Firbeck is a village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
in the
Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. It is named after its largest town, Rotherham, but also spans the outlying towns of Maltby, Swinton, Wath-upon-Dearne, Dinnington and also the vill ...
in
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham.
In N ...
, England, on the border with
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
. It lies between
Maltby and
Oldcotes
Oldcotes is a village in Nottinghamshire, England. It is in the civil parish of Styrrup with Oldcotes (where the population is shown). The village is centred on the crossroads of the A60 and A634 roads, five miles south east of Maltby.
The h ...
, off the
A634 and
B6463 roads. Firbeck had a population of 317 in 2001, which had fallen to 299 at the 2011 Census.
History
The place name Firbeck is thought to derive from a wood streamlet, or beck of the Frith.
An oval field in the village marks what was once the private racecourse of 18th century
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...
owner
Anthony St Leger, who originated the
St Leger Stakes
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a d ...
. While the first "St. Leger" race was held on Cantley Common in 1776, was not so named until over a year later, and moved to
Doncaster Racecourse
Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy.
History
Doncas ...
in 1778, local legend holds that the race was being run in Firbeck prior to this. St Leger lived at Park Hill, an estate to the south of Firbeck. The main house was demolished in 1935, but there are still
Grade II listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
farm buildings, dating from the 17th century and built of limestone rubble with a roof of pantiles, within the grounds of the estate.
Village amenities include The Black Lion
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
, and St Martin's Church, which was rebuilt on the site of a previous building in 1820. A north aisle was added in 1844, and in 1887, Henry Gladwyn Jebb commissioned the builders E I Hubbard of Rotherham to enlarge it further. When Jebb died, a tower was added in 1900 in his memory. The building includes two 19th-century wall monuments to the Knight family of
Langold
Langold is a village in the civil parish of Hodsock, in the Bassetlaw district, north Nottinghamshire, England. At the 2011 census it was defined as a ward of Bassetlaw Council with a population of 2,472. It was built to provide housing for the ...
, while there is a larger 18th-century monument to other members of the family in the churchyard. Both the tomb and the church building are
Grade II listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
Firbeck Hall
Firbeck Hall was built in 1594 by
William West, who was steward to
Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury
Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, 5th Earl of Waterford, 11th Baron Talbot, KG (1500 – 25 September 1560) was the son of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, and Anne Hastings. He also held the subsidiary titles of 14th Baron Strange o ...
, and to
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, 7th Earl of Waterford, 13th Baron Talbot, KG (20 November 1552 – 8 May 1616), styled Lord Talbot from 1582 to 1590, was a peer in the peerage of England. He also held the subsidiary titles of 16th Baron ...
from 1580 to 1594. He was from Rotherham, and had made a fortune as a practising lawyer. West was the author of a legal textbook called ''Symbolaeographia'', and stipulated in his will of 1598 that "a grave stone be set for me and my said wife in Firbeck Church, and ingraven with our arms and names and some posy." In 1676, the hall was purchased by Jonathan Staniforth, son of William Staniforth of Rotherham. The family had been puritans during the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
, and were staunch
Nonconformist
Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to:
Culture and society
* Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior
*Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity
** ...
s. Jonathan married four times, first to Dorothy Shaw, secondly to Anne Spateman, thirdly to Mary Disney, daughter of John Disney, and finally to Christian Knight, daughter of
Ralph Knight
Sir Ralph Knight (1619 – 21 April 1691) was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons in 1660. He served in the Roundheads, Parliamentary army in the English Civil War. He sold 'the Barrels' ...
. Upon Jonathan's death in 1679, the house was passed down to his son Disney Staniforth. Disney married Mary Skinner and had a son named Jonathan, and three daughters Mary, Henrietta and Amelia. The children were known to be reclusive, never marrying or having offspring. In 1768, the estates of Firbeck and nearby
Langold
Langold is a village in the civil parish of Hodsock, in the Bassetlaw district, north Nottinghamshire, England. At the 2011 census it was defined as a ward of Bassetlaw Council with a population of 2,472. It was built to provide housing for the ...
were inherited by Elizabeth Gally (née Knight), whose husband was Rev Dr Henry Gally, Rector of
St Giles in the Fields
St Giles in the Fields is the Anglican parish church of the St Giles district of London. It stands within the London Borough of Camden and belongs to the Diocese of London. The church, named for St Giles the Hermit, began as a monastery and ...
