Burnt Row, Somercotes - A Family History by Jane Moore

by Jane Moore on Thursday 1 April 2021

Jane Moore, whilst researching her own Family Tree, came across a reference to Burnt Row, Somercotes, where one of her ancestors lived. Intrigued by the name, and knowing that no-one knew exactly where this small row of terraced houses had been erected, Jane embarked on her own research and found where Burnt Row had once stood. This is her research and family story, reproduced by kind permission:

BURNT ROW, SOMERCOTES

My Grandmother, Ellen Barker Brown had a brother John William Brown, who was born on the 24th of January 1886 in Alfreton, he was the son of William and Sarah Brown nee Barker, and after he married in 1905 he went on to live at Burnt Row in Somercotes at his in-laws, I wanted to know where Burnt Row was, but Burnt Row was not an official name, and has not been found named on any maps, so this is what I have found out about Burnt Row.

In 1802 on August 27th a fire destroyed a row of houses in Somercoates and three children died. The fire was reported in newspapers all over England and three examples of these were reports are;

Monday 30 August 1802 Sussex Advertiser
Tuesday 31 August 1802 Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal
Monday 06 September 1802 Hampshire Telegraph

The below same article was in each of the above newspapers

Shocking Catastrophe.

Early on Tuesday morning, several persons observed an unusual smoke to issue from the chimney of a house in the possession of Thomas Harding, of Somercotes common, near Alfreton, in Derbyshire. The door was broke open, and the internal part of the house was found all in smoke and burning, but not in flames. Before any person could get upstairs, the chamber floor fell to the ground and in its ruins brought with it the remains of three young children burned to death one without his head, and two others wanting some of their limbs. The parents of these unfortunate children went on Monday afternoon to Ripley (about two mile from thence) to some merriment, and very imprudently left the children all night by themselves.

The houses were already replaced by 1841, and locally they were called "Burnt Row"

In the 1841 census the houses were not called by their number or road name, just "Somercotes" but three of the families that lived there and continued to live there in the following censuses are;

Anthony and Martha Bettison and family
William and Ann Farnsworth
John and Jane Willgoose and family

In the 1851 census the houses were not called by their number or road name, just "Somercotes", as in 1841, but these houses had schedule numbers;

32 John and J Willgoose and family
33 George and M Taylor and family
34 William and G Farnsworth
35 John and M Haywood and family
36 Anthony and M Bettison and family
37 Robert and E Bettison and family

In the 1861 census the houses were not called by their number or road name, just "Somercotes", but the schedule number are;

188 George and Mary Taylor and family
189 John and Jane Willgoose and family
190 William and Grace Farnsworth
191 John and Mary Haywood and family
192 Robert and Elizabeth Bettison and family

In the 1871 census these houses were all down as Burnt Row on the "Alfreton to Nottingham Road"

44 Burnt Row George and Mary Taylor and daughter
45 Jane Willgoose and son
46 Grace Tinsworth and William and Sarah Thornley and family and lodger
47 widow Mary Haywood and son and lodger
48 Robert and Elizabeth Bettison and family

In the 1881 census the houses were called Burnt Row and the schedule numbers are;

97 George and Hannah Simpson and family
96 Jonathan and Sarah Barnes and family
95 Thomas Hickinbottom and family
94 John and Elizabeth Smith and family
93 Henry and Rebecca Toplis and family
92 Mary Taylor 73 a widow (this lady may have been a lodger of number 93)

In the 1891 census the houses were once again not called by their number or road name, just "Somercotes", but the schedule numbers are;

171 Francis and Mary Parsons and family
172 George and Ellen Mays and family
173 John and Elizabeth Smith and family
174 George and Emma Mills and family
175 Henry and Rebecca Toplis and family

In the 1901 census the Road was called Somercotes Hill and the house on Somercotes Hill before Burnt Row, which was named, has John and Mariah Willgoose and family living there, and then came Burnt Row, and the house occupiers of Burnt Row were;

1st house, Walter and Helen Adler and 1 son 1 daughter
2nd house George and Ellen Mayes and daughter
3rd house William and Sarah Miles and 4 sons 2 daughters
4th house George and Emma Mills and 2 daughters 3 sons
5th house Henry and Rebecca Toplis and 4 sons and 3 boarders

Then in 1905 my grandmother's brother John William Brown married Amy Jane Miles who in 1901 was aged 14 at the 3rd house of Burnt Row.

