In 1831 George W. Newton obtained a private Act of Parliament to supply his farms and parts of New Mills with water. A plan and accompanying book of reference were prepared in 1830. The plan is important as being the first-ever detailed map of the centre of New Mills and some of the surrounding area. I have photographed the 1830 plan and sectional views held in the archives of New Mills Local History Society (D427) and transcribed the information from the book of reference held in Derbyshire Record Office (Q/RP/1/87/2).

The plan and sectional views can be seen in 37 photographs placed on the New Mills Local History Society website.

My transcription of the book of reference is given below. In the original document the information about the pieces of property is set out in tabular form with four columns. The first column gives the Owners or Reputed Owners, the second column gives the Number on the Plan, the third column gives the Occupiers, and the fourth column gives (a description of) the Premises. In my transcription I have set out the information about each piece of property in a separate paragraph giving the Number on the Plan first, for greater ease of use. Punctuation may not always be exactly as in the original because it does not show up clearly on the photocopy used.

Roger Bryant, February 2018

Information from the Book of Reference

Book of Reference to the Plan of Property to be taken under or affected by the Authority of a proposed Act for better supplying with Water the Inhabitants of the several Hamlets or places of Beard Ollerset Thornset and Whitle in the parish of Glossop in the County of Derby