,
Camden
Camden may refer to:
People
* Camden (surname), a surname of English origin
* Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer
* Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor
Places Australia
* Camden, New South Wales
* Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...
, and chaplain to
King George II. His two sons added the name Knight to their existing names, the eldest, John Gally Knight, living at Langold Hall, and the youngest, a barrister called Henry, residing in Firbeck Hall. Following Henry's death in 1808, his widow Selina devoted herself to serving the community, rebuilding Firbeck Church, and establishing schools in Firbeck and the neighbouring village of
Letwell
Letwell is a rural village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with Nottinghamshire. It lies between Dinnington and Langold, off the B6463 road. It is located at 53° 22' 40" Nort ...
. When she died in 1823, the estate passed to her son, another Henry.
Her son was the 19th-century architect and writer
Henry Gally Knight
Henry Gally Knight, F.R.S. (2 December 1786 – 9 February 1846) was a British politician, traveller and writer.
Biography
Knight was the only son of Henry Gally (afterwards Gally Knight), barrister, of Langold, and was educated at Eton and Tr ...
who is assumed to have been a principal information source for
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'', ''Rob Roy (n ...
during the writing of ''
Ivanhoe
''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' () by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. Set in England in the Middle Ages, this novel marked a shift away from Scott’s prior practice of setting st ...
''. Knight was the
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for North Nottinghamshire from 1814 to 1831, and was also the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire. He wrote books on European medieval architecture, wrote poetry, and knew the
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...
. He intended to build a large mansion overlooking Langold Lakes, but having commissioned the plans, changed his mind, and lived at the Hall. He married his wife Henrietta in 1826. The hall was extended and improved, and a notable feature was the steep gables which he added. He died on 9 February 1846, and left the hall in his will to the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners were, in England and Wales, a body corporate, whose full title was Ecclesiastical and Church Estates Commissioners for England. The commissioners were authorized to determine the distribution of revenues of the Chu ...
. Seven years later, the commissioners sold the estate, and it was purchased by Frances Harriett Miles (née Jebb). The Rev. Henry Gladwyn Jebb, who was involved in the rebuilding of St Martin's church, inherited the building on the death of Mrs Miles, and it passed to his nephew Captain Sydney Gladwyn Jebb in 1898. Sydney Jebb was a wealthy landowner, and a
Justice of the peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
in the
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
, but chose to live in
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the c ...
, Kent. The house was rented out, after attempts to sell it failed in 1909. Some modernisation was carried out at the beginning of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, when several
Belgian
Belgian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to, Belgium
* Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent
* Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German
*Ancient Belgian language, an extinct language ...
families were housed there.
Country Club
The estate was sold again in 1934 to Cyril Nicholson.
Robert Cawkwell of
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
was responsible for the interior designs when, in 1935, Nicholson, a Sheffield
stockbroker
A stockbroker is a regulated broker, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser (in the United States) who may provide financial advisory and investment management services and execute transactions such as the purchase or sale of stocks an ...
, opened the hall as a country club, investing £80,000 in its art deco renovation. The interior was dramatically modernised and featured a mirror-walled ballroom and an elaborate and versatile state-of-the-art lighting system. There was also a heated outdoor swimming pool, and membership fees ranged from three to seven
guinea
Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
s. Nicholson built an airfield in the grounds, enlisting the help of the pilot Captain
Tom Campbell Black
Tom Campbell Black (December 1899 – 19 September 1936) was an aviator, English aviator.
He was the son of Alice Jean McCullough and Hugh Milner Black. He became a world-famous aviator when he and C. W. A. Scott won the London to Melbourne Ce ...
, who with C. W. A. Scott had won the air race from
Mildenhall to
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
in 1935. Black was a well-connected
socialite
A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...
, and it was through him that
the then Prince of Wales learned of the club, flying there in his private Dragon aircraft, which bore the royal insignia. The aviator
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson (born 1 July 1903 – disappeared 5 January 1941) was a pioneering English pilot who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia.
Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, she set many long-distance records duri ...
also patronised the club. Other facilities included an 18-hole golf course, the design of which Nicholson entrusted to the celebrity golfer John S.F. Morrison, championship-standard squash courts, and tennis courts. The swimming pool was built by the Sheffield-based construction company B. Powell and Son. Such was the club's reputation, that the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
transmitted its weekly Saturday show "Late Night Dance Music" with
Henry Hall,
Carroll Gibbons
Carroll Richard Gibbons (January 4, 1903 – May 10, 1954) was an American-born pianist, bandleader and popular composer who made his career primarily in England during the British dance band era.
Image of Gibbons from the W.D. & H.O. Wills ...
and
Charlie Kunz
Charles Leonard Kunz (August 18, 1896 – March 16, 1958) was an American-born British musician popular during the British dance band era, and who became a pianist.
Life and career
Kunz was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States, the on ...
from Firbeck.
Second World War onwards
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the hall was used by
Sheffield Royal Infirmary
The Royal Infirmary was a hospital in Upperthorpe, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.
History
Founding an infirmary for Sheffield was suggested in an anonymous letter written 1789 and following a public meeting in April 1792, public subscri ...
and the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
, with the adjacent
aerodrome
An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publ ...
becoming
RAF Firbeck
Royal Air Force Firbeck or more simply RAF Firbeck is a former Royal Air Force station located west of Firbeck, South Yorkshire, England.
The airfield was opened in September 1940 and was closed in 1948, during this time it was mainly used as ...
. The hall was unsuccessfully offered for sale in 1943, but in 1945
[ it was bought by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO) for use as a convalescent home and rehabilitation centre for injured miners. This centre closed in 1984. It was subsequently used by the Trent Regional Health Authority as a rehabilitation centre for those suffering from industrial injuries, and till about 1990. It was bought by a development company in 1996, Cambs Construction Ltd,][ but from then the Hall fell into a state of disrepair. In 2009, a group called the Friends of Firbeck Hall was established, to attempt to secure a future for the site. Cambs Construction failed in May 2010, and the liquidators sold the estate to a development company based in Doncaster for £350,000. The company set about restoring the West Lodge, which was completed in early 2014, but there was another change of ownership later that year. The new owners held a consultation event outlining their plans for the building on 1 November 2016 in Firbeck Village Hall. The Friends group are optimistic that this might result in the building and its of surrounding conservation land, which forms a substantial part of the village, being rescued from dereliction.]
The airfield
Nicholson's airfield was used by the Sheffield Aero Club in 1938, who had a collection of de Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. ...
and Gypsy Moth
''Lymantria dispar'', also known as the gypsy moth or the spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. ''Lymantria dispar'' is subdivided into several subspecies, with subspecies such as ''L. d. dispar'' and ''L. d. japonica'' bei ...
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
s. With the Second World War looming, it became part of Sir Kingsley Wood
Sir Howard Kingsley Wood (19 August 1881 – 21 September 1943) was a British Conservative politician. The son of a Wesleyan Methodist minister, he qualified as a solicitor, and successfully specialised in industrial insurance. He became a membe ...
's "Great Flying Scheme" in 1939, which aimed to train volunteer pilots for the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
, and in 1940, the whole site was requisitioned by the Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...
. It became RAF Firbeck
Royal Air Force Firbeck or more simply RAF Firbeck is a former Royal Air Force station located west of Firbeck, South Yorkshire, England.
The airfield was opened in September 1940 and was closed in 1948, during this time it was mainly used as ...
and a base for No. 613 Squadron RAF initially, following their move from Netherthorpe Airfield
Netherthorpe Aerodrome is located west by north of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. The aerodrome is in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham close to the village of Thorpe Salvin.
Netherthorpe Aerodrome is part of a local landowner's estat ...
and was used as a training base. After the war ended, it was decommissioned, with the hangar being dismantled in 1948, and the area was returned to agricultural use. A small area of concrete apron remains, and in 2011, a memorial was unveiled by Wing Commander John E Bates OBE, to honour those who served at the base.
See also
* Listed buildings in Firbeck
References
Bibliography
*
* (compiled from material held in Langold Library, with additional information from others)
*
*
*
External links
The History of Firbeck and Firbeck Hall, Rotherhamweb
The Firbeck Canard, Local news, Firbeck
{{authority control
Villages in South Yorkshire
Geography of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
Civil parishes in South Yorkshire