MAPLE TREES are growing again, in Mapperley Village, near Ilkeston.

Mary Flint
Inquest Before Mr. Mozley, Coroner

On Saturday the 23rd. and by adjournment on Tuesday, the 26th inst., at Mapperley, on the body of Mary Flint aged 26. Deceased was a young woman of a somewhat weak mind but with a degree of cunning not unfrequently allied with it. She was unmarried and six months advanced in pregnancy, and had died, apparently from the effects of poison the Friday before. Mr. Longstaff, surgeon of Ilkeston, submitted to various tests the stomach and its contents and detected the presence of a considerable quantity of arsenic. It was considered unlikely that the deceased should have obtained the arsenic herself, and every inquiry was made, and many witnesses examined, with the hope of discovering who had given it to her, or obtained it for her, but, unfortunately, for the present without success. The jury returned a verdict. "That deceased died from having swallowed arsenic, but under what circumstances, by whom administered or procured, and whether taken by her with or without a guilty knowledge, did not appear in evidence to the jury."

Derby Mercury. Wednesday, May 27th. 1846

(My thanks to Barry Dibb of Ilkeston for sending this article to me)

Looking through some old photos, I came across a snap of my pre-war football team, Mapperley Miners Welfare, from around 1935.

The lady who took the original was one of the players' wives and the camera she used would probably have been a box brownie.

I would like to give the picture to the team if they would like it for their collection.

I spent several years at Mapperley village in those days, some of the happiest times at the home of Mr and Mrs Ernest Peacock, who treated me like their own son.

Mr 'E' thought I was a good enough player for Mapperley M W, as it was known from 1934 onwards. I also spent two Christmas Days and Boxing Days there.

As the Earl of Harrington Hounds met at the Black Horse for their Christmas meet on Boxing Day, we - Billie and Frank Peacock and myself - followed them sometimes, once as far as Loco Park, Stanley.

We had some good times at the Black Horse and the Candlestick Hotel, near the pit. I think Mr Sherwin kept one or the other. The landlord at the Candlestick had to carry the beer up from the cellar.

I had to bike to Mapperley from Ilkeston - about four to five miles - every week in the football season and at other times as well.

Once or twice, Mr 'E' would say, when I arrived on match day: "Come across to the pub." Then he would give me a new-laid egg and say: "Put that in y'ole. It'll make you play well today."

I also went a few times during the war as I used to go fishing with Billie Peacock. There were times at Mapperley that I'll never forget. I can remember all but one on the photo. The boys at the front are the Pritchart twins. I wonder how many are still alive.

Ted Gilbert (86), Nuthall Nottingham

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