And in 1911 the census shows that my grandmother's brother John William Brown was living with his father in law William Miles wife Sarah Miles son Frank Miles, John William Brown's wife Amy and their children Winifred Brown and Eveline Brown, at Burnt Row.

(In the 1911 census the number of rooms was shown but of the number the kitchen was a room, but the scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom; nor warehouse, office, shop was not counted as a room). So in the 1911 census Somercotes Hill schedule 302 was the house just before Burnt Row this house held John and Mariah Willgoose and 2 sons then Burnt Row, the house occupiers of Burnt Row were;

First house schedule 303; Walter John and Helen Adler with children Norah, Frank and Evelyn. This house had 4 rooms. (1944 Walter John Adler of 10 Cinder Road died aged 71)
Second house schedule 304; Maurice and Eleanor Florence Mays children Gladys, Jessie, Ella and Edith Ellen and Maurice's father George Mays. This house had 4 rooms. (Eleanor Florence Mays of 71 Somercotes Hill died 6th April 1927).
Third house schedule 305; William W and Sarah Miles son Frank married daughter Amy Jane Brown and husband John W Brown their children Winifred and Eveline Brown. This house had 5 rooms. (Sarah Miles died in the 21st June 1923 her address given on her death certificate was 77 Burnt Row Somercotes, her son in law my grandmothers brother was the informant of her death).
Fourth house schedule 306; George and Emer (it's Emma, but spelt Emer, also some other incorrect spellings) Mills sons Arther, Leonard, Earnest Mills married daughter Ellen Edith Bradley her husband Frank Bradley and their son George Frederick Bradley. This house had 6 rooms.
Fifth house schedule 307; William Henry and Mabel Dawes and their children Henry, Katie and Wilfred. This house had 4 rooms.

Then the next house schedule 308 is called Park Close Cottage and has John and Florence May Saint, Greengrocer & Fruiterer.

According to the plaque on this house it was built in 1907, the house still stands on Somercotes Hill and now is number 260. The houses on Somercotes Hill must have been renumbered at sometime as in the 1939 Register Park Close Cottage was number 74.

MAP: The OS Map of 1938, with Burnt Row, Somercotes Hill marked

On the 10th of June 1915 my grandmother's brother John William Brown Attested at Tidworth into the Royal Army Medical Corp and his Army Record show that before joining up he worked as a miner for Messes Oakes, Pye Hill. In the Army he became a Hospital Orderly in England, but on the 5th of January 1916 was admitted to Tidworth hospital, and in October of that year was transferred to Army Reserve. Then in 1919 my grandmother's brother John William Brown was discharged from the Royal Army Medical Corp and his address was Burnt Row Somercotes Hill.

On 23rd of May 1919 grandmother's brother John William Brown's father-in-law William Walker Miles of Burnt Row Somercotes died aged 70 years. J W Brown son in law of Burnt Row was the informant.

Then there was a sad occurrence in 1922 that was reported

Friday 07 July 1922 Ripley and Heanor News and Ilkeston Division Free Press

SUICIDE OF SOMERCOTES MOULDER.

A SORROWFUL CASE.

PREFERRED DEATH TO CHARITY.

Last Thursday evening, at Pye Bridge, Mr. M. S. Brodhurst (Deputy Coroner) investigated a distressing case of suicide, the victim being John Samuel Burton, of Burnt Row, Somercotes, who was found hanging from a beam in his house last Tuesday evening. He was a moulder by trade, and was thrown out of work by the closing of the Alfreton Ironworks some months ago. Lucy Burton, the widow, said her husband had been unemployed for twelve months during the last two and half years, and he drew unemployment pay for himself his wife, and three children. His unemployment, together with ill-health depressed him. She had never heard him threaten his life. Last Tuesday he spent the day at his mother's house, and he arrived home about 5 p.m. Later in the evening he played cricket with his own and other children at the back of the house, and he asked her to fetch home their girl, who was 14 years old from a local fair. When she returned with the girl, she found both doors of the house fastened. The children told her they had seen the deceased's jacket with a rope round it and before she reached home her suspicions were aroused. Peering through the window she saw her husband hanging by a rope from a beam in the kitchen. The Coroner asked - Could he have gone to work if there was work to do?—My opinion is that he would not be strong enough to work. He had always worked when he was fit. John William Brown, a neighbour, said he was called to the scene, and he got into the house through the cellar. He found the deceased hanging by a rope round his neck, and was suspended from a dog nail in the beam of the ceiling. His knees were bent on the ground. He and another person resorted to artificial respiration without success. The deceased felt that he would not be able to go to work when there was employment, and it was a worry to him that he could not maintain his family. He was not prepared to accept charity. The Coroner said it was a very sorrowful case, and it seemed to be one of impulsive suicide. He sympathised with the widow, and commended the efforts of Brown. He returned a verdict of Suicide while of unsound mind.

