Growth Normanton, West Yorkshire

all saints parish church rooms circa 1880



all saints parish church rooms in 2008

a grammar school founded in normanton john freeston (now parish rooms ..later moved site of the, normanton junior school on church lane) in 1592, town remained small until became focus of several railway lines in mid-19th century. work began in 1837 under supervision of george stephenson on construction of north midland railway derby leeds. followed addition york , north midland railway york , manchester , leeds railway manchester extended normanton thereby giving town access of country. leeds , manchester lines crossed 51-mile (82 km) stretch across pennines , @ time had world s longest railway station platform @ normanton, quarter of mile long. station was, next ten years or so, important in england, employing on 700 people looked after station s 700,000 passengers year.

in victorian times normanton station 1 of important stations in northern england, , queen victoria stopped on in station hotel. town served important part of transport infrastructure national , local industries including coal , bricks, although of lost during 1950s , 1960s last remaining operational brickworks closing in mid-1990s. there 3 brickworks in town built within small area of newland, taking advantage of abundance of clay area. fourth works founded in 1890s thomas kirk nottingham, had heard rumours normanton rapidly turning important junction on railways. both kirk , sons used life savings , formed normanton brick company @ nearby altofts closed in 2011

the coming of railways enabled locally mined coal sent across country. demand outstripped supply , many more shafts sunk reach coal seams under town. in 1871 dom pedro, emperor of brazil, visited normanton empress , gave name (in altered form) don pedro colliery @ hopetown. today roads in area of former colliery retain name. @ peak collieries employed on 10,000 men, of whom wanted move , families normanton. town enjoyed boom period more mines opening , more shafts being sunk in order meet increasing demand coal until, mid-1970s, coal seams in normanton area worked-out.