Ferrers' grand designs made county dance with delight

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In the 1700s, Derbyshire’s genteel social life was in need of a lift. At the time, dances were hugely popular but Derby needed a new venue. Maxwell Craven pays tribute to the man who helped to create the original old Derby Assembly Rooms, the 5th Earl Ferrers.

In the mid-18th century Derbyshire social life was so dull the ladies of the county were in despair. However, after years of complaints about the hopelessness of the Derby assemblies (dances), those responsible for running them decided to do something about it.

After all, Lady Jane Coke had reported that girls had resorted to dancing with each other due to the lack of eligible chaps in the County Assembly Rooms in Full Street. Nor had the situation in the Borough Assemblies been much better.

Washington Shirley, the 5th Earl Ferrers

Something, in short, had to be done. The solution arrived at was sensible. The borough and county set would join together to raise money to build a new assembly rooms to which all would be welcome.

A committee of noblemen and gentlemen was duly set up to raise subscriptions towards the cost of the building. The composition was distinctly upper crust because that's where the money was, although a handful of the most opulent aldermen, like the future builder of St Helen's House, John Gisborne, chipped in.

Once the money was raised, the committee needed to appoint an architect. Instead of advertising, however, they appointed one of their own number to design the building: Washington Shirley, newly succeeded as 5th Earl Ferrers following the execution of his brother for murdering his steward in 1760.

So, why did the committee think that Ferrers would do as good a job? Washington Shirley was an exceptionally talented man. Born on May 26, 1722, the nephew of the 3rd Earl Ferrers, he was a descendant of the Shirleys, who took their name from Shirley in Derbyshire and had been seated at Staunton Harold, just over the border in Leicestershire, for generations.

They were also descended in the female line from the de Ferrers Earls of Derby, hence the 1st Earl’s choice of title in 1711. Being thought unlikely ever to succeed to the title – his father, Lawrence, was the youngest son of the 1st Earl – Washington was sent to sea in his teens as a Midshipman RN and was appointed lieutenant five years later, aged about 21. He was promoted to the rank of post captain on April 19, 1746, and looked set for a successful career.

He was also a talented draughtsman and scientifically curious. An expert in navigation, he became adept at astronomy. He saw action, mainly against the French in the War of the Austrian Succession and then, in the 1750s, in the Seven Years’ War.

The death of his brother in scandalous circumstances must have been a shock, for he was obliged to put his naval career on hold and return to Leicestershire to look after the estate. Fortunately, he had the sort of character that could over-ride the prejudice which in those days inevitably attended someone with murder in the family. He saw it as an opportunity. He immediately set about rebuilding the hall, to his own designs, and chose Loughborough architect William Henderson as clerk of works.

The Old Derby Assembly Rooms

He also invited a youthful friend to stay, whom he seems to have met at a London masonic lodge, Peter Perez Burdett. Although a surveyor, Burdett was also a gifted astronomer. Together they observed and recorded the Transit of Venus in 1761, the same year that Ferrers was not only made Grand Master of the English Masons, but was elected FRS as a result of his transit observations.

As architect of the Assembly Rooms, Ferrers chose Joseph Pickford as his clerk of works. Whilst the rather old-fashioned stone facade and plan were without doubt Ferrers’ work, most of the remainder was pure Pickford.

Robert Adam, called in a decade later to fit out the interior, was not so impressed by Ferrers’ creation, writing to his brother, James: “I never saw a room so awkward that something good could be made of it.”

Later, Ferrers resumed his naval career, being made rear admiral in 1775, the year he exhibited some designs for ships at the Royal Academy. He was advanced to vice admiral early in 1778, dying childless at his house at Chartley, Staffordshire, in the same year.

As architect, ship designer and astronomer, Ferrers is an important national figure. We can also claim him as a local, if not a Derbyshire man.

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