I was researching some BDM's in www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk and as always scan the rest of the page for any interesting snippets and thought I'd share this topical bit with you! (The Bakewell Mail snowbound in seperate email) Derby Mercury Wednesday 01 February 1865 The Heavy Fall of Snow After a few weeks of most enjoyable weather, winter has come upon us with unusual severity, and accompanied by a fall of snow much as we have not had for eight or nine years. It was drifted by the wind on Thursday night as it fell, presenting next day fantastic and beautiful forms. On Sunday the barometer went down indicating another fall, which occurred at night, making together in sheltered places, a depth of nine inches, enough, no doubt, when it melts to supply the still deficient springs. The thermometer at night has varied from 36 deg. to 12 deg., a cold seldom reached. We speak of the town, for no doubt in exposed situations in the country we shall hear of a much lower temperature. Such was the calmness of the air on Sunday night that we measured two inches of snow resting on the fine point of a palisade. In various parts of the district the drifts have been unusually heavy and deep, and in many places roads became impassable. In Derby the snow somewhat impeded the traffic in bye streets, but in the principal thoroughfares it was promptly removed. We are informed by the Borough Surveyor that the number of loads of snow removed from the streets in the borough, by the Local Board of Health, up to Tuesday evening, was 1216. It followed, of course, as a sine qua non, that the Town Hall Clock during the severity of the weather refused to perform its functions. Our Matlock correspondent writes: - “One of the heaviest falls of snow which has visited this neighbourhood for some years commenced early on Thursday morning, and continued till late on Friday. It has made the roads nearly impassable, the snow being, in some places, from a yard to two yards deep. A correspondent, writing from Wirksworth, says:- “On Thursday night, about half past twelve o’clock, a man named NAYLOR, of Godfreyhole Wirksworth, was found asleep in the snow near the Green Man public house, Wirksworth. He was worse for liquour, and was found with his face to the ground; he must have been suffocated before morning had he remained undiscovered. Fortunately a neighbour, who was passing, noticed him, and took him home.” -- Rose Kelland www.rosescountryrose.blogspot.com www.livesandtimesofbella.blogspot.com

Rose Kelland writes: Derby Mercury Wednesday 01 February 1865 The Heavy Fall of Snow A correspondent, writing from Wirksworth, says:- “On Thursday night, about half past twelve o’clock, a man named NAYLOR, of Godfreyhole Wirksworth, was found asleep in the snow near the Green Man public house, Wirksworth. He was worse for liquour, and was found with his face to the ground; he must have been suffocated before morning had he remained undiscovered. Fortunately a neighbour, who was passing, noticed him, and took him home.” Could this be he? Edward NAYLOR aged 34 in 1865: See www.wirksworth.org.uk/C71-10.htm#Cn05a The Green Man was in the middle of Wirksworth, see www.wirksworth.org.uk/B87-PUBS.htm It was a good mile walk then across some exposed moorland from Wirksworth to Godfreyhole. Good job he passed out in Wirksworth town where he was likely to be found! Wonder who the good neighbour was? If this is the right man, he lived another 36 years at least, see www.wirksworth.org.uk/C01-06.htm#Cn12a Does anyone claim him in their family tree? If so please contact me and I will write up a short webpage about him. A photo would be great. Regards, John Palmer, Dorset, England Author of Wirksworth website www.wirksworth.org.uk