The Fencible Cavalry
The civil war was raging in France in the last decade of the 18th Century and the British Government feared invasion. In 1794,
Read more
Author: Norman Monahan
Sir John Harpur, the 2nd Baronet
Of the 2nd baronet, who was born in 1616, we know very little, apart from the fact that, after the specific bequests made
Read more
Sir John Harpur, 3rd Baronet
John was born in 1645 and was educated at Queen’s College, Oxford. Like his father, we have little knowledge of where he went,
Read more
What’s in a Name?
Visitors to Calke Abbey are sometimes puzzled by the names that occur in the last few generations of the Harpur Crewe family; for
Read more
Sir John Harpur, 4th Baronet
Although, by 1701, the Harpurs of Calke had held the title of Baronet for 75 years, it was not until John – at
Read more
What did you do in the lockdown, Grandad?
Norman Monahan’s work on the Ticknall water supply articles was going fine until it emerged that there were some important facts that needed
Read more
Sir Henry Harpur, 5th Baronet
Sir Henry Harpur, 5th baronet was born in 1708 and educated at Brasenose College, Oxford. He then went, as was the custom, –
Read more
Sir Henry ‘Harry’ Harpur, 6th Baronet
Born on the 6th. July 1739 – had he been born 50 years later, I think that he would have figured in one
Read more
Sir Henry Harpur, 7th Baronet
In his private diaries, the then Headmaster of Repton School, The Rev. William Bagshaw Stevens, called Sir Henry Harpur, the 7th. Baronet, the
Read more
Water supplies to Ticknall and Calke
Nowadays we take a clean, constant water supply for granted. Yet it is surprising how recently this came to be the case. Twenty
Read more
Calke Abbey and Park
Midway along Main Street in Ticknall is the understated entrance to Calke Abbey, one of the National Trust’s most popular properties. A scenic
Read more
Paraffin City Services
We finished the last article warmly ensconced in the double privy in the Methodist church, which article was sent to Sharps Pottery Museum,
Read more