Potrait of Joseph Strutt

	Joseph Strutt - circa 1793

Arboretum Home Page	Portrait of Joseph Strutt as a young man at around the time he married Isabella Douglas. By this time he had started to purchase parcels of land at the Litchurch site, possibly with the intention of building a new home to match the grandeur of his elder brother, William, who had bought St. Helen's House and 60 acres of land to the north of the town of Derby. Portrait reproduced by kind permission of Leeds Museums and Galleries (Lotherton Hall). My thanks to Michael Copeland for sending me the photograph of the portrait by Sharples (1793)


	A Portrait of Joseph Strutt as Mayor of Derby ("Our Most Munificent Benefactor") (Mayor of Derby 1835 - 1836) Portrait hanging in the Mayoral Gallery at Derby Council House, Corporation Street, Derby. Reproduced by kind permission of Derby City Council Mayor's Office


Joseph Strutt was one of Derby's most honoured citizens, a silk manufacturer serving on the Town Council in numerous offices, including two terms of office as Mayor. He served his second term as the first mayor of the reformed borough of Derby, taking office in November 1835 until November 1836. Joseph was the youngest son of Jedediah Strutt, who had two other sons, William and George. Joseph was baptised in Derby on the 19th of September 1765. He married Isabella Archibold Douglas at St. Oswald's, Ashbourne in 1793, Isabella subsequently died in 1801 leaving Joseph with a son and a daughter. Joseph was a life-long radical social reformer who had the firm conviction that in order to gain the respect of the working classes and reform them from "Their brutish behaviour and debasing pleasures" they must be allowed the same opportunities to enjoy pleasures such as exhibitions of art and open spaces, as are enjoyed by the upper classes. Joseph also set up the Mechanics Institution (Established in 1824). Joseph also served as a Deputy Lieutenant in the local militia in defence of the nation in case of invasion by Napoleon, and gave a significant donation towards the building of the Derbyshire General Infirmary (1810). He opened up his own house and gardens at Thorntree House in St. Peter's Street, now the site of the HSBC Bank, as an art gallery and museum, for the benefit of all classes of Derby's citizens, in order to cultivate a common appreciation of works of art. The works of art included sculptures by W. J. Coffee, representing the work of sculptors of the Classical and Renaissance periods as well as a collection of paintings by famous Renaissance artists. The paintings offered an opportunity for ordinary working citizens to see examples of fine works of art. His collection of artifacts also included a fine example of an Egyptian Mummy, this now resides at Derby's Central Museum. Amongst many other things, Joseph was president of the Mechanics Institution and gave an annual subscription to support its work. He also gave gave 1,000 to the Athenaeum Society, helping to build the Athenaeum Building, an art gallery and museum offering collections of art and exhibitions to the general public. He also gave some financial support to the Derbyshire General Infirmary (later to become the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary). which was funded by his elder brother, William. Joseph is probably best known for his gift to the people of Derby of the Arboretum, which is also the first public park in England. He enlisted the services of John Claudius Loudon to lay out his design, which was completed at a personal cost of 10,000. Joseph died in 1844 at his home in St. Peters Street, after attending a meeting to cast his vote in favour of improving Derby's sanitary conditions, he had been ill for some time and suffered a relapse from which he never recovered, such was this man's love of his home town! Joseph was interred along with his wife, Isabella, at the Friargate Unitarian Chapel in Friar Gate. The chapel was demolished in the 1970s to make way for the Heritage Gate office complex , which now incorporates a modern Unitarian Chapel. Joseph and Isabella's remains were removed and are supposed to have been re-interred at the family vault at Belper. This does not however appear to be the case as no one can verify this and no such re-internment has been recorded. Joseph and Isabella had a Son, Joseph Douglas, who died of a fever in 1821, (aged 27) and three daughters. Isabella is the only daughter we have any details of as she married Howard Galton of Worcester. Isabella had a son by Galton, who was to become Sir Douglas Galton, an eminent scientist and president of the association. Joseph Strutt hoped that other wealthy philanthropists would follow his example. This happened when Liberal MP Michael Thomas Bass gave the town a purpose built museum, a library and a recreation ground based on the Holms, other 19^th century philanthropic followers included Henry Boden and Thomas Roe.

