Monument record MDR13770 - Hoptonwoodstone Quarry, Main Street, Middleton

William Killer, (a carpenter), when digging out the foundations for a workshop in Middleton Village during 1846 had discovered that Hopton Wood Stone beds outcropped in his garden. The then producers of Hopton Wood Stone had a large contract to supply stone flooring for the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament, they were facing difficulties in meeting the demand, and therefore approached William asking him to supply them, which he did. Over the next two decades he gradually extended his landholdings and his sons John, Joseph, William and Adam joined him. In 1872 they began trading as Killer Brothers. For a long period Killers sold rough block, much of it to the Hopton Wood Stone Co., but took over the 'old Hopton Wood saw mills at Wirksworth' in about 1859. These appear to have been located at Wash Green on account of the availability of a reliable water supply Saw mills were set up at the road frontage alongside Middleton Quarry in about 1871. In 1884 Killer Brothers paid the LNWR £3,700 to build the 1190 yd. branch line to meet the C&HPR at Steeplehouse [SMR 15596]. 1905 witnessed the merger between Hopton Wood Stone Company and Killer Brothers, to form the Hopton Wood Stone Firms Ltd (HWSF). By the early 1930s, the war graves work which HWSF had taken on in the 1920s was complete and the general economic recovery had not taken off. The duplication of facilities at Hopton and Middleton faced with reduced markets lead to the mothballing of the Hopton saws in 1930 and a concentration on stone working at Middleton. Derbyshire Stone took a decision to close down quarrying operations in February 1954 at least for decorative stone purposes. The department had been making losses for a number of years, not particularly through lack of orders, rather the high cost of overburden removal. Some quarrying continued at Middleton for industrial uses for a few years until 1973. (1) Middleton Quarry produced the light or 'classic' Hopton Wood Stone, a very attractive light cream stone of very fine crystalline calcite. It also produced Dark Hopton Wood Stone, a darker buff/ light brown or often mid-grey stone of mottled appearance. It appears the latter was not sold from Middleton Quarry until 1905. (2) Hoptonwoodstone Quarry is shown near Middleton on the 1st edition 25" Ordnance Survey map of c. 1880, on the site referred to by Thomas as Middleton Quarry. (3)