My grandmother's brother John William Brown was referred to in the article. So Burnt Row was still there in 1922. But the houses were over 100 years old by now, and there is an article in the newspaper showing that the houses were showing their age;

Saturday 11 October 1913 Derbyshire Courier and Tuesday 14 October 1913 Derbyshire Courier:

Burnt Row, Somercotes.

The Sanitary Inspector reported extensive repairs required the houses in Burnt Row, Somercotes. He had sent a notice to the owner, Mr. Hy Hole, of Somercotes but nothing had been done. He had been dealing with this case since last July, and wanted the Council pass a resolution authorising the repairs done, or make a closing order. Mr. Whyld moved, and Mr. Lee seconded, that notice be sent. . When a similar case was reported, Mr. Whyld said: We a Council preach about health, and have houses like these in the district for people to live in.

PHOTO: Modern photograph of Somercotes Hill, with a representation of Burnt Row where it once have stood.

In 1928 Frank Goodman Miles the son of William Miles married and his address was 77 Somercotes Hill, Alfreton Derby; one of his witnesses was my grandmother's brother John William Brown.

1932 August 12 Ripley and Heanor News and Ilkeston Division Free Press

SOMERCOTES.

John Brown (46), miner, of 77, Somercotes Road was caught by fall of roof at Hill Colliery early on Tuesday, and is now a patient in Nottingham General Hospital with abdominal injuries.

1938 22 April. Ripley and Heanor News and Ilkeston Division Free Press

BROWN-WATSON. The wedding took place at Ripley Parish Church, on Saturday, of Mr. Eric Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Brown, of 77. Somercotes Hill, Somercotes, and Miss Kathleen Marjorie Watson, daughter of Mr. T. Watson and the late Mrs. Watson, of 15, Brighton Street, Ripley. Given away by her father, Miss Watson was wearing a mauve velvet dress, with hat to match, and a spray of white carnations. Her attendant was Miss Jean Baker, who was wearing a white and brown ensemble. The best man was Mr. F Brown (the bridegroom's brother), and Mr. H. Bates (stepbrother of the bride) acted as groomsman. After the service, which was conducted by the Rev. W. E. Smith (curate), a reception was held at the bride's home.

It has already been shown that Burnt Row was next to Park Close Cottage where Mr and Mrs Saint lived, and the 1939 Register does not even mention Burnt Row.

According to the 1939 Register before the houses were renumbered, there is number 74 Somercotes Hill with John and Florence Saint, which is Park Close Cottage, then two newer properties called "Homeleigh" and "the Limes" and then number 80 Somercotes Hill with Frederick and Maud Goodwin. So between number 74 and 80 there were originally 5 properties and my grandmother's brother John William Brown lived at his father in law's William Miles house, which was number 77 Somercotes Hill, also known as Burnt Row, along with the two properties either side of the Miles/Brown home. So Burnt Row was numbers 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79 Somercotes Hill, in old numbers or between 240 and 260 Somercotes Hill now. And between 1938 and 1939 the properties were emptied, and at sometime later pulled down, and two more houses built on its site

Maps show that Burnt Row was set back from Somercotes Hill, up a driveway. On the O.S map of 1938 it is circled and numbered by O.S as 426.

Burnt Row would have been on an angle to Somercotes Hill, at the rear of what is now number 250 Somercotes Hill and slightly going into the side land of number 248 with a driveway up to it approximately where the drive to number 248 is now.

I have tried to show where it was using Google earth and some terraces.

Researched and written in 2021 by Jane Moore, Grand Niece to John William Brown