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Borrowash

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BORROWASH, a village and railway station in the parish of Ockbrook, and hundred of Morleston in the county of Derby, 4 miles E. of Derby, and 128 from London. It is situated on, the Nottingham canal and the Derby and Nottingham railway, which has a station here. There is a chapel belonging to the Wesleyans, and a National school, erected in 1840. The inhabitants are principally engaged in the extensive cotton and lace factory of Messrs. Towle. There are also water and steam flourmills, and a brick-yard,”

from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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Archives & Libraries

The Borrowash Library on Victoria Avenue near Elm Street is normally open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and they have a Local Studies and Family History section to help you in your search.

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Cemeteries

There are two cemeteries managed by the Parish Council in Borrowash:

  1. The Old Cemetery on Belmont Drive. This cemetery was closed recently for safety reasons, to be refurbished and to have gravestones set upright again. It should be open for visitors by now. This cemetery was closed for burials in the late 1940s.
     
  2. The Council Cemetery on Balmoral Road which is still in operation. This was renamed in 2010 to the Ockbrook and Borrowash Cemetery.
     

The Parish Council has complete records of all burials in these cemeteries, but you will need to make an appointment to view any of the records. They will NOT do e-mail look-ups for you.

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Census

  • The village was in the Spondon sub-district of the Shardlow Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 2141
1861R.G. 9 / 2493
1891R.G. 12 / 2726
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Church History

  • The Anglican church is dedicated to Saint Steven.
     
  • The church was built in 1889-90.
     
  • The church seats 200.
     
  • There is a photograph of St. Stephen's Church on Geo-graph, taken by Oxymoron in October, 2008.
     
  • Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of St. Stephen's Church on Geo-graph showing the WWI Memorial out front, taken in August, 2017.
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Church Records

  • The church was in the rural deanery of Ilkeston.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel built here in 1825.
     
  • The Primitive Methodists had a chapel built here in 1851.
     
  • There is a photograph of the Borrowash Methodist Church on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2008.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Methodist Church on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2017. The leaning buildings are caused by the camera lens.
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Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The village was in the parish of Ockbrook in the Spondon sub-district of the Shardlow Registration District.
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Description & Travel

"BURROWASH is a hamlet, partly in the parish of Spondon, and partly in that of Ockbrook, situate on both sides of the road between Derby and Nottingham, about four miles and a half from the former, and eleven and a half from the latter town. Upwards of four hundred and fifty of the inhabitants are employed in the extensive lace-thread mills of Messrs. Towle, and many others in the manufacture of twist thread lace, which is also carried on here. From its thoroughfare situation, and the prosperity of its manufactures, this little place is fast emerging into consequence. The population is estimated at about 600 persons."

[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]

Borrowash was, for most of its history, the second village in Ockbrook parish. In the late 1800s it started to grow and now it is the larger of the two villages.

The Derby Canal runs through the heart of Borrowash. The village sits on the eastern edge of Derby city. There are photographs of Borrowash at Derby Photos provided by Andy.

There is bus service out of Derby to Borrowash.

Passenger rail service ceased in 1966 and the railway station was demolished in 1994.

Richard VINCE has a photograph of the Village Sign on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2012.

You can see pictures of Borrowash which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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History

David LALLY has a photograph of the former Noah's Ark Pub. on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2016.

David LALLY also has a photograph of the Nag's Head Pub. on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2017.

J. THOMAS has a photograph of the Wilmot Arms pub on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2013.

J. THOMAS also has a photograph of the Foresters pub on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2013.

Richard VINCE has a photograph of the Queen Elizabeth's golden jubilee clock on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2012.

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK417345 (Lat/Lon: 52.906323, -1.381437), Borrowash which are provided by:

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Military History

  • The Traces of War website tells us that there is one Commonwealth War Grave in the Balmoral Road Cemetery.
     
  • Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the World War 1 memorial on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2017. The memorial was erected in 1920.
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Military Records

  • There is a war memorial shared with Ockbrook parish. A photograph and list of names can be found at WW1 Yorkshires.
     
  • The one Commonwealth War Grave in the Balmoral Cemetery is: DAVIS, Maurice Henry, trooper, Royal Armoured Corps, died 27 June 1943, in grave D. He was the son of William and Edith.
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Newspapers

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar contributes this snippet from the Derby Mercury of 18 November, 1802, MARRIED: "On Thursday last, at Ockbrook, in this county, Mr. Thomas DOLMAN, to Miss Elizabeth WILD, of Borrowash."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this notice from the Derby Mercury of 15 August 1804: "MARRIED: On Monday se'nnight, at Wiln, in this county, Mr. PORTER, of Borrowash, to Miss LANCASHIRE, of the former place."

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Politics & Government

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Derby petty session hearings.
     
  • As a result of the Poorlaw Amendment Act of 1834 reforms, the village became part of the Shardlow Poorlaw Union.