Matlock Mercury
Encyclopedia
The Matlock Mercury is a Weekly newspaper published on a Thursday in the United Kingdom
which serves Matlock, Darley Dale
, Wirksworth
, Bakewell
and smaller villages in the Derbyshire Dales
area of Derbyshire
.
The Matlock Mercury began life in the late 1940s as Coming Events, an entertainments guide published by Ella Smith from her house on Bakewell Road, Matlock which remained as the newspaper's home until October 2000 when a new office opened on Firs Parade in the centre of the town.
The name Matlock Mercury was adopted in the mid-1950s. Sadly, much of the newspaper's archive was destroyed when four feet of water struck during flooding in 1965. The printing works, which shared the same building, until 1996 were also badly damaged. Ella Smith sold the Mercury to John Upritchard in the late 1970s and eventually it was taken over by the Derbyshire Times
and its owners Johnston Press
.
in 1973. He served 27 years in jail. A long campaign by Downing's family and Don Hale
, the then editor
of the Matlock Mercury led to the conviction being declared unsafe by the Court of Appeal in 2001 and Downing was released. Hale was voted Man of the Year by The Observer
newspaper, Journalist of the Year by What the Papers Say
and was awarded an Order of the British Empire
for his efforts, though he was also criticised for referring to Sewell as the "Bakewell Tart".
The case, and Don Hale's campaign, was featured in the 2004 BBC
drama In Denial of Murder in which Stephen Tompkinson
played Don Hale and Caroline Catz
played Wendy Sewell.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which serves Matlock, Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
, Wirksworth
Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...
, Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
and smaller villages in the Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Much of the district is situated in the Peak District, although most of its population lies along the River Derwent....
area of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
.
The Matlock Mercury began life in the late 1940s as Coming Events, an entertainments guide published by Ella Smith from her house on Bakewell Road, Matlock which remained as the newspaper's home until October 2000 when a new office opened on Firs Parade in the centre of the town.
The name Matlock Mercury was adopted in the mid-1950s. Sadly, much of the newspaper's archive was destroyed when four feet of water struck during flooding in 1965. The printing works, which shared the same building, until 1996 were also badly damaged. Ella Smith sold the Mercury to John Upritchard in the late 1970s and eventually it was taken over by the Derbyshire Times
Derbyshire Times
The Derbyshire Times is a weekly local newspaper published in northern Derbyshire, each edition being on sale from Thursday. Its headquarters are in Chesterfield and much of its coverage centres on the town and the surrounding area. The newspaper also covers parts of the Peak District and Amber...
and its owners Johnston Press
Johnston Press
Johnston Press plc is a newspaper publishing company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Its flagship titles are The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post; it also operates many other newspapers around the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is the second-largest publisher...
.
Don Hale and the Stephen Downing case
Stephen Downing, was a 17-year-old with the reading age of an 11-year-old, who was imprisoned for the murder of Wendy Sewell in BakewellBakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
in 1973. He served 27 years in jail. A long campaign by Downing's family and Don Hale
Don Hale
Don Hale OBE is a British journalist.He was the editor of the Matlock Mercury who became involved in the campaign to overturn the murder conviction of Stephen Downing. In 1973, Downing, at the time a 17-year-old with the reading age of an 11-year-old, was imprisoned for the murder of Wendy Sewell...
, the then editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the Matlock Mercury led to the conviction being declared unsafe by the Court of Appeal in 2001 and Downing was released. Hale was voted Man of the Year by The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper, Journalist of the Year by What the Papers Say
What the Papers Say
What The Papers Say is a BBC radio programme that originally ran for many years on British television.Its first incarnation was the second longest-running programme on British television after Panorama...
and was awarded an Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his efforts, though he was also criticised for referring to Sewell as the "Bakewell Tart".
The case, and Don Hale's campaign, was featured in the 2004 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
drama In Denial of Murder in which Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Tompkinson is a British actor. He is best known for his work in comedy and drama productions such as Drop the Dead Donkey, Ballykissangel, Grafters, In Deep, Wild at Heart and DCI Banks....
played Don Hale and Caroline Catz
Caroline Catz
-Biography:Born Caroline Caplan, Catz began acting in the early 1990s, initially playing minor roles. On registering with Equity, she discovered that an actress with the name Caroline Caplan was already registered, so she had to choose a different professional name.In 1994 she took a lead role in...
played Wendy Sewell.