Historic Amenities, ctd.
The Village Institute  Now the bungalow opposite the old Methodist Chapel, it was used in the 1930’s for practices by Dale’s own brass band. Following the closure of the village school in the late 1970’s the school building served for some 10 years as a village hall.
It then became a private school, leaving a community feeling less than happy about the loss of an amenity

Smithy  On the end wall of the barn-conversion between the old Methodist Chapel and Poplar Farm (‘The Friar’s House’) you can see the witness of a double doorway opening onto the road. This was the entrance to the village smithy.

Electricity: 1938/9 came to village, free.  Harvey’s was not free, charge of £100, so waited till after the second world war then had to install it for his incubators (Harvey had an egg business)

Grass hill  has sort of vanished. If you leave the ‘Church Farm’ yard (now Verger’s Farm) on the bridleway in the direction of Hermit’s Wood, on your right is a steep bank. This used to be grass covered and was a favourite place for children to play, having just the right surface (long grass) and steepness to make it a great place to slide down. For Ilkeston children, walking to Dale with tray and pop bottle of water, it was a great day out.

The practice was eventually discouraged by barbed wire at the bottom so now we have a young oak wood.   (1990s)