The street of Willow Row located in the heart of Derby looked much different during the 19th century to how it does in the modern day. The area surrounding Willow Row became a hive of society, containing everything from average street traders all the way to what this page will be focusing on, a key aspect to British culture, the public house, of which there were numerous within its vicinity. What this page intends to highlight is the life and culture that surrounded the public houses located within Willow Row. From the ideas of community and society but also notions … Continue reading Willow Row and the Public House – George Walker

All Saints’ School. In November 1851, a schoolhouse was erected in Walker Lane to educate impoverished inhabitants of the parish of All Saints. Facilitated by grants and charitable donations, the school is an exemplary example of the nineteenth century culture of philanthropy. This excerpt from the Derby Mercury not only depicts a level of comfort in the warm, light, and well-ventilated schoolhouse, that was constructed with the wants of the poorest in mind. Walker Lane certainly was “conveniently situated” to make education more accessible to children of the slum – or perhaps to keep poverty confined and concentrated. A capacity … Continue reading Parish institutions: the schoolhouse and the workhouse.

Walker Lane had one of the largest concentrations of poverty within Derby during the nineteenth-century. Our research endeavours to explore the slum, and demonstrate how both wider societies, and even national agendas and bureaucracy, have influenced poverty – and the continuance of poverty – on Walker Lane. Furthermore, our research will show that there was a sense of morals and society within this group of people, highlighting how they were part of the wider society and not a distinct different group.  These articles on Walker Lane are written on the topics including, bureaucracy and how local and national bureaucracy of health … Continue reading Introduction to Walker Lane.

By Mark Gratton The 17th August 1836 saw a new government department formed; this was The General Register Office. It was tasked with generating and disseminating information from England and Britain. This might not have been the birth of statistics, but it was from this period on, that saw the growth of bureaucracy within England and Britain.[1]This growing use of data led to conflict between local and national government through the use of these new bureaucratic frameworks. This legislative struggle had a detrimental effect on the poor in society, this can be seen in Walker Lane, Derby. Walker Lane was … Continue reading