General Overview of South Derby during the 1800s

Up until the advent of the Steam Age Derby had been mainly dependent on the Wool, Cotton and Silk Industries, most of which was located around the central area and to the north of the town.

Though the north of Derby was becoming quite heavily developed with housing and factories, the area between The Spot and  Chellaston was mainly farmland, including the Liberty of Litchurch, a Royal borough, with Gallows Balk as its northern boundary and the gallows at Gallows Field forming part of its western boundary. Small villages such as Osmaston, Alvaston, Shelton, and Chellaston were to be found further south. Although Litchurch Balk has not been identified on any of the old maps, it can be safely assumed that it formed the boundary at what is now  Twyford Street and Loudon Street/Madeley Street junction.

Above: an 1819 Map showing The Liberty of Litchurch

(Note: the map has been annotated to show the locations)

Courtesy of Derby Local Studies Library

During the first quarter of the 19th century  the traveller, when leaving Derby via Osmaston Street, would have entered Osmaston Road, the Old Union Workhouse was  a few hundred yards further along on the right, this building was acquired by the Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company between 1877-78 and has since been altered a great deal. The traveller would eventually arrive at the village of Osmaston - by - Derby, which was a little over a mile or so due south. 

An alternative route was along Normanton Road, leading south-west, passing Grove street on the left, with a view of the gallows ( before 1815) standing prominently at the end of  what may have been the Litchurch Balk (at the junction of Loudon street and Madeley Street).  A lead works and ordnance depot were located on the right hand side of Normanton Road.

By 1840, following the route of Osmaston Road, the traveller would have passed Love Lane (now Melbourne Street),  Leonard Street and Grove Street (formerly Gallows Balk). These streets formed a curved rectangular layout,  the newly built entrance lodge and entrance  (the main entrance gates were not completed until 1843) to the Arboretum formed the southern side of Grove Street and the northern most point of the Arboretum.

The Rail Industry was expanding in the south east, around Litchurch and Osmaston (Nottingham Road and London Road, now the new Pride Park area). The level of housing  increased dramatically to accommodate a new workforce as Derby was rapidly becoming the centre for the new Rail Industry.  The New Midland Station was opened at around the same time as the Arboretum, the world's first purpose built railway engine sheds (including the "Round House" The world's first Engine turning shed) were operating at the Midland Rail Works. 

Reginald Street did not exist in 1840 (this was built on land owned by Thomas Roe in 1889), the eastern entrance to the Arboretum was via a short lane leading off Osmaston Road.  Normanton Road was the site of a few large houses. Mill Hill Lead Works (on the site of South Gate Shopping Centre/ Formerly T. C. Harrison's Car Dealership), The Ordnance Depot and Barracks for the Sherwood Foresters (until 1879 when the Barracks moved to the top of Sinfin Lane) a second Lead Works stood at the lower end of Normanton Road and a pond, fed by the Wall Brook where the now derelict Normanton Hotel stands. Open fields stretched out beyond Littleover and Mickleover to the west/north-west.

Rose Hill Street was a winding narrow lane leading off Normanton Road, with a row of cottages ( Rose Hill Cottages) and the southern entrance lodge to the Arboretum.

Arboretum Street was built at around 1850 (when the Arboretum Lodge, complete with statue of Joseph Strutt was built), Arboretum Square was built during 1867-68.

The dates on many terraced houses (where date inscriptions occur) in the New Normanton area show that they were built between 1860 - 1890, Harriet Street, with the west entrance were developed during 1874.

Kevin Archer's re-drawn map of the "Township of Litchurch 1846" showing the Arboretum and the "Closes" that surround the area. Note the "Gallows Closes" and the "Gallows Meadows".

Some street names around the Arboretum have obvious origins, Loudon Street (Upper Gallows Field/close) is named after J C Loudon, Strutt Street (Joseph Strutt), the new housing development,  Rauche Gardens (off Osmaston Road) is named after Mr. Rauch - Loudon's apprentice and Lambe Court (Off Osmaston Road) possibly after E. B. Lamb - the architect of the Gothic Lodges, (or possibly the Lambe family of Melbourne), Depot Street is the approach road to the Ordnance Depot (closed in 1899 when Normanton Barracks opened), this became Offiller's  Brewery, the site is now occupied by Kwik-save and a number of other retail/wholesale outlets. Finally, Leonard Street is named after the St. Leonard Leper Hospital, which once stood at this location.

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