I 



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BRBYSHIRE iRCHi^OLOGlCAL 



AND 



Watukal History Society. 



.1 



O—^'JD ^ QXj • 



Some i^otes on 0\ti Bclpcr aut( 



By T. R. Derry, Hon. Sec. of the Belper Natural History 

 and Philosophical Society. 



|T is stated by the Rev. Dr. Cox that he has found 

 the name Belper spelt in about forty different ways. 

 3j This eccentricity is perhaps the most distinguished 

 feature in the history of Belper. In the i6th century 

 the town was of some slight importance, as the general musters 

 of the county for the hundreds of Appletree, Morleston, and 

 Litchurch, met at Belper on several occasions for review by 

 the Lord-Lieutenant in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Belper 

 at this time possessed five ale houses, and it may fairly be 

 supposed plenty of accommodation for the Queen's loyal 

 subjects. These ale houses were kept by John Bradshaw, 

 Widow Streete, John Gyte, Edmund Andrew, and Thomas 

 Smyth.* At this period Belper is described as " Bealper," and 

 also " Belper Chapell " in various documents. A charter is in 



* Domestic State Papers; D. A. and N. II. .S. Journal, \'ol. i., p. 76. 

 W. H. Hart, F.S.A. 



