There’s a full list of our blogs, the date they were published, a summary of their subjects and links to find them, on this page.
Lockoford Colliery’s role in the invention of the steam gauge
21st Oct 2025
This blog looks at the role George Stephenson’s Lockoford Colliery, at Tapton, had in promoting an important safety invention – the steam pressure gauge.
The Miners Arms, Brimington Common – a short history
28th Aug 2024
In this blog we take a brief look at the history of the now closed Miners Arms public house.
Brimington in wartime features in latest Miscellany available to download
8th Jun 2024
We’ve made another of our yearly journals – Brimington and Tapton Miscellany – available to download. Find out what’s in it and how to obtain your free copy in this blog.
4th May 2024
In this post we take a short look at FW Broom and his connection with Broom Gardens which sit just behind the war memorial gates opposite the top of Cotterhill Lane, Brimington. Broom was Clerk to Chesterfield Rural District Council and this small development was named after him.
‘A wretched and miserable case’ – baby farming in Brimington
3rd Apr 2024
In this post we take a look at an 1890s ‘baby farming’ incident in Brimington. From Andy Miles (and our thanks to him for sharing it with us), it takes a look at an incident reported in contemporary newspapers. The article, slightly edited here and with additional illustrations, was originally published in the Hasland Magazine.
End of an era as Robinsons Caravans closes
23rd Mar 2024
In this post we take a brief look at Robinsons Caravans who closed their Brimington site in March 2024.
The Sheffield flood and its Brimington connection
5th Mar 2024
In this blog we’ll look at the Brimington and Chesterfield connection with the great Sheffield flood which occurred one hundred and sixty years ago on 11 March 1864.
22nd Jan 2024
For our first post of 2024 we’ll take a very selective look back forty years to some local events in 1983.
14th Dec 2023
We reported on the sad death of one our founder members Alan Sharp, aged 88, at the end of November.
7th Dec 2023
This is part three of a series of blogs looking at the plague in Brimington, which was present in the community from late 1603 to early 1604.
Remembering Lewis Randall Barber (1923 – 1944)
6th Nov 2023
This post remembers the only known combatant from Tapton to have lost his life during either of the two world wars – Lewis Randall Barber (1923 – 1944).
Meetings programme for 2024 published
28th Oct 2023
Miscellany 4 now available to download for free
19th Oct 2023
Another edition of our yearly journal – Brimington and Tapton Miscellany – is made available to download for free. Number 4 in our series is the volume for 2011, originally published in January 2012.
3rd Oct 2023
Our Brimington and Tapton Miscellany 15 for 2022 was published at the end of September 2023
An imperative need – when did mains water reach Brimington?
29th Sep 2023
At our September 2023 meeting we took a look at a number of local history subjects – one being how mains piped water arrived in Brimington. In this blog we take a brief look at this subject – an imperative need for all communities which we perhaps now take for granted.
Another pub closes – The Mill and its story
26th Aug 2023
Our last blog reported on the closure of the Markham Arms, this blog looks at yet another closure – The Mill, Wheeldon Mill.
11th Jul 2023
In this blog we mark the closing of another Brimington public house – the Markham Arms on 2 July 2023. Situated on Dorest Drive, at its junction with Somerset Drive, the pub was first opened in July 1957.
A short history of Ringwood Hall
12th Jun 2023
Ringwood Hall is not in Brimington (though many think it is and the address is mostly given as Brimington). So, for this blog we’ve strayed a little beyond our normal Brimington/Tapton area to present this brief history of the hotel.
South ward elections 1979 style
28th May 2023
We’ve recently had a set of local elections – but in this blog we’re looking back to 1979’s elections in Brimington South Ward and also touching on that in 1987. Campaigning wise – it was a different world back in 1979.
Chesterfield local and family history fair Saturday 20 May
15th May 2023
Notification that we’ll be attending the fair.
How Brimington and Tapton celebrated the last Coronation
5th May 2023
How Brimington celebrated the Coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. This is an edited extract from our Brimington a Tapton Miscellany 6 article.
Just a little bit more about ‘Clocky’ Brown
30th Apr 2023
A rather grainy shot of Church Street, Brimington reveals ‘Clocky’ Brown’s former cycle and watch repair shop
The Staveley/Brimington by-pass – a history in itself
9th Apr 2023
The Staveley/Brimington bypass has a history of its own. Now known as the Chesterfield to Staveley regeneration route we highlighted a little of its history in this blog.
21st Mar 2023
Brimington might well have had a cinema in the early 1920s, had the plans of a small group of local businessman reached fruition. There’s a little about this unlikely plan, which never came to fruition, in this blog.
