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| The very first photo Charlene sent us . . it looked for all the world like a lonely English churchyard. It probably was back then . . we know it now to be St James at Bushey in Hertfordshire. Despite being almost surrounded by an ever-expanding metropolis, we understand that the church is still quite rural. It is still pretty idyllic, with a nice duckpond and small village green in front of it (although Bushey High Street, just behind the photographer, is quite busy these days). The lovely elm tree is, alas, no longer, having died of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s. Thanks are due to Jim Gray for this up-to-date information, and Simon Knott and friends at http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/ for their help on the original trace. | . . . and the second photo . . which after turning it round the right way, turned out to be no other than Scarborough, just at the time they were starting to build Marine Drive and restore the castle. This is one of 12 previously undiscovered glass plates found in a family trunk that had laid undisturbed since the last war. The Oregon printers had erroneously printed it the wrong way round. Charlene, having no idea where it was at all, innocently scanned it and sent it to me for identification. What gave the game away was the lettering on the front of the 'pub' .. what seems to be "PELICAN" .. but it's no pub. It's the offices of a Victorian insurance company! What fun . .!! |
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| Thanks to Andy Savage's Derby website . . which must be one of the most comprehensive image websites of any city in the country, we now know this to be St Matthew's Church in Darley Abbey, Derby. | The rear steps of St Matthew's, Darley Abbey, Derby . . both presumably taken on the same day . . sometime prior to 1900. |
 These mill workers' cottages are on the right hand side going up Mile Ash Lane, also in Darley Abbey, Derby. The small boy in a mystery school uniform is the same lad as above, and on the ferry photo below. Many thanks to Andy Savage for another positive ID . . see his website for other old Derby views, as well as recent ones. |
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| Almost certainly Little Eaton, north of Derby . . we're awaiting confirmation on this. If so, this would be the Bottle Brook near the old Smithy, at the back of the present Queen's Head pub. Again, thanks to Andy Savage and friends. | Twyford Chain Ferry on the River Trent, just downstream from Willington Bridge. The family are all known, being the wife and son of the photographer, Charles Cusworth, and his wife's parents, plus the ferryman. The small uniformed boy is the same one as on the Darley Abbey photos above. Thanks to Roger Bamkin and Ken Boyce at Weston upon Trent for identification. |
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| It turned out that both of these are St Mary's, Weston upon Trent, Derbyshire. Thanks for everyone's help . . especially members of The Church Monument Society, who spotted the memorial to the Tudor family of Sir Richard Sale, a one-time incumbant of St Mary's in the 17th century, which is just around the corner to the left of this scene. Roger Bamkin at Weston confirmed their suspicions, and churchwarden Ken Boyce kindly later showed us round. | There are in fact 10 statuettes of Sir Richard's children, some can't quite be seen. One of the babies is in its cot . . on top of the brick plinth in front of Mrs Sale, the other is behind her. Then there are 8 children dutifully kneeling behind. Kneeling memorials such as these are not as uncommon as one would have thought, being very popular in the 1600's. The plaque, or shield on the wall at the back of the children is now totally blank, worn almost to a smooth finish, after a further 100 years of wear and tear. It's probably been there since the 1400's. |
Many thanks for all your help
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