Kelly's Derbyshire Directory 1912

SHIRLEY is a township, parish and picturesque village, 4 miles south-east from Ashbourne station on the Churnet Valley section of the North Staffordshire railway and 10 north west from Derby, in the Western division of the county, Appletree hundred, in the petty sessional division. union and county court district of Ashbourne, rural deanery of Ashbourne, archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Southwell. By Local Government Board Order a detached part of Shirley was transferred in 1887 to Hollington. The church of St. Michael, a building of stone, situated upon an acclivity, consists of chancel, nave of three bays, aisles, south portch and an embattled tower with four pinnacles, erected in 1861 and containing 3 bells, two of which are dated 1688: in 1842 the north aisle was added and the church refitted, the chancel arch, the only remnant of the Early Norman church, being replaced by a Pointed arch: all the ancient parts of the church now remaining, including the south aisle and its windows, and the arcade separating it from the nave are Decorated: the chancel retains a piscina, and in the opposite wall an almery; there is also a piscina in the south aisle the font is an octagonal work of the 15th century: such ancient monuments as remained appear to have been destroyed in the repairs of 1842: at the east end of the north aisle is a portion of the Norman tympanum once placed over the principal entrance: in the north aisle is a handsome marble monument to the Right Rev. W. A. Shirley, Bishop of Sodor and Man, and previously archdeacon of Derby and vicar of Shirley, d. April 21, 1847: and in 1873 a brass was erected to the late Canon Walter Waddington Shirley, of Christ Church, Oxford : some of the communion plate is dated 1620; but two pieces date from the.reign of Henry VII : the chancel which (with the great tithes) became the property of the late Sir Andrew B. Walker bart. on his purchasing the Osmaston estate, was redecorated by him in 1886, and there is a brass plate to that effect Within the chancel: there are 200 sittings. The churchyard contains the remains of an ancient stone pillar monument, and a fine yew tree, the circumference of which, at four feet from the ground, is 1.7 feet. The register dates from the year 1658 for all entries and is in excellent condition. The living is a vicarage, with 9 acres of glebe, net yearly value £232, with residence, in the gift of Walter K. Shirley esq. and held since 1908 by the Rev. Charles Harry Owen M. A. of Jesus College, Cambridge, The vicarage is about a quarter of a mile from the church. Here is a Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1855. A reading room was opened January 1st, 1877, and is well supplied with daily papers, periodicals and magazines, and possesses also a library containing 300 volumes. Here are charities amounting to £1 6s. 8d. yearly. Walter Knight Shirley esq. of 35 Victoria Road, Kensington, London W is lord of the manor. Sir Peter 0. Walker bart. of Osmaston, and W. K. Shirley esq. are chief landowners The soil is light; subsoil, gravel and and. The land is chiefly kept in pasture for dairy produce. The area is 1,618 acres of land and 12 of water; rateable value, £2,687; the population in 1901 was 235.

Verger and Sexton, Frank Harrison.

Post Office.-— David Rushton, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Derby via Brailsford at 7·30 a.m. & 5.5 p.m. dispatched at 11.10 a.m. & 6.20 p.m. week days only; no sunday delivery. Osmaston is the nearest money order & telegraph office.

Public Elementary School (mixed), erected with residence in 1844, & enlarged in 1893, by subscription, assisted by a parliamentary grant, for 80 children; average attendance, 50: Miss Margaret Robinson, mistress.

Owen Rev. Charles Harry M.A. (vicar), Vicarage

COMMERCIAL.
Bainbrigge Eli, butcher
Bourne Peter, farmer, Shirley Hall
Brown Joseph, farmer, Shirley Mill
Brown William, farmer,Shirley lodge
Bull Joseph, farm bailiff.Shirley Com
Chatfield John, farmer
Chatfield Joseph, farmer,Shirley Com
C x n [Coxon] George, farmer
Gilman Thomas, farmer
Harrison Elizabeth (Mrs.),dress maker
Kent John, farmer, Shirley mount
Marsh Mary (Mrs.), dress maker
Maskery John, boot repairer
Mellor Isabella (Mrs.), Saracen's Head P.H
Millward William, farmer, Park farm
Normanshaw Walter, farmer
Parker William, brick maker
Reading Room (Arth. Bainbridge,sec)
Redshaw Chas. farmr. Old Park farm
Rushton David, baker, Post office
Taylor Samuel, farmer
Titterton Thomas, shopkeeper
Wheeldon Alfred, farmer
Wheeldon Wm. farmer, Old Rectory
Wibberley Fredk. farmer, Wormsley
Wright Frank Limited, millers (water), Shirley mill; & at Ashbourne

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