The Smedley Family.

Writing from 4, Dale-street, Ilkeston, Peter Battle Smedley, a joiner by trade, sends me some interesting particulars about the Smedley family which was the subject of inquiry a day or two ago. He writes:—

“I was born at Stanton-by-Dale in the year 1863. My father was born at Stanton-by-dale 100 years ago—29 November, 1833. His name was Samuel Smedley, and he was a boot and shoe-maker by trade, but later took on the Prudential Assurance agency which he kept till he died 13 years ago.

“His father, my grandfather, was born at Stanton-by-Dale 128 years ago, and his name was Robert Smedley and he was also a boot and shoe-maker. He died when he was 28 years old from an accident.

“You know at that time they used to go out ‘plough-bullocking,’ and as he was a very good jumper, he tried to jump the canal lock. He fell short and struck his ribs on the stonework.

“This Robert Smedley was one of a family of twelve sons and some daughters, all of Stanton-by-Dale. Some were farmers, some stockiners, blacksmiths, millers, bakers, wheelwrights, etc.

“I can just remember my great uncle Luke. He was a blacksmith and lived on Cat and Fiddle-lane which leads from West Hallam Station to Dale. The old house and smithy is still there.

“Then there was Steven Smedley, who owned the Cat and Fiddle mill. All around the district of Stanton-by-Dale and Risley and Dale Abbey this old family lived—you can find tombstones in Risley churchyard, Kirk Hallam, Stanton and the other churchyards.

“I have heard my father say the earliest history of the Smedleys began in a house on No-Man’s-lane, which leads from Dale Abbey to Sandiacre and they settled here as farmers hundreds of years ago, perhaps from the time of the monks at Dale Abbey.

“There were some big families reared by the Smedleys of No Man’s-lane and my father thought some of these off-shoots went Matlock way and settled.

“Many of these Smedleys were really good musicians of that time and the family almost to a man or two formed the noted Dale Brass Band.

“They were great on a piece of music called ‘Wet and Windy.’ The bandmaster of course was a Smedley and when the band got a bit mixed up he used to call to the drummer, ‘Now, Dick, lay it into boomer,’ and he would nearly burst the drum.

“The family also had a string band for years in Stanton Church, and there was one whose name was Billy I-o-a Kick and bump ’em Smedley. He used to play the big bass fiddle. He was a very fat man, about 20 stone.

“Luke played the violin and others trombone, oboe and cornet. The family were the bellringers at Stanton.”

📚 Sources

• Type: newspaper
  Title: Nottingham Journal
  Date: 1933-12-08