George Petts of Snitterton was Manager at Mill Close Stoop Mine in the 1890s his Grt Grandaughter marrying Benjamin Gretton of Middleton he related to my wifes Slack family of Middleton

James Goodall of Middleton By Wirksworth of my family worked at Mill Close Mine up to 1920 well into his late 60s he having to walk a round journey of 9 miles a day to work and back (Walking down Bonsall Wood then up Clatterway over Bonsall Moor dropping down into Winster Bank and Wensley )
My father born 1894 remembers many Middleton men working at Mill Close ..He told me how the men would be seen walking down Bonsall Wood in the evening their lamps showing the way...and then on the return )

In the 1750s - when the London Lead Co owned Mill Close Grove Mine my kinsmen of Flint were Overseers and Agents there my 5XGrandfather Abraham Flint of Wirksworth origins living at Darley Hillside having married into the Wrights of Wensley ..Abraham also co partnered at The Old Oak Lead Mine Matlock in the vicinity of where Twigges Ironmongeres are today near Allen Hill Spar..(see Woolley Manuscripts )
His daughter Martha married Moses Longden of Wensley a Miner at Mill Close Grove Mine their son John Longden Landlord at The Red Lion Inn Wensley which is near Mill Close Grove Mine..Abraham son of Abraham he brother to my 4XGrandfather John Flint married Lydia Frost of Wensley Lydia cousin to my 4XGrandmother Mary Frost dau of John Frost Mining Agent at Bolehill near Wirksworth Mary marrying John Flint in 1757.. Abraham Flint who married Lydia was a Mining Agent / Farmer /Engineer who in the late 1770s built a 400 spindle Cotton Mill on what today is Ladygrove Road Two Dales (Toadholes) Abraham ran out of funds and was forced to sell to the Deykeyne family of Knabb Hall Two Dales who converted the mill into Flax production

Deykeynes owned a lead mine in Lathkill Dale and invented a Steam Pumping engine The Romping Lion see Phil Wigfuls web page The Romping Lion for details

Abraham then secured a contract with Sir Richard Arkwright to convert Rocester Corn Mill into Cotton Production and there after on completion of the conversion became a Manager at the Mill under the Works Superintendent Richard Briddon of Bakewell who owned a third share in the mill

Abrahams hiers all became Solicitors and Surgeons at Stafford Uttoxeter Derby Matlock Bakewell Dr John Flint F.R.C.S. one of his hiers born at Uttoxeter being G.P. at Wensley 1840s