Council Meeting – 6th November 1896
Friday, November 6th, 1896
Twenty-fifth meeting of the Parish Council held in the School Room, Great Longstone, on Friday, November 6th, 1896.
Present: Mr J. Orr, Chairman; Messrs Buzzard, J. Johnson, S. Johnson, Spanton, and T. Shimwell, Clerk.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
The following report from Mr Bataker, Water Expert, was laid before the meeting:
Copy
From Leicester Bataker, Water Expert,
Weston-super-Mare and Bath.
Report of a visit to Estate of the Great Longstone Parish Council on 30 Oct. 1896.
On the above date I visited Great Longstone with the view of discovering water for the village on the higher level. Tests were made at the places located by me at which to sink or bore for water as follows:
No. 1. A stream flowing, about 250 gallons of water per hour can be tapped at about 85 to 100 ft. deep.
No. 2. At a depth of about 65 to 100 feet a supply of about 300 gallons per hour can be found.
No. 3. Do. do.
No. 4. At a depth of about 130 feet, a supply of about 250 gallons per hour can be found.
Similarly, a second location of springs Nos. 2, 3 and 4 at a lower level followed.
No. 7. Between towns. A stake was inserted at a place where a spring running about 30 gals. per hour can be tapped at about 50 ft. deep.
No. 8. A supply of about 2,000 gals. per day can be tapped at about 300 feet deep.
No. 9. A supply of about 3,000 gallons per day can be tapped at about 200 ft. deep.
In field above village at rear of White Lion No. 6.
I first of all prospected the village pump situated outside the White Lion. In my opinion, although this well yields an abundant supply of water, I have every confidence in stating that the well has not been sunk on the proper place. I should say that the spring itself (from which this well gets its present supply) is situated about 30 feet away from the well towards the lower part of the village. I predict the depth of this spring at about 18 to 25 feet deep and the flow about 800 to 1000 gallons per hour. I then bored on the higher level into the field at rear of the “White Lion” to other borings and discovered the same spring. The flow was not as great at this site as below, and the reason for this, I gather, is from the fact of other springs being at the lower level, assuming this spring is fed from accumulation of springs at the bottom.
At the stake No. 6 inserted in the field I predict a supply of about 500 gallons per hour at a depth of 45 to 55 feet deep – perhaps less. I then prospected for water at the other side of the village in some fields, but the discoveries made are not worth recording, for they would not benefit any scheme that may be adopted for the village.
Remarks
My engagement by the District Council was owing to the present supply of water in the village being condemned by analysis, though abundant in quantity. I asked to see their report of analysis on this water but could not obtain it, therefore I do not know what the contamination arises from.
Although excellent wells in many other villages in the United Kingdom are situated at a similar level with similar surroundings, not having analysed the water myself at Great Longstone, I am not in a position to go otherwise than agree with the present report. Of course, to deal with this matter properly, the watershed—there is no doubt whatever that the water supply of Great Longstone is situated very badly, being at such a low level, there is nothing to prevent sewage and all sources of contamination finding its way into the wells.
From whatever source Great Longstone is supplied, the water must necessarily come from a higher level quite above the village, away from all contamination, for in many cases I have known sewage find its way into a good well, therefore percolates some distance through the strata to that well.
Now to come to the places located by me for water to this village. There are 3 places only which I recommend working at, namely Nos. 2 or 3 and the site No. 6 located in the field at back of “White Lion.” Whilst strongly in favour of artesian wells I cannot altogether recommend one in this instance, at any rate at Nos. 2 or 3. Between sinking an artesian well you are boring for a very powerful stream of water. The flow at Nos. 2 or 3 prospected by me runs about 200 to 300 gallons per hour. I therefore recommend a well being sunk as deep as the levels will allow (for ultimately supplying the village by gravitation from the well). Then a 4 ft. or 6 ft. bore hole put down at the bottom of the well to the water. If the water does not rise in the well the idea of a gravitation supply must be abandoned. This well must be sunk right down to the level of the water, which has been tapped in the bore hole. I strongly recommend a windmill being erected over this well to pump the water supply to the village, as I am sure a windmill will work satisfactorily at either Nos. 2 or 3.
I shall be pleased to reply to any questions the Council may see fit to lay before me.
Leicester Bataker
After considering the above report, it was decided to call a public meeting of the ratepayers to ascertain whether they would be willing to pay a voluntary rate for carrying out the above, and the meeting to be on the 20th.
James Orr
Chairman
Nov. 13th, 1896
In the Wider World – The Search for Water
By the 1890s, clean and reliable drinking water had become a national concern. The Public Health Acts required local authorities to safeguard water supplies, but the work was complex and expensive in rural areas. Across Derbyshire, engineers were testing new wells and springs, much as Mr Leicester Bataker did in Great Longstone in 1896. Similar surveys were taking place in Bakewell, Youlgreave, and Ashford, marking an important step toward the modern piped water systems that reached most villages early in the next century.
