Wednesday 22nd June 2011

The shortlist for this year's Blue Plaque awards has just been announced by Derbyshire County Council and features amongst others the name of a woman pivotal to the history and development of Chesterfield.

Violet Markham joins the 12 strong list of what's being termed 'The county's great and good', along with the co founder of Rolls Royce, Henry Royce and Mill owner John Smedley from Matlock and Lea.

The Blue Plaque scheme ran for the first time last year and aims to celebrate the lives and contributions of famous Derbyshire people to Derbyshire life. Previous winners include Lady Baden Powell and George Stephenson.

Voting has now opened (list shown below) and votes must be in by August 8th.

To vote, go to www.derbyshire.gov.uk/blueplaques or write in to:
Blue Plaques Vote, Derbyshire County Council, County Hall,
Matlock DE4 3AG, or complete the voting form printed in the authority's newspaper Derbyshire First, due out at the end of June.

Leader of Derbyshire County Council and cabinet member for culture Councillor Andrew Lewer today thanked the public for their nominations and is now urging people to vote saying, "We have a lot to be proud of in the county. From renowned engineers and innovators to popular authors and reformers, we have a wealth of talent and skills to celebrate.

"I would like to thank everybody who made a nomination, even if their choice was not selected.

"Help us mark the very best of Derbyshire by getting your votes in now."

The full list as released by Derbyshire County Council -

This year’s full shortlist features:

• William Barron of Borrowash - one of the great gardeners of the 19th century who designed the gardens at Elvaston Castle. Nominated by Rosemary Woodhouse of Breaston and the Ockbrook and Borrowash Heritage Society.
  
  
• William Beesley of Gresley - a hero of the First World War, Beesley was the recipient of the country’s highest military honour, the Victoria Cross. He was given the award for showing great bravery at the battle of Bucquoy in France. Many of his family still live in the Gresley and Swadlincote areas. Nominated by Mrs Dolman of Swadlincote.
  
  
• The Hardinge Arms, King's Newton, near Melbourne - home of the Newton Wonder apple, developed by William Taylor in the 1880s. Although the orchard is no longer there, the name lives on in a new development of houses called Newton Wonder Court. Nominated by Denys Collyer of Melbourne.
  
  
• Llewellyn Jewitt of Winster - founder of the Derby Telegraph in 1853, Jewitt was an illustrator, lithographer, publisher and antiquarian. He was born in 1816 and became nationally known as illustrations manager of the satirical magazine Punch. He was also curator of Derby Town and County Museum and helped set up the Derbyshire Archaeological Society. Nominated by Geoff Lester of Winster.
  
  
• Will Hay, Belper - a popular comedian of the 1930s, Hay began his stage career in Belper in 1910, later living in the town. Hay also had other talents. He was an expert linguist, an aircraft pilot who once gave lessons to Amy Johnson and an astronomer of some repute. He made many of his early observations at Middleton Top - where the White Peak Astronomical Society still meet today. Nominated by Dr Andy Minion of Belper, Eugene Stokes of Bolsover, Barry Griffyths of Sandiacre and David Lambert of Derby.
  
  
• Violet Markham, Brimington near Chesterfield - born at Brimington Hall in 1872, Markham was a former mayor of Chesterfield and a major mover and shaker in national and local government for 50 years. She campaigned for social reform and saw a significant role for voluntary welfare alongside state provision. Nominated by Duncan Taylor of Derby.
  
  
• Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls Royce, Quarndon - Frederick Henry, later Sir Henry, Royce was an engineer and motor car designer and co-founder of Rolls-Royce. He was born in 1863 and spent three very influential years (1908 - 1911) living in Quarndon. Nominated by Bryan Harris of Quarndon.
  
  
• Samuel Slater, Belper - known as the "father of the American Industrial Revolution", Slater was born in Belper in 1768. He became an apprentice in Jedidiah Strutt’s cotton mill and, at 21, left for America to make his fortune by betraying the secret of Richard Arkwright's "water frame" to American manufacturers. Belper and Pawtucket in Rhode Island, USA, are twinned in recognition of their shared history with Samuel Slater. Nominated by Rosemary Timms of Milford.
  
  
• John Smedley, Lea Bridge and Matlock - regarded as the man who made Matlock, Smedley turned his father's ailing cotton mill at Lea Bridge into a highly successful enterprise which prospers to this day making fine knitwear. He also built Riber Castle as his family home and created Smedley's Hydro - now County Hall and home to Derbyshire County Council. Nominated by the Matlock Civic Association.
  
  
• Alison Uttley, Cromford and Dethick - an author of more than 100 books, Uttley is most famous for the Little Grey Rabbit children's stories based on her childhood at Castle Top Farm, Cromford, where she was born in 1884. Her book A Traveller in Time continues to be used in schools today. People from all over the world visit Cromford and Dethick to trace her stories and childhood. Nominated by Simon and Gilly Groom of Dethick.
  
  
• Sir Joseph Whitworth, Oakerthorpe and Darley Dale - a world-renowned engineer who standardised the industrial screw, Sir Joseph Whitworth developed his lifelong interest in industrial machinery at his uncle’s Amber Mill in Oakerthorpe. He later lived at Stancliffe Hall, Darley Dale. Without Whitworth’s work the pace of industrialisation would have been much slower. Many buildings, including the Whitworth Institute at Darley Dale and Whitworth Hospital, are named in his honour. Nominated by Peter Wood of Oakerthorpe, Kenneth Silcock of Chesterfield and Christine Lee of Matlock.
  
  
• George Henry Widdows, a pioneer in the work of school planning in Derbyshire - Widdows was appointed architect to the Derbyshire County Council Education Committee in 1904 where he established a reputation as a talented designer of modern schools. He designed 60 elementary and 17 secondary schools - many of which have been listed by English Heritage. Nominated by Iain Mackay of Wirksworth.

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