West Hallam

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West Hallam
The Village Hall, West Hallam.
West Hallam shown within Derbyshire
Population	4,829 (2001 census[1])
OS grid reference	SK430415
District	Erewash
Shire county	Derbyshire
Region	East Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ILKESTON
Postcode district	DE7
Dialling code	0115
Police	Derbyshire
Fire	Derbyshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
European Parliament	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Erewash
List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire

Coordinates: 52°58′N 1°22′W / 52.97, -1.36

West Hallam is a large village close to Ilkeston in the County of Derbyshire in the East Midlands region of England.

[edit] History

Although it is not known exactly when the village was founded, it existed at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086. St Wilfrid's Church is over 700 years old. West Hallam has had its own Parish council since 1894 and, since 1974, has been part of the Erewash Borough.

Until the early 20th Century West Hallam was a small rural village and the property of the Newdigate family. Most jobs were in the agricultural area with some mining work locally in the Erewash Valley coalfield. West Hallam had its own railway station, connected to the Great Northern Railway and Derby Friar Gate Station.

The late 20th Century saw rapid change with both the collieries and the railway disappearing during the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s a major new housing development dramatically increased the village's population. Most residents are now employed away from West Hallam, some even commuting daily as far as London.

[edit] Notable residents

• Thomas Rossell Potter (1799- 1873), writer, was born here.^[2]
• Deborah "Big Debbs" Gerring-Smith (1968- present)former womens east midlands boxing champion, was born here.
• Matt Addison (1992- present), nutorious sex god, was born here and lives here.

[edit] References