East Drayton

The Library at East Retford will prove useful in your research.

Richard CROFT has a photograph of St. Peter's churchyard on Geo-garph, taken in February, 2017.

Roger GEACH has a photograph of the church lychgate on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2009.

Alan MURRAY-RUST also has a photograph of the Lychgate to St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2014.

• The parish was in the Tuxford sub-district of the East Retford Registration District.
   
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
   

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter.
   
• The church was originally built in the 12th century with 13th and 15th century additions.
   
• The church chancel was restored in 1857.
   
• The nave and aisles of the church were restored in 1873.
   
• The church seats abou 250 people.
   
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2010.
   
• J. HANNAH-BRIGGS has a photograph of the church tower on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2014.
   

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1640 and is in fair condition.
   
• The church took up a special collection in October 1767 to assist those suffering from "the fire at Montreal". This was probably the 18 May 1765 fire which left 215 families homeless. There was another fire in Montreal in 1768. A list of the Contributors in 1767 is provided by John MELLORS.
   
• The church was in the rural deanery of Tuxford.
   
• The Wesleyan Methodists had a licensed room for services before 1869.
   
• Jonathan THACKER has a photograph of the former Methodist chapel on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2013.
   

• The parish was in the Tuxford sub-district of the East Retford Registration District.
   
• Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
   

This village and parish are within the parliamentary borough of East Retford, about 140 miles north of London, 7 miles south-east of East Retford and 3.5 miles north-east of Tuxford. The parish covers about 1,555 acres. A stream flowing through the parish (the North Beck) is on its way to join the River Trent.

If you are planning a visit:

• By automobile, the village is just north off of the A57 trunk road, heading east out of Worksop. Turn left (north) at Darlton to enter East Drayton.
   
• Check the Carlberry site for Bus 56 service.
   
• Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the Village Sign on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2014.
   
• Richard CROFT also has a photograph of the Village Sign along Darlton Road on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2013. Goodness, I believe it is the same sign!
   

• Geograph
• Flickr

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from East Drayton to another place.

Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the old Harrow Inn on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2014.

• Their is mention of a Manor House in 1881, but it is occupied by a farmer, George MUSGRAVE.

• See our Maps page for additional resources.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK776753 (Lat/Lon: 53.269024, -0.837922), East Drayton which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

The War Memorial is a stone tablet on the south wall of St. Peter's church.

Neal THEASBY has a photograph of the shadow of a soldier on the churchyard wall on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2019. Read the photo caption for more information.

For a photograph of the East Drayton War Memorial and the list of names on it, see the Southwell Church History Project site.

The inscription on the memorial reads: "To the Glory of God and in proud memory of (names) who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1918, 'Their name liveth for evermore.'"

The following names are listed on the plaque:

1. John NEWTON, pte. 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters
2. Edward ROBINSON, pte. 9th Bn Sherwood Foresters
3. Cyril SPENCER, pte. 4th Bn North Staff. Regt.
4. Francis SPENCER, capt. 4th Bn Sherwood Foresters

And for World War II:

1. Cyril PINDER

The webpage author could find no "Cyril PINDER" in the Commonwealth War Graves database. There is a Lance Srgt. Francis Cyril PINDER of the Grenadier Guards.

There is also a Roll of Honour mounted on the South Wall of the church.

Edward ROBINSON, listed above is buried in the churchyard and has a headstone: he died 9th December 1916.

Two other men are buried in the churchyard, but do not appear on either the war memorial or Roll of Honour for this parish:

1. William LOWE, gunner. Died 21 March 1918
2. William Vincent MILLER, 10th East Yorkshire Regt. Died 14th June 1916

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission also lists a burial here for:

1. James Oswald WHYNDHAM, sapper, Royal Engineers, died 12th March 1919, son of Lewis and Annie James WHYNDHAM.

St. Peter's church also has a Roll of Honour plaque on the South wall:

"East Drayton with Stokeham

Pte G. E. Iremonger Notts and Derby Mtd Brigade
+ Pte John Newton
(killed in action in France April 14 1917) Sherwood Foresters
Pte H. Pilgrim Army Service Corps
Pte H. Richardson Cyclists Battalion
+ Pte Edward Robinson
(killed in France 1916) Notts and Derby 9th Sherwood Foresters
Pte John Rolfe
(wnd repatriated prisoner of war) Lincolnshire Regiment
Gunner G. W. Rearsby Royal Field Artillery
+Pte A. G. Simpson
(killed in action in Palestine Nov 28 1917) Notts and Derby Mtd Brigade
Pte C. Skelton Sherwood Foresters
Driver G. Small Royal Field Artillery
+ 2nd Lieut F. Spencer
(promoted Captain 1917. Killed in action Sept 26 1917 in France) Officer Cadet Battalion
Lance Cpl W. Spencer Royal Garrison Artillery
+Pte W. Stevenson
(Died of wounds April 29, 1917) Sherwood Foresters
Driver G. Wilson Field Ambulance
Sapper Wilfred Whitlam Sherwood Foresters
Pte George Jenkinson Sherwood Foresters
+Pte Cyril Spencer (Died of wounds Oct 4th 1918)"

• This place was an ancient parish in county Nottingham and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
   
• The parish was in the South Clay division of the ancient Bassetlaw Wapentake (Hundred) in the northern division of the county.
   
• You may contact the local Parish Council regarding civic or political issues, but they are NOT staffed to assist you with family history searches.
   
• You should visit the Village Hall as shown on Geo-graph in August, 2014, taken by Alan MURRAY-RUST. Ask for a schedule of forth-coming events. The Hall sometimes features speakers on local history.
   
• District governance is provided by the Bassetlaw District Council.
   

• Bastardy cases would be heard at the Retford petty session hearings held in West Retford.
   
• The Common Land was enclosed here in 1819.
   
• After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became a part of the East Retford Poor Law Union.
   
• The Constable Charity of 4 acres generated £25 in 1881. This was used to support the school, to maintain the church and in relief of the deserving poor.
   

Year	Population
1801	226
1841	212
1851	251
1861	263
1871	248
1881	214
1891	187
1901	161
1911	174
1921	162

• A Public Elementary School was built here for the parishes of East Drayton and Stokeham some time before 1881.
   
• The old schoolhouse was converted into the Village Hall in 1977.