Three more postcards of Bonsall's Cross at the Yeoman Street / Church Street/High Street junction, unusually with nobody
sitting on the steps. The top picture, with the horse and
cart on the High Street (behind and to the left of the Cross),
could date from just before the first war whereas the lower
image which looks down Yeoman Street would have been taken
around 1900 or just a little later.
The shop signs are almost unreadable in the second picture,
but the double fronted shop to the right of the Cross was
Frederick Hartle's drapery. He and his family were living
at the Cross and he was working as a draper and clothier dealer
in 1911[1].
Mr. Hartle was the son of Abel Hartle and had been born in
the village in 1854. He married Margaret Kirkland at St. James
Church on 1 August 1881 and the couple moved to Nottingham
for a while. Their son was born there. The family had returned
to the village by 1891[2],
living at first on Clatterway but later moving to these premises.
Frederick acted as Surveyor of Highway at one time whilst his
son, Charles Frederick, became the Assistant Overseer And Rate Collector.
In 1926 the historian Thomas Tudor thought Bonsall was a "pretty
and secluded village with its stone built houses, ancient cross
and beautiful old church"[3].
He added that Bonsall was originally part of the manor of
Metesford (Matlock) which was in the King's Field.
Over the centuries many of the village's inhabitants were
involved with lead mining[4].
Other historical industries were stocking making and comb making.
Just three years after Tudor's visit the Cross suffered
a minor calamity when a motor lorry ran backwards and hit its
base. The lorry went on its way afterwards but
the enormity of what had happened became too much and
it stopped about a mile away, refusing to budge for the night.
Whether it was the lorry that was overcome with remorse, or
the driver, is unclear! Needless to say, the following day
officials were out with tape measures to assess the damage
and the repair bill was sent to the lorry's owners[5].
Below is an unusual view of the Cross and shows a late Victorian house and shop at the top of the Market Place which I have always
understood was the home and grocery store of my great grandparents, Randolph and Margaret Jane Walker. My grandmother, Daisy, was
their youngest child and born here in late 1891. She was christened at. St. James' in February 1892.
Randolph was also a member of the Bonsall and West Derbyshire's Poultry, Pigeon, Rabbit and Cage Bird Fanciers' Association. In
1892 they held their annual meeting "in very inclement weather", shortly before which he had won second prize at their
exhibition for "Any variety of cock, within a radius of five miles of Bonsall"[6].
The family were still in Bonsall in early November 1892, but then moved to Lower Brougton. They continued to visit the area and one
daughter lived at Nether Green for a number of years.
 Randolph Walker is listed in Kelly's 1891 Directory, Bonsall
The next tenants were Frederick and Caroline Parsons; Frederick's name can be seen on the shop sign in the photo above. He also took part
in village life, becoming the first treasurer of Bonsall Football Club in 1894[7] and was elected to
the Council[8]. The Parsons family moved away in 1904 and by 1911 Frederick was managing the
White Swan Hotel in Leicester Market Place.
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