| Administrative History | This collection concerns two families, one from North Derbyshire and one from South Derbyshire, who became linked by marriage in April 1944 of Jean Ruth Musson (b 1924) and Alan Fernley Thickitt (b 1918).
The Musson family of Ticknall and Newton Solney were small farmers and their photographs are evidence of a way of life which has now largely disappeared. Jean Musson (b 1924) was the daughter of Herbert Thaddeus Musson (1877-1968) and Mary "Polly" Taylor (c1882-1965). Herbert was the son of Thaddeus (Thomas on the 1891 census) Musson and Emma Wall.
For a period in 1940, Ruth was employed as a home-help by Major and Mrs. Carr, of Repton; cycling here from Grange Farm, Ticknall and returning in the afternoon. Major Carr was Repton School Bursar; the couple also had a son, Donald, who went on to play for Derbyshire County Cricket Club, captaining them between 1955 and 1962 and scored over 10,000 runs for the county. He was twice capped for England in the 1951 and 1952 seasons.
One day, having arrived in Repton, Ruth entered the Carr's home and began her usual first task of emptying the ashes from the previous day's coal fire. However, her attention was soon drawn through the window and into the garden, where "some soldiers and two R.A.F. boys were digging a hole". It was some time later when Mrs. Carr caught up with Ruth, explaining that they were digging-out an unexploded bomb (successfully defused!). Some time later, Ruth would recount a related tale of "a stray bomber" dropping several bombs which landed on a row of houses near Melbourne Hall; "just before you turn into the church" to her son.
The Thickitts of Clowne lived in a village on the Derbyshire coalfield which retained much of its strong community character into the 20th century. |
| Custodial History | These records were donated to Derbyshire Record Office by a member of the Thickitt family in August 2002, September 2002, October 2002, June 2003 and October 2024. |