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Holbrook Centre for Autism on Port way (DP-180205HOLBR-28,29) was a former Barnardo's children's home, built as Southwood House by the Bourne family who owned Denby Pottery in the 1880s.

Brook House (now Mohan House) (DP-180205HOLBR-22) was built in 1899 and used to be a Maternity hospital.

In the 1700's Anthony Radford arranged for children to be taught reading and writing in a room over the stables at Holbrook Hall. In 1842 William Evans of Allestree Hall (who also owned Holbrook Hall at that time) built a school in Mooreside Lane for Infants, the school survives today and is called Holbrook Primary school (DP-180205HOLBR-16).
There also used to be a school on the south side of Mellor’s Lane, in 1960 under a re-organisation scheme all the senior children were transferred to the Belper Parks Secondary Modern School. The school was demolished and two houses were built on the site.

On Church street just before Lower Hall Close is a building which has a plaque which reads “Potterills Alms Houses” (DP-180205HOLBR-11), these houses were built in 1735. If you look closely at the plaque you will see that the stone mason made an error at the time and spelt it as ARMS instead of ALMS, parts of the removed R can be seen after all these years, what a mistake to make !
There are a row Alms houses in Duffield which bare the same name as these. Almshouses have existed for over 1000 years enabling people in need to retain their independence and to live in their local community.

The village retains its traditional red phone box where Mellor’s Lane meets Church Street. On Belper Road is a traditional village shop "Smiths Stores" with jars of sweets and the like.

Holbrook Football Club was formed in 1996 the club uses the facilities of the Holbrook Miners Welfare (Shaw Lane) as it headquarters, with the Welfare being the clubs main sponsor. There is also Saint Michael's football club.

Dead Poets Inn was built in 1879, originally it was called The Cross Keys.

There are five roads which lead to Holbrook they are, to the south west Red Lane which goes to Makeney. Port way to the south east which connects to Derby Road (B6179). To the east Shaw Lane which leads to Milford. To the north is Belper Road which takes you to Bargate. Killis Lane, which runs from the A609 just west of the A38 bridge to the north east corner of Holbrook.

In March 2004 David Tizard set up the Funfair Brewing Company which Started brewing at the Wheel Inn, Chapel Street, Holbrook The pub was sold in December 2004 to punch pubs so David has since resited his brewery company elsewhere.

Two Romano-British pottery kilns were discovered in the 1960’s, one on Red Lane and one on Port way, where the well-known Derbyshire ware of Denby pottery was produced way back in the 3rd century.

The Gaslight Gallery (DP-180205HOLBR-18-21) on Town Street, was once owned by Charles Forster, now his wife runs it. Charles was a very talented potter and specialised in models of trams, trains, toilets and tarts, (and houses). So the scene above the entrance to the shop (photo 20) is a bit of a mixture of the 'tart' on the chaise longue, trains, trams, some houses and if you look carefully - a little bloke sitting on toilet reading a paper (in the bottom right). He was the resident holbrook historian!

The building, which is built in brick with white brick features, used to be R M Bailey's grocer's shop. Above the entrance to the building is a intricately decorated scene made of pottery, this added in mid 2004 by Charles Forster and was probably about the last piece of pottery that he produced as he sadly died shortly after it's completion.

William Hazlewood, founder of Hazelwood pickles was born in Holbrook in 1883.

For a map of the local area click HERE
For a aerial photo with overlayed map click HERE

I would like to thank Ina Buckland, Tony Flint, Gloria Smith and Jill Sharpe for providing bits of historical information for this page.

If you have Broadband then you may like to watch a Video of Holbrook, Derbyshire.