1st Mar 2023
In this blog we continue our look at the claim that victims of the plague were buried near the canal off Cowplingle Lane – a tradition almost certainly incorrect. How did this story come about?
4th Feb 2023
In this blog we will started to look at the claim that victims of the plague were buried near the canal off Cowplingle Lane – a tradition almost certainly incorrect. This is part one of a series of blogs which look at the plague in Brimington which visited from late 1603 to early 1604.
20th Jan 2023
The 1980s open-casting operation in the Tapton area, which happened prior to house building, is the focus of this blog. The opencasting also preceded the Tapton by-pass construction and the arrival of Sainbury’s supermarket. We also take a brief look at the subsequent development of the sites.
St Mary’s mission church, Brimington Common – a short history – 3
28th Dec 2022
This is the final part of three blogs looking at the history of the Anglican mission church dedicated to St Mary on Brimington Common. This part of the story covers the period from probable closure sometime between the beginning of 1952 and the end of February 1953, until final disposal of the land.
St Mary’s mission church, Brimington Common – a short history – 2
2nd Dec 2022
The second of our three-part story, describing the Anglican mission church, dedicated to St Mary, which opened in 1878 on Brimington Common.
St Mary’s mission church, Brimington Common – a short history – 1
25th Nov 2022
This blog, the first part of three, takes a short look at the now disappeared St Mary’s Mission Church on Manor Road – now the site of housing. We look at the church from its opening in 1878 until just after the Second World War.
12th Nov 2022
A post for Remembrance Sunday looks at just two of the Brimington men – Frank Dodson and James Arthur Harrison – who gave their lives in the Second World War so that we can enjoy the freedoms of today.
Our Miscellany 14 is now available
11th Nov 2022
This blog marked the publication of the 14th edition of Brimington and Tapton Miscellany.
Brimington’s EHF Mills and his BBC career
4th Nov 2022
We look at the career of Brimington’s EHF Mills, born in 1891, who rose to a senior position in the then infant BBC. Mills was the son of Brimington Rector Edward Keane Blumhardt and Frances Margaret Mills of Tapton Grove.
Albert Rhodes – village blacksmith to Rhodes Engineering
28th Oct 2022
This blog is the final part of three looking at village blacksmiths – father and son – Ernest and Albert Rhodes, the latter who was also a once well-known author. In it we look at the later history of Albert Rhodes and his engineering company. It’s also a follow-up to our blog of 10 September.
Markham Vale event marks completion of Walking Together memorial trail
6th Oct 2022
The final 13 artworks are to be installed and commemorated with an event on the afternoon of Thursday 13 October at the Walking Together Markham memorial. One of the memorials is to a Brimington man.
End of the Hulleys of Baslow era in Brimington
5th Oct 2022
On Friday 30 September 2022 Hulleys of Baslow ran their last bus through Brimington on the service 78. This brings to an end the short Hulley era in the village.
Tapton heraldry mystery solved
25th Sep 2022
A longstanding mystery at Tapton – just whose coat of arms appears on a 19th century detached cottage – has been solved. The coat of arms appears on the cottage on Brimington Road and are of 19th century Chesterfield worthy and property ownere John Brown.
Another piece of village blacksmith’s work identified (but not yet revealed!)
10th Sep 2022
News of another piece of local blacksmith Albert Rhodes’ work that we’ve identified.
More about ‘The Farm’, High Street, Brimington
23rd Aug 2022
A follow-up to our 6 December 2021 blog – a little more detail about the history of ‘The Farm‘ (24 and 24a High Street), Brimington.
More history revealed (for free)
2nd Aug 2022
An announcement that our third volume of Brimington and Tapton Miscellany is available to download – for free. Miscellany 3 – for 2010 – was first published in January 2011.
Flying high from Chesterfield’s own airport at Tapton
22nd Jul 2022
This blog takes a quick look at an airport planned in Tapton (but usually described as at Calow) during the 1950s and 1960s.
Our poignant visit to Markham Vale
8th Jul 2022
A look at our visit to the Markham Vale Memorial Trail, on 23 June 2022.
Workhouse project exhibition and book
2nd Jul 2022
This blog previewed an exhibition on the Christ Church (Stonegravels) Workhouse and Pauper Grave Project in July 2022 in Chesterfield Library. The exhibition also marked the publication of a book on the subject.
When parts of Brimington were in Tapton
30th Jun 2022
A look at why some old maps show small areas of Tapton marked as ‘in Brimington’ – overwise known as detached parts.
21st Jun 2022
This blog covered the Friends of Tapton House arranging a petition and also a picnic at Tapton House against borough council’s announcement that they wish to sell the property via a long lease. The local history group do not have a view or policy on what should happen to Tapton House.
Was there a court at The Court House, Tapton? (No!)
