We are not alone.....The mystery of the other Wirksworth
It is often said that Wirksworth is a special, even unique place, and in many ways this is true, but surprise, surprise- there is another Wirksworth!
Local resident Phil Richards came across this news by accident while surfing the internet:"There on Google News was a story about the renovation of Wirksworth House. I thought- where is that? I read on , and there it was- in Tasmania!"
Wirksworth House
Wirksworth House stands on a plot of land which also bears the name Wirksworth, in Bellerive, a suburb of Hobart, capital of Tasmania. The house was built in 1888 by a wealthy man named Charles Featherstone. Sadly his fortunes took a turn for the worse not long after that and most of his family records disappeared.
In 1939 the house was taken over by the Tasmanian Education Service and used as a Teachers Centre. In recent years the house was in danger of demolition until the Tasmanian government, recognising its historic worth, decided to renovate it last year.
Tasmanian newspaper - Eastern Shore Sun
The story appeared in the Eastern Shore Sun, Hobart's online newspaper. Phil contacted their editor, Ingrid Harrison in December and they have both been trying to solve the mystery of how the house got its name and what the connection is with our own Wirksworth,
As Phil said "There must be a connection-surely. This is the only reference to another Wirksworth on the Net- apart from a street on an estate in Melbourne, Australia, where all the streets are named after towns in Derbyshire. But there is no clear link connecting the house in Hobart with Derbyshire. I suspect it may well have something to do with the Gell family of Hopton
Gell family link?
In the mid 19th century Rev.John Philip Gell sailed for Tasmania, then Van Diemen's Land, to work under the Governor, Admiral Sir John Franklin, to further education in the colony. He founded the Hutchins School in Hobart, the Launceston Church Grammar Schoo and was the first Warden of . Christ College,Hobart. He was also Sir John's Chaplain and when Sir John made his historic journey across Tasmania to Macquarie Harbour in 1842, Sir John named Mount Gell after him. The County archive of Gell family papers may be able to help us here"
Meanwhile Phil and Ingrid are both digging for further clues, enlisting the help of experts such as John Palmer, who runs the wonderful Wirksworth Parish Records website, and the Tasmanian Education Service.
If anyone has ideas or information to offer Phil would like to hear from you ( phone 07891 656053 - email philwirks@gmail.com)
P.S. The name of the oldest pub in Hobart - the oldest pub in Australia in fact? The Hope and Anchor! Small world innit? http://www.hopeandanchor.com.au/ Sadly it is currently closed- let's hope it re-opens!
Google earth If you Google Earth Wentworth St Bellerive, you will get to what looks like a massive sports ground with some buildings. The ground is in fact, the local oval for Clarence High School, a public school in this district. If you then move slightly left, you will see a much smaller recreation ground. That is Wirksworth and historic Wirksworth House is on that block of land.
