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Melbourne

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MELBOURNE, a parish and small market town in the hundred of Repton, county Derby, 8 miles S.E. of Derby, its post town, and 6 N.E. of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It is situated near the rivers Derwent and Trent, and comprises the township of King's-Newtown. The village is a polling-place for the county elections. It belonged to the crown at Domesday Survey, and came to the Beauchamps and Lancasters, who had a castle, in which John, Duke of Bourbon, who had been made prisoner at the battle of Agincourt, was imprisoned in 1415. The castle was dismantled in 1460 by order of Queen Margaret, but was subsequently restored, and traces of it are still visible.

The savings-bank and mechanics' institution are held in a building erected in 1854. The manufacture of lace gloves is carried on, and building-stone is extensively quarried, and also a fine kind of stone used for sharpening scythes. The surface is hilly, and partly in common. The soil is generally a rich loam, alternated with clay. The tithes were commuted for land under an Enclosure Act in 1787.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Lichfield, value £179, in the patronage of the bishop of the diocese. The church, which is dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing four bells. The interior of the church is remarkable for the circular arches and zigzag ornaments peculiar to the Norman style of architecture. It contains an old pillared font, and ancient marble monuments of the Hardinge family. The parochial charities produce about £38 per annum, of which £20 goes to Lady Hastings' school, also an additional annuity of £10 by Viscountess Palmerston.

There are places of worship for the Independents, Wesleyans, Methodists, General Baptists, and Swedenborgians. Melbourne Hall, formerly the episcopal palace of the bishops of Carlisle, was the residence of the late Lord Melbourne, and King's-Newtown Hall was the seat of the Hardinges, ancestors of Lord Hardinge. The Marquis of Hastings is lord of the manor. The family of Lamb take from this place the title of viscount. Saturday is market day."

"KING'S NEWTON, a hamlet in the parish of Melbourne, county Derby, 6 miles S.E. of Derby. It is situated near the river Trent."

"NEWTON KINGS, a hamlet in the parish of Melbourne, county Derby. See King's Newton.”

from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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There is a Melbourne parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Make sure that you are researching the correct place.

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Archives & Libraries

  • Chris MORGAN has a photograph of the Melbourne Assembly Rooms and Library on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2017.
     
  • The Melbourne Library is on High Street near the Leisure Centre and is normally open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Internet access is free.
     
  • For more information, see the Derbyshire County Council site. The library has a "Local Studies and Family History" section to help you with your search.

Just to the north, the Derby City Library is also a rich resource with a Local History section and a Family History section.

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Bibliography

  • HEATH, Philip - John Joseph Briggs's Diary. Published by The Melbourne Historical Research Group. ISBN 0-903463-78-4.
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Cemeteries

  • The cemetery of 3 acres was laid out on the north end of the village shortly before 1860. Now known as the Packhouse Road Cemetery, it was and still is under the control of the Burial Board of the Parish Council.
     
  • John SLATER has a photograph of the Melbourne Cemetery Chapel on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2014.
     
  • Malcom NEAL has a photograph of the Melbourne Cemetery on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2017.
     
  • We have a pop-up window of Melbourne burials in a window for your review. Your additions and corrections are welcomed.
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Census

  • The parish was the centre of the Melbourne sub-district of the Shardlow Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 2140
1861R.G. 9 / 2489
1891R.G. 12 / 2720
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Church History

  • It is reported that an Anglo-Saxon church stood here at the Domesdy Survey (1086).
     
  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Michael.
     
  • The Chantry of Saint Catherine was founded in 1379 near the church.
     
  • Sheral WOOD has a photograph of Melbourne Parish Church on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2007.
     
  • David DIXON also has a photograph of The Church of St Michael on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2015.
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Church Records

  • Marriages at Melbourne, 1653-1812 are available in Nigel BATTY-SMITH's database of scanned images of Phillimore's Parish Registers.
     
  • The parish was in the rural deanery of Melbourne.
     
  • The old churchyard was closed to new burials in 1860.
     
  • The Independents built a chapel here in 1779 and enlarged it in 1841.
     
  • The Swedenborgians built a chapel in 1825. This was replaced by a new chapel in Derby Road in 1864.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists built a chapel in 1826.
     
  • Ian CALDERWOOD has a photograph of the Methodist Church on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2010.
     
  • Andrew ABBOTT has a photograph of the Methodist Church on Church Street on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.
     
  • The General Baptists built a chapel in Chapman Street in 1709.
     
  • We also have a pop-up window of Melbourne Baptist burials in a text file for your review. Your additions are welcomed.
     
  • The Baptists built a Mission Halll in Derby Road in 1908.
     
  • Blanche CHARLES of New Zealand has a website: "East Midlands General Baptist History", with baptisms.
     
  • The Catholic Church of Our Lady of Mercy in Church Street was built in 1908. Ian CALDERWOOD has a photograph of Our Lady of Mercy on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2010.
     
  • David BEVIS has a photograph of the United Reformed Church on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2010.
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Civil Registration

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

"MELBOURN is a parish, in the hundred of Repton and Gresley. The village, which is a considerable one, and of some antiquity, is situate seven miles and a half S.S.E. from Derby, and about six N.N.E. from Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Camden notices this place as having a castle, wherein John Duke of Bourbon, of the blood royal of France, was incarcerated nine years, having been taken prisoner at the battle of Agincourt."

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

Melbourne is also a small town and a township in the parish of the same name. The parish lies 126 miles north of London. King's Norton is a hamlet in the parish, one mile north of Melbourne.

