The HLF grant will allow the volunteers who run the trust to catalogue items telling the story of the Butterley Company and its effect on the town. Some documents and pictures will also be made available to everyone via a new website funded by the grant. In addition, the grant will also provide equipment enabling the trust to record the memories of some of the many people who worked at or whose lives were affected by Ripley’s engineering giant.

The Butterley Company was for many years Ripley’s biggest employer, owning mines and brickworks as well as the ironworks. It was responsible for the ironwork on many famous projects including St Pancras Station, the Falkirk Wheel and Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower.

Commenting on the award, Joyce Slack, Chair of the Trust said: “We are delighted to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for this project which will enable us to preserve and make accessible to all the history of Butterley, without which the town would not be what it is today. We would encourage anyone who has documents, photographs or objects that will help tell the story to get in touch.”

Vanessa Harbar, Head of HLF East Midlands, said: “The Butterley Company had a wide-reaching impact with its work evident in many famous sites across the UK. It’s a legacy that every home in Ripley has a connection to and this National Lottery investment will open up this important history for future generations.”

Notes to editors

Ripley and District Heritage Trust was founded in 1993 with the aim of collecting and conserving documents and artefacts relating to the history of Ripley and District.

The original committee collected thousands of items and displayed them in premises in the town centre. In 2003, the collection was put in storage. In 2012, a new committee of volunteers began to catalogue the collection and hopes to arrange limited public access and to continue the work begun of protecting the town’s heritage.

Further information

Ripley and District Heritage Trust: Tim Castledine on 01773 746 954.