Old Post Office, 17 Main Road, Whatstandwell
The picture reproduced here is just one of what is available on a web site called picture the past (www.picturethepast.org.uk). The site aims to make historic images from the library and museum collections of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, freely available at the click of a button to anyone with access to the internet, anywhere in the world. DCHQ500224 – A P Knighton /www.picturethepast.org.uk
The following text is an extract taken from “Postal History of Matlock and District” by Harold S Wilson. John Slaney kindly submitted the information. John doesn’t know the date the book was written but he does know for a fact that Bill and Sue Drury and David Falconer had the post office whilst he has lived at Leashaw Farm.
It says in the book that in 1813 the mail for the Crich area was dropped off in Derby by the London Mail Coach and taken to the Peacock Inn at Oakerthorpe by Cross Road Mail Coach. From the Peacock Inn it was taken by Foot Post to Crich – the only place in Derbyshire to employ this Method.
Whatstandwell also known as Crich Carr lies on the road from the main A6 at Whatstandwell Station to Crich. The first mention of a post office is in a directory for 1864, which shows Issac Ollerenshaw, shopkeeper and stone-mason, as sub-postmaster. The mail arrived from Derby at 7.45 am and departed at 7.20 pm.
Directories for 1876 and 1881 show the office as a sub-office of Crich with George Wheatcroft, shopkeeper, as sub-postmaster. Mail arrived from Derby at 5.05 am and departed at 7.10 pm. Directories for 1881 to 1891 show Timothy Martin, grocer, in office. Directories for 1895 to 1925 show John Bowmer, farmer, as sub-postmaster with the mail arriving from Matlock Bath at 6.20 am and 2.59 pm and departing at 11.30 am and 7 pm. No names are given in directories for 1928 and 1932 but in 1936 and 1941 Mrs Mary Cook, grocer, is named as sub-postmistress. She was followed by Mr Litchfield then by Mr Charles Freeman in 1964 and finally by the present sub-postmaster, JJ Bell who took over in 1967. The post office has been in the present shop (18 Main Road) since 1920, prior to this it was situated in 35 Main Road and before that 17 Main Road. Ordinary mail has not been cancelled since 1977.
Handstamps recorded are:
Figure 285, is recorded from 1904 to 1912 with times 11 am, 11.45 am, 5.45 pm, 7 pm and 7.15 pm. It is also recorded from 1914 to 1920 with am or pm above the date.
Figure 286, is recorded in 1967 and 1971
Figure 287, is the current counter stamp
Post Office, 35 Main Road, Whatstandwell
The picture reproduced here is just one of what is available on a web site called picture the past (www.picturethepast.org.uk). The site aims to make historic images from the library and museum collections of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, freely available at the click of a button to anyone with access to the internet, anywhere in the world. DCHQ500221 – A P Knighton /www.picturethepast.org.uk