The Early History Of Derby
Author: Dav Green

Derby is a city situated in the East Midlands and is set in the
County of Derbyshire. The population census of Derby in 2001 was
numbered at approx 234,000 making it the 18th biggest place to
live in England.

Derby is home to the smallest Anglican Cathedral in the
country. The Cathedral of All Saints is said to have originally
been founded by King Edmund 1 in 943 as a Royal Collegiate
Church but there is no evidence to currently back this up.

The Cathedral we see today dates from the Fourteenth Century
but appears to be of an earlier medieval period. It is believed
to have been modelled on a nearby building which was later
pulled down due to structure problems. It received its cathedral
status in 1927 by Royal Charter which was unusual because Derby
at that time was still a town.

Despite being the smallest Anglican Cathedral it has the 3rd
tallest tower, in which there is a family of Peregrine Falcons
that return every year. In 2007 webcams were installed and Derby
was able to witness the birth of two chicks that hatched on
Thursday 10th May.

On the Cathedral green you will find a statue of Bonnie Prince
Charlie who, in 1745, made camp in Derby on his way south in his
failed attempt to seize the English Crown.

He stayed at Exeter house on Exeter St. The Derby Central
Library in the City Centre still show a replica of the room
where he held his " Council of War " and received false
information that an army from Derby was on it's way to challenge
him.

On his journey south he led his army from the front on foot.
The statue depicts Bonnie Prince Charlie on horseback as he rode
north heading home with his weary and defeated army ahead of
him.

To this day the Charles Edward Stuart Society of Derby lead a
weekend of activities finishing with a parade through the city
and a battle on Cathedral Green at the beginning of each
December.

During the period of the industrial revolution, Derby &
Derbyshire had its fair share of inventions. It's most famous
were its mills. John Loombe & George Sorocold built the first
Water Powered Silk Mill in 1717 after Loombe had allegedly
stolen the secrets of silk throwing from Piedmont, now known as
Italy.

Jedediah Strutt patented and built the Derby Rib attachment in
1759 which completely revolutionised the manufacture of Hose.
Rev Lee famously used this attachment on his framework knitting
machine to produce ribbed hose better known today as stockings.

Cromford, Derbyshire is where Richard Arkwright, Jedediah
Strutt and Samuel Need built the first water powered cotton
spinning mill in 1771. This was to be a form of power that would
be the catalyst for the industrial revolution.

Jedediah Strutt continued to build several more cotton spinning
mills around Derbyshire. The Belper North Mill built by his son,
William, is the only original Strutt Mill still standing today
and is now a visitor centre.

Derby is not only famous for its cotton spinning mills as it
also has connections with Dr Johnson, the creator of the English
Dictionary. The painter Joseph Wright who was famous for his
revolutionary use of light in his work. The grandfather of
Charles Darwin, Eramus Darwin, lived in Derby even though his
practice was in Lichfield, Staffordshire.


About The Author: Dave Green
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