14th Jun 2022
Another look at new thoughts on Tapton’s history, courtesy of the Derbyshire Victoria County History (VCH). This time we briefly looked at the Court House, across the railway line on Brimington Road, Tapton. There was no courthouse here, but how and when did it get its name?
New book on Hasland publishes at free event on 15 June
7th Jun 2022
A new book on the history of Hasland, a formerly a large parish sitting next to Tapton, is to be published at a launch event on 15 June. This blog looks briefly at the book, published on behalf of the Derbyshire Victoria County (VCH) Trust.
Crow Lane and Dobbin Clough Farm
3rd Jun 2022
From this blog we started taking a regular look at some of the ‘new thoughts’ on Tapton’s history revealed at our talk in April – thanks to research by the Derbyshire Victoria County History (VCH). This time looked at Dobbin Clough Farm and how Crow Lane possibly got its name.
27th May 2022
Following a talk given to the group by members of the Chesterfield St Helen’s and District Local History Society and the Chesterfield and District Family History Society in May 2022 about the Christ Church, Stonegravels, paupers research project, we have posted some links for those more interested in this sometimes harrowing human story.
22nd May 2022
One of our members has had his memory stirred a bit following the posting of a newspaper report on our website highlighting the Red Lion public house in 1963. Amongst those ‘down at the local’ was Bill Carter. He ended up playing for Ken Dodd.
Sally the elephant’s Tapton wash and brush-up
24th Apr 2022
One of the more unusual items in the Science Museum Group collection is a photograph of Sally the elephant just about to enter a hand car wash in 1962! Find out more about Sally’s brief visit to Tapton in the early 1960s in this blog.
Some lost Brimington street names
27th Mar 2022
In this blog we take a selective look at some Brimington street names, particularly focussing on those that are lost. We used the 1881 census as our baseline.
2nd Mar 2022
In this blog we take a look at a little known Brimington initiative to help the children of First World War widows – the Brimington Foster Fathers. We also briefly look at a largely forgotten, but once influential Brimington couple – the Tissingtons.
15th Feb 2022
This blog announces that we’ve made available our Brimington and Tapton Miscellany 2 available as a free download.
Our disappearing telephone boxes
8th Jan 2022
Our local telephone boxes appear to have disappeared. This blog takes a look at what’s happened to them and poses the question – do we really missed them?
Traditions of Christmas and New Year past remembered
19th Dec 2021
A brief look at the Christmas and new year tradition formerly practised in Brimington and indeed Derbyshire – the Derby Tup. We’ll also take a brief look at so-called ‘mummers’ plays’.
Lime ash flooring at The Farm, High Street, Brimington
6th Dec 2021
In this blog we take a look at lime ash flooring, once employed fairly extensively, using 24 and 24a High Street (formerly known as The Farm) as an example.
Latest Brimington and Tapton Miscellany journal is now available
26th Nov 2021
After much delay we have just published the thirteenth edition of our yearly Brimington and Tapton Miscellany. Find out more in this short blog.
Trinity Church Jubilee Brochure available to download
11th Nov 2021
We have been able to make available a jubilee history of the former Trinity Methodist Church at Brimington (1896-1946) in our downloads section. This building will be very familiar to those who attend our meetings. For it’s actually the building where we meet, but it was once a Wesleyan Methodist church.
Road sign points to local government’s past in Brimington
4 November 2021
The road sign on display in the Brimington Community Centre entrance foyer is a reminder of Brimington’s past local government arrangements. Our blog looks at the significance of the sign.
Another sad story from the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu pandemic
21 October 2021
We have already told the sad story behind Godfrey’s shop – 1 Queen Street – and how the Spanish Flu affected that family. In this blog we look at another formerly well-known Brimington family – the Phipps – and how they were tragically visited by the same flu.
Our disappearing fields: end of an era – beginning of a new one?
7 October 2021
It wasn’t so long ago that we posted about GE Brown’s bus, coach and garage business, which was, at one time, based at his Chesterfield Road site. Now his former premises are being demolished for use as the entrance to a controversial housing development. We look at what’s in store for this area of Brimington.
The Victoria Hotel – a lost Brimington hostelry – part 1
5th Oct 2021
We take a very brief look at lost local hostelries but focus particularly on the Victoria Hotel, New Brimington – the subject of some recent Facebook posts and an article in our Brimington & Tapton Miscellany publication.
GE Brown’s coaching and garage business
12th Sep 2021
A look at GE (‘Clocky’) Brown’s small coaching and motor business, which he ran from a garage on Chesterfield Road, Brimington.
