inHeritage have just been contracted to help the Calver Weir Restoration Project record and preserve the memories of people associated with Calver Mill and the weir.
We will manage an oral history project on their behalf which will train a group of volunteers to record interviews with people who are linked with the mill, weir and the adjacent part of the River Derwent. The project begins with a memories day in March and runs to April 2013.
The press release for the project is below:
Search begins for memories of Calver Weir and Mill
The Calver Weir Restoration Project is launching an exciting oral history project about Calver Weir, Calver Mill and Calver Marshes. Led by volunteers from the local community, the project aims to discover and record the memories of people who worked, lived and played at the mill and adjacent River Derwent.
Calver Mill ended its working life as a cotton mill in 1923 but continued with other uses including as a World War 2 fluorspar depot and then as a stainless steel factory until the 1990s. Calver Weir was essential in managing water flow to the mill, as well as supporting a rich wildlife habitat at Calver Marshes. The weir has recently been restored with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, who are also funding the oral history project.
Potential interviewees include people whose parents or grandparents worked at the mill or maintained the weir; workers at the later converted mill buildings; anglers, bird watchers and local residents.
George Wolfe of the Calver Weir Restoration Project says “We are looking for people whose parents or grandparents worked at the mill or maintained the weir, workers at the later converted mill buildings, as well as anglers, bird watchers and local residents. We would like to record their memories to create a historical archive of the recent working past of the mill and the use of the River Derwent in Calver for recreation. We are also training a small number of volunteers from Calver in oral history recording.”
If you would like to find out more, the project is launched in Calver Methodist Church with a Memories day on Tuesday the 27th March. All are welcome who have memories of Calver Mill, Weir and Marshes. The day runs from 2pm to 5pm and includes refreshments. Volunteers will be on hand to write down any memories you may have and take your details if you would like to be interviewed at a later date.
If you would like to find out more or enquire about being involved please get in touch with Bill Bevan, 0114 2345411, bill@inheritage.co.uk or George Wolfe, 01433 631308, geowolfe1@gmail.com.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About the Calver Weir Restoration Project
We are a registered charity formed in 2004 with the objective of saving the weir from collapse and restoring it to good condition. Calver Weir is a Listed Grade 2 structure, built in the 19th century to provide water to power cotton spinning at Calver Mill, on the River Derwent, in the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire.
Now that the restoration of the weir has been achieved, CWRP is working hard to add to the enjoyment of visitors to the area, by improving footpaths and access points, and carrying out important conservation work and providing information on the history and wildlife.
