Clubmill House, Chesterfield, September 2017

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HughieD

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1. The History
Clubmill Reservoir, Chesterfield was built in 1855 as a small water supply for the town before the large Linacre reservoirs were built. Number 16 Clubmill Terrace, was where the Reservoir manager lived. In later years it housed the caretaker. When the water from the reservoir was no longer needed it became overgrown and the house empty. Even as far back as 1898 and OS map showed the reservoir as disused. In 1935 the reservoir and house comprising of about three acres were sold by the Chesterfield & Bolsover Water Board to Mr Edwin Durham of Furnace Farm Upper Newbold for the princely sum of £520.

2. The Explore

Found myself in Chesterfield with an hour or so to kill. Did a bit of a search and this place came up so thought I’d give it a look. Much to my delight it was still standing so popped over to have a look. It’s a lovely place with some beautiful stone mullion windows. It’ been under renovation but this appears to have stopped. Structurally it’s pretty solid. Interior wise it didn’t look too interesting so just stuck to externals. If the renovation was finished this could be a very lovely place.

3. The Pictures

37349976992_2f91f0d483_b.jpgimg3116 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37350008142_071a8dd04f_b.jpgimg3113 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37350034332_be4dd5627f_b.jpgimg3112 by HughieDW, on Flickr

23528124528_0abaeddd21_b.jpgimg3110 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37379961601_fd7f9fc67f_b.jpgimg3109 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37332530876_be131a2e8f_b.jpgimg3108 by HughieDW, on Flickr

36671177464_802e64f734_b.jpgimg3107 by HughieDW, on Flickr

23528279408_d29a012da4_b.jpgimg3106 by HughieDW, on Flickr

23528323228_cfbaf1447e_b.jpgimg3105 by HughieDW, on Flickr

36671259074_92682dc854_b.jpgimg3103 by HughieDW, on Flickr

36671282104_869b59a3de_b.jpgimg3101 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37350327412_4155817eff_b.jpgimg3100 by HughieDW, on Flickr

36710507943_93db3775c2_b.jpgimg3099 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37123708520_d91ccb749b_b.jpgimg3098 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37123735500_3910b4c0d1_b.jpgimg3097 by HughieDW, on Flickr

37350443732_4f219d5d70_b.jpgimg3096 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 
Nice one Hughie and thanks for ending what had been a fruitless search up to now! When one searches old documents, maps etc you find that the prefix 'Club' to the name of a structure or row of dwellings was very common in the period 1800 to 1860. A passing 'I wonder where that name came from' became a serious search when we purchased our present home - an old weaver's cottage built between 1800 and 1810, some ten years back. The Land Registry no longer use the old paper deeds - all on computer evidently now, and it so happened that our cottage came complete with all its original paper deeds, which were handed over to us. The first document was a land deed outlining the purchase of a lane and adjacent land to build a row of 40 cottages for home weavers - the row of dwellings to be known as 'Club Row' because the weavers clubbed together to build the cottages in pairs and drew lots to move in as each pair was completed. Subsequently the prefix seems to have been used on any amenity that was constructed for the good of a group of people, by those very people contributing to the costs involved. Thanks to Hughie's report I have now found out that my original information on this place is way out. The old printed matter gives the location as Chester, not Chesterfield! Will now have to see if the name follows the 'clubbing together' path for the original construction and thus the use of that prefix. Thanks Hughie.
 
A lovely building and a great set of pics. Can't fault Dirus_Strictus for the valuable info as always. I love this forum! That iron gate is lush. The pipework on the ground in pic 5, is that cast iron just out of interest? Nice grime on it, and lovely curves!
 
The pipework on the ground in pic 5, is that cast iron just out of interest? Nice grime on it, and lovely curves!

Yes it is; and must be part of the original iron pipework. A very nice example of the Iron Founder's art back in those days, as is the cast iron lamp-post.
 
Nice one Hughie and thanks for ending what had been a fruitless search up to now! When one searches old documents, maps etc you find that the prefix 'Club' to the name of a structure or row of dwellings was very common in the period 1800 to 1860. A passing 'I wonder where that name came from' became a serious search when we purchased our present home - an old weaver's cottage built between 1800 and 1810, some ten years back. The Land Registry no longer use the old paper deeds - all on computer evidently now, and it so happened that our cottage came complete with all its original paper deeds, which were handed over to us. The first document was a land deed outlining the purchase of a lane and adjacent land to build a row of 40 cottages for home weavers - the row of dwellings to be known as 'Club Row' because the weavers clubbed together to build the cottages in pairs and drew lots to move in as each pair was completed. Subsequently the prefix seems to have been used on any amenity that was constructed for the good of a group of people, by those very people contributing to the costs involved. Thanks to Hughie's report I have now found out that my original information on this place is way out. The old printed matter gives the location as Chester, not Chesterfield! Will now have to see if the name follows the 'clubbing together' path for the original construction and thus the use of that prefix. Thanks Hughie.
The use of 'Club' had me thinking of the origins of building societies - groups of people getting together and pooling their money to build houses for
the members. It appears there were both short term and long term building societies, hence the word 'Permanent' in the names of some, for example, the Leeds Permanent Building Society. Now extant, and not the current Leeds Building Society.

The 'iron gate' had me thinking of the portcullises seen in medieval castles. I would not fancy being impaled by the spikes at the bottom of the 'gate'!
 
Apparently the Fredericks family, local to the area, and owners of our local family founded and owned Ice Cream empire, purchased it in 2019, and are renovating it bit by bit.
Interesting update, thank you. And good to hear the place isn't going to waste
 
Apparently the Fredericks family, local to the area, and owners of our local family founded and owned Ice Cream empire, purchased it in 2019, and are renovating it bit by bit.
Yes, a real change from the way most no longer used buidlings are treated. I see today that "a fire broke out" in one of the old Broadmoor Hospital buildings. Also "Emergency services were called to the Pease Hill Centre on Furze Gardens in St Ann's, Nottingham, on Wednesday evening (1 May). Police have arrested five teenagers on suspicion of arson after a fire at an abandoned hospital".
 
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