Wirksworth & District

Past events

We remove old items from the main news page and events page. Here we show a selection of what we have been up to in the past year.

March 2024
Peter Chivers was our speaker this morning. The Wirksworth Story
The fascinating heritage of Wirksworth provides those interested in local history with a rich source of historical material. Nestling in the Ecclesbourne Valley the history of the market town can be traced back many centuries. Lead mining and limestone quarrying helped to define the landscape. Textile industries and tourism have provided more recent influences. The talk provides an insight into how the present town has developed and what makes Wirksworth the special place it is today for those who live here.

February 2024
We welcomed Graham Sellors. Following a career with ITV, Graham has become well known locally through his work with Wirksworth Community Theatre as both a writer and performer. Graham is giving a talk on 'Accent, Dialect and Humour'. The talk will be a celebration of the richness of the English language especially as expressed through accent, dialect and colloquial expressions with some illustrations of how these influence humour.

January 2024
A light-hearted start to the new year with the Creative Writers Group. A
miscellany of snippets and titbits to whet your appetites for their
latest publication, which might even be available by then!

December 2024
A morning of musical entertainment and mince pies.
Gill and Alan Thompson, a harmony singing duo, are presenting a musical session playing guitar and ukulele. For a number of years they have entertained, on a voluntary basis, in various care homes and community groups. They sing an eclectic mix of songs including a carol or two, and encourage audience participation whenever possible.

November 2023
Lyn Murray presented a talk on the history of Nether House
c1780-1935. This large building was on the site of Wirksworth Memorial Hall, St John's St.

October 20023
Gavin Muschamp showed a Photographic Slide Show featuring “Alternative accommodation in The Wirksworth area”

September 20023
Phil Robinson was our speaker. Phil has extensive knowledge and experience of using explosives, and of training others in the demolition and quarrying industry. Phil has been instrumental in setting up the national qualification scheme for Quarrying Shotfiring and contributed to the Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Explosive Engineers and is also a Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying. Phil has worked worldwide in the demolition and quarrying industries. Locally, Phil has blasted Longcliffe Quarry, Ivanbrook Quarry, Ben Bennett's Quarry.

August 20023
A welcome return for our Garden Pimmms Poetry and Musical Spectacular.
Hopefully the weather will be kind to us again as we repeat our successful Pimms and Ukele band UkeWirks in the garden of the Memorial Hall

July 2023
Bob Davies presented a talk on: Peter Fidler - 'Surveyor, explorer, father of 13 children'. Peter Fidler was a Hudson Bay Company employee, who left Bolsover for Canada in the 1790s. A story of the exploration of Canada, conflict, love and marriage. Fidler’s story reveals first encounters with Western Plains Indians, the life of a fur trader and an unusual legacy. All are welcome to hear about this Derbyshire man.

June 2023
Shirley Mann, local author and winner of the RNA Romantic Saga Novel of the Year Award for 2021.
Shirley presented a talk about the wonderful women she met, who inspired her with their intriguing stories and fabulous little details that aren’t in the history books.

April 2023
The Drovers
Peter Chivers gave a talk on Drovers. Before the age of modern communications meat supplies to feed an increasing urban population were driven to market on foot. Those responsible for undertaking the long and perilous journey with large herds or flocks were hardworking and resourceful individuals who faced a variety of dangers and hardships. Memory of their achievements has faded but Drovers were a familiar sight in their time and their exploits deserve to be remembered.