait in a glazed shelter on the single island platform.

The Australian Bungalows.

Furness Vale in Derbyshire takes pride in it's three "Australian" bungalows.  These were built, according to which version you hear, either by a retired sea captain or by a returning emigree. Whichever story is true, it seems that the builder was nostalgic for the architectural styles of New South Wales or Victoria.  

 

Originally these homes all had Australian names.  The nearest in the photo above was called  "Tarramia" and was probably built in 1898. The farthest, built at the same time still retains it's name "Yarrawonga". "Boominoomina" in the middle wasn't built until 1904. 

The three properties were offered for sale at auction in 1911. The owner then lived at "Yarrawonga" and Boominoomina was rented, furnished for £1 per week; probably quite a high price at that time.

The middle bungalow had at first been occupied by Mr Knowles, owner of the local coal mine and brickyard. This was at the time that his new house further up the road was being built. The mine was at the rear of these homes. Although it was worked for a period of more than two centuries, it would never have been much in evidence. At it's peak only 30 men worked underground. All that existed on the surface was a small brick building which also housed the adit and alongside, a small wooden pithead over a shaft.

 

"Yarrawonga"

 

"Tarramia", later re-named "Garswood"

 

1927  - The cast of the Methodist Sunday School play gather in the garden.