Old Photographs of Rolleston

Burnside (Scarratt)

The rural aspect of Rolleston early in the twentieth century was recorded on Burnside by Scarratt. It captures a traditional farm cart, the girls in their pinafore dresses, the flock of geese and the thatched hayricks adjoining the Spread Eagle. Over many years the Robinsons were farmers here as well as being publicans. The charity almshouses in the distance were established in 1672, dated 1712 and restored in 1892. The brook today is railed off and overshadowed in places by trees.

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View of Rolleston taken from the parapet of St Marys (Simnett 1904)

Around 1904 Simnett ascended to the parapet of Rolleston church and took this view looking east. Brookside is to the left, Station Road in the centre and Burnside hidden by rooftops on the right. The scene reflects over 1000 years of village history showing how Rolleston developed close to the brook. Here the village still retains its compactness with open fields beyond and it is not hard to imagine how Station Road was once Meadow Lane.

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Burnside

In 1900 Annie Simmonds was appointed postmistress at Rolleston - where she stayed for the next 40 years. This postcard was published in 1921.

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The Meet at Rolleston (J S Simnett)

A truly rural scene near the 'Spread Eagle' at Rolleston around 1912, as villagers turn out to watch a meet of the Meynell Hunt. The name 'Spread Eagle' comes from the Mosley Arms, by which name it was once known, and it had earlier been the 'Eagle and Child', this being the crest of the Earls of Derby.

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Here is another picture of a more recent hunt meeting - this one provided by David Yates is believed to have been taken in the 1950s.

Meynell Hunt meeting at the corner of Elizabeth Avenue and Burnside (c1950s)