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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Derbyshire => Topic started by: Razzle_Dazzle on Sunday 18 March 12 22:43 GMT (UK)
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Does anyone know why this bit of Alfreton was called 'Drunken Closes'?
Looking around online, I found out that in 1893, the Trustees of Morewood Charity (whoever they were!) sold the Drunken Closes to the Alfreton Urban District Council and that they laid out Leabrooks Cememtery. (I think I got that right. ???)
I am wondering about the area because James Cartledge (Blacksmith/Publican at The Three Horseshoes) is an ancestor who lived around there somewheres. ;)
Thanks! :)
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Hi,
Here is an extract from White's Directory of 1857:-
Rowland Morewood, Esq., in 1647, left a rent charge of £5 per annum, issuing out of land called the Drunken Closes, for the benefit of the poor. By indentures, 1736, Samuel Dalton, Esq. conveyed to trustees lands called the Wheat Fields, Over Housteads, in Birchwood, and the Drunken Closes, in Alfreton, on trust for the poor. In 1771, an information was filed by the Attorney-General against George Morewood, Esq., in order to establish the charity by a decree of the court. The defendant, George Morewood, set forth by his answer, 1772, that the mention of the Drunken Closes in the deed of 1736 was a mistake, that in the year 1659, the sum of £100 had been laid out by his ancestors for the £5 payable out of those closes. In 1774, however, it was decreed that the Drunken Closes were part of the charity estate, which now consists of 27A. 0R. 11P., with a cottage and a barn; the rents, amounting to £39, are distributed in sums varying from 5s. to 15s. There is a bed of coal on the estate, and timber to the amount of £54 has been sold.
Spendlove
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But why 'Drunken Closes'? Did a bunch of drunks live there? :D
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Hi Razzle_Dazzle. Well some examples of what a close is are:-
The enclosed precinct of a cathedral or collegiate church
(Latin clausura.) A piece of land enclosed by a hedge.
An enclosed place, an enclosure surrounded by fences or hedges. An enclosed field.
Most seem to be regular in shape from my experiance, so wonder if the Drunken Close meant it was "all over the place" as in not a regular shape.
Skewy
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Most seem to be regular in shape from my experiance, so wonder if the Drunken Close meant it was "all over the place" as in not a regular shape.
Skewy
Dadgummit! This makes good sense. I was really hoping it was because there were lots of pubs there! :D
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Well Alfreton certainly has it's fair share of pubs, and even more in the olden days.
Skewy
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Hi Razzle, where in Nottinghamshire are your Hodsons from? Have some connection to them in Beeston.
Skewy.
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Well Alfreton certainly has it's fair share of pubs, and even more in the olden days.
Skewy
;D
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Hi Razzle, where in Nottinghamshire are your Hodsons from? Have some connection to them in Beeston.
Skewy.
I've got Hodsons in Little Bowden, Woodnewton, and Nassington. (so far)
My "main" Hodson is Clara Jane. She is my husband's grandmother. Her dad was John and her mum was Elizabeth (nee Lovell).
Elizabeth's Lovells are from Glapthorn.
Any of those folks ringing any bells?
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Hi Razzle, those villages are in Northamptonshire, not Nottinghamshire. ;)
Skewy
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Hi Razzle, those villages are in Northamptonshire, not Nottinghamshire. ;)
Skewy
Oops! My brain is stuck in Derbs and Notts. :P
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hi razzle dazzle
the three horse shoes pub is still there, coincidentally right across from the pub is an old stone building now a private home, when i was growing up in the 70s it was a sweet shop but previously it was the local blacksmiths. there are a couple of photos from around 1900 on picturethepast.com just search leabrooks or somercotes.
google earth will show what it looks like now.
i hope this is of interest for you
best regards
gig
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Thank you, gig! Now I am wondering if my husband's ancestor may have worked at that blacksmith's! :)
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Hi Razzle, I've looked on old-maps.co.uk and there are maps of 1880, 1884 showing the area as just enclosed fields, then later maps from 1900 showing the cemetery.
Skewy