		Joseph was the youngest son of Jeddediah Strutt, the head of a Derbyshire mill owning family. Photo of Jedediah Strutt statue Christopher Harris 2002 Top of Page	Joseph Strutt in 1842, age 77 Portrait courtesy of Derby Local Studies Library

	The Mechanics Institution Building This is the front of the Mechanics Institution building, commissioned by Joseph and Edward Strutt and opened October 18^th 1837. The building is on the Wardwick, next to M. T. Bass's Central Museum and Library. *(Photo Christopher Harris, August 23^rd 2005)*

	Above: The interior of the hall during an exhibition of art and science c1837 Courtesy of Derby Local Studies Library

	The exterior of the hall, with its arched window. The Mechanics hall backs onto the Strand and would have been located next to Markeaton Brook, which was culverted at about 40 years later. Grand dances were held here Franz Liszt played his Piano Recitals here just six days before the Arboretum opened. Johan Strauss also once conducted an orchestra here at a performance of his famous waltzes.		*Photo Christopher Harris, August 23^rd 2005*
Jedediah Strutt	Joseph Strutt's home, Thorntree House (below) St. Peter's Street, Thorntree Lane
Photo courtesy of Derek Palmer
Top of Page	Briggs George & George, Woollen Drapers and Silk Merchants, took over ownership of Joseph Strutt's home by 1871, the date the photo was taken by Richard Keene. The house was rebuilt for Joseph in about 1830. Thorntree Lane runs off to the right of the row of shops on the right. The HSBC Bank now occupies the site, though set back further from the street. Part of the original house is incorporated into today's bank building. The Corn Market, the Five Lamps lamp standard and Derby Banking Co. Bank are just visible in the background. Further to the history of Thorntree House, one of my sources, Stephen Glover, 1843) gives the following information: The Thorn Tree alehouse, on the south side of the brook, is said to have been, at that time, long famous for the best ale in the town. A good house adjoined it, built by Mr. Burton, but then recently purchased by Mr. Wagstaffe. This house has been enlarged, modernized, and almost re-built, by Joseph Strutt, esq., the present possessor.

*Derby Evening Telegraph, April 4^th 1974* **Exhumation From chapel is delayed** UNDERTAKERS who are exhuming the remains of Mr. Joseph Strutt from Friagate Unitarian Chapel have been shelved for about two months because the grave is under the building not in the churchyard as first thought Friargate Chapel is to be demolished to make way for new development and it is hoped to re-inter the remains in the Strutt family vault at Belper Cemetery. Mr. Strutt, who was a Mayor of Derby, died in 1844. A statue of him stands over the Arboretum Square entrance to the Arboretum, the park he gave to the town shortly before his death. A descendant, Mr. Arthur Strutt, of Makeney, who has asked or the remains to be moved, was unaware of the impending demolition until approached by the Telegraph.			Home Page Left: Derby Evening Telegraph report from April 24th 1974
			Left: The Friargate Unitarian Chapel c 1900 Move your mouse pointer over the image to see the site as it is today. Photo courtesy of Derek Palmer Present photo Christopher Harris

			Left: The sad remains of Joseph and Isabella Strutt's grave, inside the ruins of the Unitarian Chapel, April 24th 1974
			Photo Courtesy of Derek Palmer
			Left: The Athenaeum Rooms (Victoria Street) Headquarters of the Athenaeum Society, founded by Joseph Strutt and others. Joseph Strutt gave 1,000 towards the cost of this building, which was used to house exhibitions of art, which were "thrown open to the public". He also donated a number of valuable paintings.
Home Page	Back to Top of Page Copyright Christopher Harris 2002-2006		Photo Christopher Harris 2005