You can see pictures of Melbourne which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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History

  • The parish used to hold a Hiring and Pleasure Fair on each October 10th.
     
  • John Duke of Bourbon, of the blood royal of France, was incarcerated here for nine years, having been taken prisoner at the battle of Agincourt in 1415.
     
  • Jerry EVANS has a photograph of the Plaque commemorating Thomas COOK on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2008.
     
  • Jerry EVANS has a photograph of the Lamb Inn on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2008.
     
  • John SLATER has a photograph of Ye Olde Pack Horse public house on the north edge of Melbourne on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2014.
     
  • Ian CALDERWOOD has a photograph of The Melbourne Arms when it was closed on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2015.
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Manors

  • David LALLY has a photograph of Melbourne Hall on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2010.
     
  • Chris ALLEN also has a photograph of Melbourne Hall on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2018.
     
  • David LALLY has a photograph of Melbourne Hall on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2010.
     
  • Trevor RICKARD also has a photograph of Melbourne Hall on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2012.
     
  • The hall was the seat of William LAMB, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, after whom the more famous Melbourne in Australia was named.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK386252 (Lat/Lon: 52.822957, -1.428625), Melbourne which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In the late 1860s, three memorial windows in St. Michael's Church chancel were installed to commemorate Lieutenant-Colonel Edward H. GOOCH, died 18 Jan 1867, by his widow. [Note: The web page author believes this is Henry Edward GOOCH, buried 24-Jan-1867. He is in the 1861 Melbourne census as "retired army".]
     
  • In 1912, Melbourne Hall was the property and residence of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Walter Talbot KERR, G.C.B.
     
  • Diane DIXON has a photograph of the Melbourne War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2015. The Monument is on the south edge of the city near Melbourne Hall.
     
  • The Traces of War website tells that there are 11 Commonwealth War Graves in the cemetery for World War I and 11 for World War II as well.
     
  • Nine men of the Royal Engineers were killed on 11 July 1940 when a bomb struck. Eight are buried in Melbourne Cemetery. The BBC tells us: "The soldiers involved had been working on building the Melbourne military railway at the time of the blast."
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Military Records

These are the Commonwealth War Graves for WWI:

  1. gunner George ARGYLE, age 38, Royal Garrison Artillery
  2. private H. J. BARKER, age 22, Royal Scots
  3. private F. ENSOR, age 35, Royal Army Service Corps
  4. serjeant William GARRATT, age 32, Royal Garrison Artillery
  5. private Wallace HATTON, age 23, Sherwood Foresters
  6. driver Philip V. JACKSON, age 20, Army Service Corps
  7. private E. MILLS, Sherwood Foresters
  8. lance corporal A. PIPES, age 30, Army Service Corps
  9. private J. ROBEY, age 39, Durham Light Infantry
  10. private R. STONE, Sherwood Foresters
  11. private J TIVEY, Sherwood Foresters
  12. private G. TURNER, age 23, Sherwood Foresters

8 of the Royal Engineers killed in 1940 were buried in Melbourne:

  1. sapper Ronald BUTTERWORTH, age 23
  2. sapper John E. CARTER, age 22
  3. sapper Herbert COOK, age 22
  4. sapper Albert Walter GARDNER, age 22
  1. sapper Harol Stanley KILLINER, age 24
  2. sapper John White ROBINSON, age 20
  3. sapper William SAXBY, age 22
  4. sapper Norman SIMPSON, age 22
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Newspapers

Jane TAYLOR of Redcar offers this snippet from the Derby Mercury of 15 July, 1802: "MARRIED: On Sunday last, at Melbourne, in this county, Mr. PARES of Kegworth, to Mrs. LOMAS, daughter of Mr. ORME, late of the former place."

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Obituaries

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this announcement from the Derby Mercury of 8 July, 1802: DIED: "On Monday last, suddenly, aged 54, Mrs. BALDWIN, wife of Mr Nathaniel BALDWIN, of Melbourn, in this county."

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Periodicals

You may want to pick up (or read online) a copy of "Melbourne Life".

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Derby county and it became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • This parish was in the ancient Repton and Greasley Hundred (or Wapentake).
     
  • You may contact the Melbourne Parish Council regarding civic or political issues, but they are NOT staffed to assist with family history searches.
     
  • District governance is provided by the South Derbyshire District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Repton petty session hearings, which were held every four weeks at the Melbourne Hotel.
     
  • The parish had 14 almshouse in High Street built by Mr. Thomas COOK (the travel and excursion fellow) in 1890-91. Trevor RICKARD has a photograph of the Thomas Cook Memorial Cottages on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2009.
     
  • Jerry EVANS has a photograph of the Thomas Cook Memorial Plaque on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2008.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poorlaw Amendment Act reforms, the parish became a member of the Shardlow Poorlaw Union.
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Schools

  • "The grammar school at Melbourne, to be supervised by the chantry priest of St. Katherine, was founded by the will of Sir Ralph Shirley, dated 10 March 1514 (VCHD 2,207)."
    (Ref: A History of Derbyshire, Gladwyn TURBUTT, 1999; VCHD=The Victoria History of the County of Derby)
     
  • Melbourne School on High Street (mixed and infants) was built in 1897 to hold 500 students.
     
  • The Church Street School (infants) was built in 1884 and enlarged in 1894 to hold 125 boys and 125 girls.
     
  • The Penn Lane School was founded here in 1738 and rebuilt here in 1822.