| Administrative History | This collection contains the papers of four generations of the Nodder family.
Revd. Joseph Nodder of Ashover parish, married Mary Anne Fletcher at Bromsgrove Parish Church on 6th May 1847. Mary, born on 24 March 1817, was the daughter of a Chesterfield physician, Dr. George Fletcher. Her brother, Ralph died in 1837. Another brother entered the Navy and became commander of the 'Wellesley', and as Admiral Fletcher, took an active part in the China War of 1841-1842.
Joseph was rector of Ashover Parish from 1835 to 1878. He and his wife had a son, John Bourne, in July 1853. After Joseph's death, a west window of the church was dedicated to his memory. His wife worked as superintendent of the Sunday School for 48 years until her death in 1895. The Clothing Club was carried on by her in the parish up to the time of her death, and she was also secretary to the local branch of the Church Missionary Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society, for which she annually collected large sums. They also had a daughter, Jemina Cathrine. Jemina married Arthur J. Challiss of Chichester in June 1894.
John Bourne Nodder became rector of Ashover after his father in 1878. He continued in that role until his death in July 1941. Owing to the death of his father before his curacy was completed, he was curate of Heath as well as Rector of Ashover for the first six months. John Bourne Nodder started the Mission Services at Uppertown and Alton. He held frequent cottage services during the winter months at Knotts Cross.
John Bourne Nodder was a keen rider and travelled the parish on horseback. He was a Life Member of the Royal Agricultural Society, and a regular attender at shows. He also loved trees, cultivating a great many. He was also a member of the Board of Guardians, and for some years, Chairman of the Highways Committee. He was at the forefront of the formation of the Ashover Agricultural Society, and its President for many years, as well as being Chairman of the School Board and the Parish Council.
Revd. John B. Nodder married Margaret E.M. Colmore at Moseley, Worcs. Her brother Revd. W. H. Colmore performed the ceremony. They referred to each other as Jack and Peg. They had three children, Ruth, Olive Marguerite (Daisy), and Reginald. Like their mother, Ruth and Olive both wrote poetry.
Ruth attended the London College of Pharmacy in around 1910. She never married, but was a nurse in India, where she died at a young age. Olive married a Dr. J. M. Benson, who during the same period was an Assistant Plague Medical Officer in the Punjab.
The Bensons had three children. Two sons, Noel and Brian, were both killed in the Second World War. The elder
brother, Noel, joined the RAF, and was killed during the Battle of Britain. Brian died on active service and was buried in the British cemetery at Soltau in Germany. Both sons previously attended Serbergh School in Yorkshire.
There is also some information about members of the family not represented in these papers. John Nodder married a Jemima in about 1780. They had two daughters and a son. Mary died at the age of 17 in 1797, and George Francis at the age of 14 in 1815. The second daughter, Catherine Elizabeth lived to the age of 32. She passed away in 1830. John had an older brother, who attained the rank of Captain Bright Nodder. He died in 1822 at the age of 75. |
| Custodial History | These records were deposited by a family member in May 2001. |