The Chesterfield Brewery Company’s Brimington and Hollingwood connections
26th Aug 2021
We focus on Brimington’s connections with the Chesterfield Brewery Company following local pub and brewery historian John Hirst’s new book on the that now disappeared concern.
What is the future for Tapton House?
24th Jul 2021
In this blog, we focus on the present and future of George Stephenson’s former residence at Tapton House.
We’re working on a new history of Brimington and Tapton
23rd Jul 2021
As this blog explains, some members of our local history group are assisting in a new account of Brimington’s and Tapton’s history.
The sad story behind Godfrey’s corner, New Brimington
16th Jul 2021
In this blog we look at the sad story behind Godfrey’s shop – 1 Queen Street, New Brimington – which once gave a now forgotten name to the area – Godfrey’s corner.
A fuze, the Shaw family, Dryhurst House and two charities
3rd Jul 2021
Dryhurst House, the Shaw family, a patent dynamite fuze, exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and two charities in the family name all briefly feature in this blog. Dryhurst House sits at left of the entrance to Chesterfield Royal Hospital, off the A632.
A missing tribute to George Stephenson
12th Jun 2021
This blog looks at a missing statue to George Stephenson on the Stephenson Memorial Hall, Corporation Street, Chesterfield.
Brimington’s and Tapton’s ‘County Bridges’
1st Jun 2021
We take a look at ‘county bridges’ following the publication of ‘Derbyshire county bridges 1530-1889’ – by Philip Riden, for the Derbyshire Record Society.
Albert Rhodes – village author
8th May 2021
Our blog of 10 March 2021 remembered the village’s blacksmithing business of Ernest Rhodes and Son, through one of their identifiable works – Brimington Parish Church railings. This blog looks in particular at the son – Albert Rhodes and the novels he wrote, two of which were almost wholly based in Brimington.
Brimington brickmaking in the spotlight
3rd May 2021
Local brickmaking is in the spotlight in this blog.
The ‘Lock House’, Newbridge Lane: to be or not to be – the census story – 5
24th Apr 2021
This blog – part 5 of our series looking at the census locally – is about a place and building sometimes wrongly presumed to be a lock-keeper’s cottage on Newbridge Lane. As we’ll explain it wasn’t the home to a lock-keeper and was actually just in Whittington, not Brimington.
The census story – 4 – missing but not lost
20th Apr 2021
In this short blog we present a download that reconstructs the Brimington summary sheets missing from the 1891 census on Ancestry.
The census story – 3 – missing presumed lost?
11th Apr 2021
This blog is the third in a series looking at the census. Here we look at examples of ‘missing’ Brimington people.
The census story – 2 – organisation in Brimington
4th Apr 2021
We look at how collection of the census data was organised, using Brimington as an example. We also take a brief look at who the people were collecting the data locally.
A census story – 1 – introduction
31st Mar 2021
The first in an occasional series looking at the census. Here we take a brief look at the history of the census.
George Stephenson and Tapton House (find out more and for free!)
26 March 2021
A link to a joint publication on George Stephenson, his third wife, Tapton House, Holy Trinity Church (where he is buried) and the celebrations held in Chesterfield on the centenary of his death.
Ernest Rhodes village blacksmith
20 April 2021
Ernest Rhodes and his son Albert – the village blacksmiths – and one example of their work, the parish church railings on Church Street, features in this blog.
Fond memories of Land’s shop rekindled
11 March 2021
Remembering Land’s grocery shop on High Street.
Issue 1 of our journal is now available as a free download
5 March 2021
Our first Brimington (and Tapton) Miscellany journal available as a free down load. Number 1 was first published in late 2008.
How a 1950s typewriter led a trail back to Brimington
28 February 2021
How a 1950s typewriter was traced to its original owner – a well-known former Brimington resident.
When wireless was all the rage
27 February 2021
This blog takes a short look at the new technology of the 1920s – the wireless radio – and a demonstration of this wonder technology in Brimington.
When the river Rother was at its worst
18 February 2021
A look back to when the Rother had the dubious distinction of being the worst polluted river in the UK.
Brimington’s Red Lion public house nearly 60 years ago
16 February 2021
The Red Lion in 1963, from The Star Chesterfield Magazine.
Romano-British occupation in Brimington
12 February 2021
Trial archaeological excavations, in advance of a housing development off Chesterfield Road and North Moor View, have discovered some evidence of Romano-British occupation.
Don’t forget to visit our gallery
4 February 2021
Our gallery page is starting with the images displayed in the ’tile’ on our home page. We have chosen these images to represent the Brimington and Tapton area. In our gallery we tell you why we have chosen them and what they show.
Sources for Brimington’s and Tapton’s history
4 February 2021
30 January 2021
Page last updated 5 November 2025.
Brimington and Tapton Local History Group 