The war effort which gave its name to a city pub - and 49 babies
Zena Hawley looks at some of the patriotic Victorian battles which provided inspiration for parents and publicans in Derby
IF you think some baby first names are a bit bizarre these days, spare a thought for the tiny tots who were landed with the monikers Balaclava, Sebastapol, Inkermann, Omdurman or Mafeking.
What do the names all have in common? Well, they were battles involving the British, which took place in the patriotic Victorian era.
As well as naming children, there was also a surge in the number of pubs, buildings and roads named after the same battles as they occurred - mainly as part of the Crimean and Boer wars.
One such example, which seemed to feed the imagination of people across Derby society was the relief of Mafeking in 1900.
This event was part of the second Boer War and, looking at the Derby Daily Telegraph, dozens of column inches appear to have been devoted to the progress of the siege of Mafeking and which made Colonel
Robert Baden-Powell (of Scouting fame) a national hero.
The siege of Mafeking (now called Mahikeng) took place in South Africa over 217 days from October 1899 to May 1900.
The relief of Mafeking, while of little military significance, was a morale boost for the struggling British and was marked in a variety of interesting ways both nationally and in Derbyshire.
Imperialistic passion prompted calls in the
Derby Daily Telegraph for a day of rejoicing and celebration which took place in combination with Queen Victoria’s 81st birthday on May 24.
Impromptu celebrations broke out in the aftermath of the news of the relief on May 18 when people celebrated in Derby’s Market Place on what became known as Mafeking Night.
On May 24, the newspaper reported that bonfires were also lit on the recreation grounds at Rowditch, New Normanton and at Bass’s Rec.
The biggest event by far was on Chester Green where 30,000 people gathered to watch some of the “biggest rockets” witnessed in the town right up until 11pm. The newspaper proudly reports that neither the police nor the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary was “bothered by a single incident”.
The relief of Mafeking led local Derby developer Joseph Porter to name a new pub on the corner of Porter Road and Belvoir Street, the Mafeking Hotel.
He also made sure that the war was further remembered by naming the local streets - French Street, Buller Street, Powell Street and Birdwood Street - after heroes of the war.
The Mafeking Hotel proved very popular down the years, especially as it had a bowling green attached to it, but changing times and demands in the area led it to be closed and turned into residential accommodation in 2007 and now five houses occupy what once was the lush surface of the bowling green.
But even more surprising was the number of people nationally who decided to name their newborn babies Mafeking - in 49 cases as a first name and as a second name in countless others.
The name did not exist in birth records before the siege and most were registered between January 1900 and September 1901. There were two others registered in 1905 and 1921 also. Not all were boys, there were some females given the first name also. Two babies were thus named in this area. One was Mafeking Charles Roper
The name [Mareking] did not exist in birth records before the siege. Most were registered between January 1900 and September 1901.
Fletcher, who sadly seems to have died almost immediately and is buried in Sawley.
The other was Mafeking Thomas Heath born in Burton and who died there in 1959.
The desire to commemorate British victories is also apparent from the dozens of babies given the first name Ladysmith, after another Boer War siege in the same year - all girls this time.
Crimea was also a popular first name with more than 20 babies given the name between 1854 and, surprisingly, 1982.
There have been five babies called Balaclava to date between 1861 and 1901, 1901 dozens d were called ll d Inkerman, I k one called Omdurman and nine were given the name Sebastopol.
Alma emerged as by far the most popular name from the Crimean War, named after the Battle of the Alma (River) on September 20, 1854 and involving an allied expeditionary force (made up of French, British, and Egyptian forces) against Russian forces defending the Crimean Peninsula. This was mainly given to girls but not exclusively.
And not content with giving their children just one Crimean battle name - one parent went for f Alma Al Sebastapol Robert Stevenson Collings and another decided on Alma Inkerman Sebastopol Gregson.
Other testament to the battles is found in street names in Derby - including Alma Street and Balaclava Road.
Perhaps you have relatives who had Mafeking as part of their name - or perhaps some other British victory or British historic character is permanently part of your family history - let us know by emailing newsdesk@derbytelegraph.co.uk